Smokey fish... but only slightly

So I do this kind of crazy thing.  I should preface this by saying: I sometimes feel like a little alder smoked salmon.  When I was younger, much younger, I liked the salmon at Ivar's Salmon House. I don't care much for it now... too dry. I've tried using smoker bags, the ones you find in many seafood departments in grocery stores, but those tend to cook smaller pieces of fish too much, too fast.  I'm only one person.

Here is my little experiment for today.

3/4 lb. Sockeye (1-1/4" at its thickest point) - lightly season with salt, pepper, & paprika.

Place some alder chips into a sturdy piepan (I think mine was originally from Marie Callender's) . Cover with heavy duty foil, seal it up, and indent a bit around the inner edge to catch any released juices.
Poke about 8-10 small holes around that inner edge of the indented foil with the pointy side of a bamboo skewer.
Place seasoned fish on foil.
Cover with another piece of foil and seal well.
Turn stove burner (I have electric) to medium high heat.
Place pietin directly on burner.  Wait a minute or 2, then turn heat down to medium low.
Time it for about 13-15 minutes.

The end result was moist, had a light smokey tinge in flavor, and the fish retained its wonderful color. I was pleased.

I ate half before it occured to me that I should taken a picture!  Here's the best I could do.

pig roast pig roast yummy yummy pig roast...

I went, I watched, I ate....   and I fried smelt!

Little Lake Smelt from Canada.  You can find them in the freezer section at The Store.  Very affordable at $2.99/lb.

Dust with seasoned flour:
1 cup flour
1 Tblsp salt
1 tsp pepper
1 hefty dash of cayenne

Then fry 

Serve with lemon wedges

















I did say I went to a Pig Roast...!

In Store Specials 07.19.2012

Only until next Monday (7/23) LIVE DUNGENESS CRAB is on sale!

$4.99 per lbs. Live
$5.99 per lbs. Cooked

One of the best prices in town at the moment! And on top of that we've got some nice sized ones too!
2+ lbs.! Sweet!!

I made a great Dungeness Crab Orzo.

Dungeness Crab - shelled out, meat only.
Marinated Artichoke Hearts
Fresh Asparagus
Cherry tomatoes

Recipe and Picts coming!! Yummy!

I'm goin to a pig roast I'm goin to a pig roast

I love a pig roast... yum yum yum.  What am I gonna make?  Just wait and see!

How to clean Ocean Smelt

Gotta run, but wanted to post quickly the pictures of cleaning Ocean Smelt

UPDATE!!

So To start! Get a very sharp knife - I'm using my filet knife here. Cut from the anal opening through the belly and up to the gills. Cut all the way through belly.

 

Next cut behind the pectoral fin angled from the top of the head to the belly. Have the knife touch the backbone, but DON'T CUT THROUGH the backbone. DO BOTH SIDES!

Grip the top of the head of the smelt, and flatten slightly from top. You should be able to see the backbone through the meat on the top of the head. place thumb inside and slowly separate the backbone downward torwards the belly cavity.

Gripping the head in one hand and the backbone in the other - pull apart slowly. This can also be done under a trickle of water to rinse at the same time! :) You will usually have all the rib bones and pinbones coming out at the same time. I usually leave the guts in as well, as these come out at this time cleanly anyway! 

Tada! One fillet of Smelt. I don't cut all the way through the anal fin to the tail, as it give a nice little handle of sorts when your going to fry these. Also nice to be able to bite up to a certain point too. Like good finger hors D'oeuvers, you need something to grab!

Top of the fillet. 

New Fresh Fish in THE STORE! 07/06/2012

Hey All,
Just in today 400 lbs. of Washington Coast Albacore Tuna!

Sweet!! They are beautiful, nice meat, and tasty!!

Pictures to come soon!

UPDATE: 07.09.2012

Pictures of our Fresh Tuna! Whoo hoo!! Fresh Sashimi!

Fresh in 07.03.2012

The latest fresh Fish in to the STORE!


We got our first shipment of Fresh Ocean Smelt today! These are smaