Black Cod with Bacon Dashi

It’s an age-old dilemma: serve your valentine a dish as rich as romance, or something to avoid feeling stuffed after dinner?

Find balance in this Black cod with bacon dashi, which takes the alluring, smokey flavor of bacon and actually makes it light and healthy. Dashi is a seaweed broth rich in minerals with as much Vitamin C as orange juice. Black cod is a terrific source of protein and healthy fats. Find those recipes below.

INGREDIENTS

Bacon Dashi

• 3 cups water

• 5 kombu seaweed sheets

• 3 strips bacon

• 1” fresh or 1 piece dry galangal ginger

• 2 tbsp mirin (to taste)

• 1 tbsp low sodium soy sauce (to taste)

• 1 tbsp sake (to taste)

Black Cod

• 4 6-ounce black cod fillets, skin on

• 1 tbsp olive oil

• sea salt

• white pepper

• corn starch for dusting on skin

PREPARATION

In a saucepan, bring the water to 140° and add the kombu and ginger. After steeping for 30 minutes, discard the kombu (or reserve for another use like a seaweed salad). Add the bacon, keeping the temperature similarly low for another 30 minutes. Discard the bacon and ginger. Next, season the dashi with mirin, sake and/or soy sauce. Pour the sauce into a shallow sauce pan and keep warm until you are ready to use it to poach the fish.

Season the skin side only with sea salt and pepper from well above. Smack corn starch on the skin only. Heat olive oil in a pan on medium high. Sear the skin side only until golden brown (about 2-3 minutes); you should see the sides of the flesh start to turn whiter. Gently flip the fillets into a shallow sauce pan with the bacon dashi broth. Be careful to only submerge the fillets one quarter of the way up their sides. Finish steeping and poaching for approximately another 3 minutes, depending on the thickness of the fish.

Healthy Hawaiian Style Seared Tuna

What could be more inviting than a beautifully prepared wedge of tuna? Try two takes on this delicious fish — pairing a raw Hawaiian preparation (poke) with a classic: seared tuna steak.

On the health front, tuna offers high levels of both protein and great-for-you selenium. Tuna is also rich in omega-3 fatty acids, which lowers heart disease risk by fighting bad cholesterol, can help curb joint pain, aids in combatting depression, and may even help prevent alzheimer’s disease and dementia. Try out the tuna recipes here (which serves four).

INGREDIENTS

Tuna Poke

• 12 oz. yellowfin tuna, in ¼-inch cubes

• 1 scallion, thinly sliced

• 1 tsp. white or black sesame seeds

• 4 tsp. low sodium soy sauce, to taste

• 2 tsp. toasted sesame oil, to taste

• Crushed dried red shishito pepper

• 2 avocados in ¼-inch cubes

• 1 tsp. trout roe per serving

Seared Peppercorn Tuna

• 2 Tbsp. coarsely cracked black pepper

• 4 1.5-inch-thick tuna steaks

• 2 tbsps olive oil

• sea salt

PREPARATION

Tuna Poke

Add tuna, chives/scallions, sesame seeds, soy sauce, sesame oil, and crushed red shishito dried pepper (optional) to bowl; fold gently to combine. Taste and adjust with more soy sauce, sesame oil, or red pepper as desired. Let sit five minutes at room temperature.

Seared Peppercorn Tuna

Rub with olive oil and entirely coat one side of each tuna steak with cracked pepper and sprinkle lightly with sea salt. Heat oil in heavy medium skillet over medium-high heat. Add tuna to skillet and sear to desired doneness — about two minutes on only one side — leaving the other side rare. Finish with a squeeze of fresh lemon. Set aside and tent with foil to keep warm until plating.

Plating

Cover the bottom of the ring mold with two Tbsp. of avocado; then fill the mold with poke until it’s at least two inches high. Spoon trout roe in center (optional). Place seared tuna next to the poke, seared side up. Top with a blackberry and sprigs of peashoots.

BONUS RECIPE: SPICED HERB OIL

Ready to take that tuna to the next level? Try adding this tongue-tingling spiced herb oil, which makes about 1 and 1/4 cups.

INGREDIENTS

• 2 cups coarsely chopped fresh cilantro

• 3/4 cup olive oil

• 2 green onions, chopped

• 1 jalapeño chili chopped

• 2 garlic cloves, chopped

• 1/4 cup water

PREPARATION

Combine all ingredients except water in a food processor. Puree until almost smooth. Place in a fine strainer. Press on solids to extract liquide, and discard leftover solids. Now, whisk 1/4 cup water into mixture with strained liquid in bowl and season to taste. If you want to get a jump on your prep, you can make this oil a day ahead, but cover and refrigerate it after mixing and give it a good whisk before serving.

Healthy Mackerel and Melon

Mackerel was never one of my go-to fish when ordering out unless I was dining at a high end sushi bar, but a few years ago I decided to entertain a few guests with this light mackerel dish, Mackerel and Melon, and was so pleased with the outcome that it’s become a staple. Its marinade and torched skin transform the oily fishy into a crispy, melt-in-your-mouth flavor bomb. Mackerel also provides health benefits; among both fresh and saltwater fish, it’s got one of the highest concentration in Omega-3 acids, which lower your blood pressure and raises your good cholesterol. Plus watermelon boasts vitamins A, B6, C, lycopene, antioxidants, amino acids and even a modest amount of potassium — helping to make this unlikely pairing a healthy hit that serves four.

INGREDIENTS

Mackerel

• 1/2 cup mirin

• 1/2 low sodium soy sauce

• 2 tbsp sake

• 1 tbsp caster sugar

• 2 chips dry galangal ginger

• Juice from 1/2 a lemon

• 2 whole mackerel fillets, with pin bones removed and sliced down to make 4 fillets

• 1 tbsp toasted sesame oil

Garnish

• 1/2 whole watermelon

• 12 shiso leaves

• 3 scallions sliced 1/4” diagonally

• 2” fresh ginger julienne sliced

• Nasturtium leaves

PREPARATION

1. Heat the mirin, soy sauce, sake, sugar and galangal ginger. Bring to a boil, reduce to low, then remove from the heat. Pour into a jar, and mix in the sesame oil and lemon. Pour the mixture into a container large enough to hold the fillets.

2. When the mixture has cooled, place the mackerel fillets into the container flesh-side down. Set aside to marinate for 20 minutes.

3. Remove mackerel from the marinade. Pat skin with a paper towel. To prevent curling of the skin during cooking, make several diagonal scores in the skin, cross the length of each fillet.

4. Place the fillets on a sheet pan lined with foil. Skin side up, drizzle the mackerel with grapeseed oil, and gently blowtorch the skin side until charred. Gently torch the flesh side until slightly cooked through. Then season with freshly ground black pepper.

5. Slice 4 diagonal pieces of seedless watermelon 1/4” thick, about the same length as the individual fillets.

6. For plating, place 3 shiso leaves on the center of the plate. Lay the watermelon slice followed by the mackerel. At one corner, diagonally place the scallions and ginger along with nasturtium leaves. Gently drizzle with shiso soy sauce and serve.

Steamed PEI Mussels with Wine in Egg Cream Sauce

During this festive time of year, crafting menus for holiday gatherings comes to mind. And there are few holiday meals as familiar as the Italian “Feast of Seven Fishes.” Ironically, structuring the meal around seafood comes from a Catholic tradition of abstaining from meat until the feast of Christmas Day. But if you’re lucky enough to be invited to an Italian home on Christmas Eve, you’re likely to encounter a meal that feels delightfully abundant — with a wide variety of the ocean’s greatest treasures cooked to perfection.

Whether you’re looking to add to your Christmas Eve line-up or are simply in the market for a healthy-yet-celebratory seafood dish, you’ll find that mussels are a fan favorite. I started making a variation on this dish I found years ago in an old French Country cookbook, but over the years I have finessed it. It’s satisfying, succulent and briney, yet delectably mellowed by egg and cream.

The health angle of the preparation is the nutritional value of the mussels. PEI Mussels are a good source of vitamin C, which is rare among protein sources and they provide other antioxidants, as well. In addition, a serving of PEI Mussels also provides an impressive 18 grams of protein. They’re also high in vitamin B12 and are an excellent source of iron, an important factor in red blood cell formation. And for the eco-concerned, mussels are a type of shellfish which can be farmed in environmentally sound ways. Healthy holidays!

INGREDIENTS

• 1/2 cup chopped shallots

• 2 large garlic cloves minced

• 2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil

• 4 pounds PEI mussels scrubbed and debearded

• 1 cup dry white wine

• 1/2 cup heavy cream

• 2 large egg yolks

• 4 sprigs thyme

• 1 lemon, juiced

• ground black pepper

• 3 scallions cut in 1/4 diagonal slices

• 1 myoga ginger, sliced lengthwise

PREPARATION

1. In a large sauce pan over medium heat, cook the shallots in the olive oil stirring occasionally for three minutes. Add the garlic and cook another minute (but be sure not to burn it). Add the mussels, wine and sprigs of thyme, then cover the pan.

2. Steam the mussels, shaking the pan occasionally for five to seven minutes or until the shells have opened. Discard any unopened shells. With a slotted spoon, transfer the mussels to a bowl and keep warm.

3. Strain the broth through a sieve into a medium saucepan. Over medium-high heat, reduce the strained cooking liquid to one cup.

4. While sauce is reducing, remove the mussels from the shells.

5. In a separate bowl, whisk together the heavy cream and egg yolks. Reduce the heat under the saucepan to low. Add the cream mixture to the cooking liquid and whisk until thickened slightly. Add lemon juice and pepper to taste.

PLATING

Arrange about a quarter of the mussels in a circle in the serving vessels before pouring the egg cream sauce in the center. Then, garnish the mussels with slivers of scallion and myoga ginger and serve. Recipe serves three to four.

King Salmon Poke with Black Sesame and Quick Pickled Beet

One of my favorite colorful summertime dishes to serve at any special gathering is poke. This poke is packed with super rich, all the good for you fat from the king salmon and folate iron from the red beets. Pickled beets also contain high amounts of potassium, phosphorus, magnesium, and vitamins A, B, and C, among others. The acidic sweetness from the beets and the brininess from the seabeans bring the luscious rich salmon to a balanced unami bite.

INGREDIENTS

Salmon Poke

• 1 lb. sushi-grade salmon fillet, cut into 3/4-inch cubes

• 2 tbsp soy sauce

• 1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil

• 1 tbsp sesame oil

• 2 tbsp rice wine vinegar

• 2 tbsp rice mirin

• 1 tsp ginger, grated

• 1 tsp garlic, minced

• 1 tbsp black sesame seeds

Red Beets

• 3 red beets

• sea salt

• 1/4 cup apple cider or sherry vinegar

• freshly ground pepper

• 1/4 cup olive oil

Garnish

Seabeans and scallion

PREPARATION

Salmon

In a medium sized bowl, combine soy sauce, oils, rice wine vinegar, mirin, ginger, garlic and add salmon. Toss gently with 1/4 cup of the marinade. Sprinkle with sesame seeds, refrigerate for 30 minutes or serve immediately.

Beets

1. Place beets in a large pot, and cover with cold water by 2 inches. Bring to a boil over high heat; add 1 tsp sea salt. Reduce heat slightly to maintain a rolling boil. Cook until tender, about 30 minutes. Drain, and let cool slightly. Trim stem ends, then peel beets using a paring knife or a vegetable peeler. Using a mandoline, cut beets 1/4-inch-thick slices for medallions. Using a carrot peeler to make ribbons as well.

2. Whisk together vinegar, sea salt to taste, and the pepper in a small bowl. Add oil in a slow, steady stream, whisking until emulsified. Pour vinaigrette over beets.

TIP

Before you begin making the poke, put the raw salmon in the freezer for about 30 minutes to partially freeze it. You want the salmon to be firm, but still soft enough to slice. The firmer texture allows for more sharply defined cuts.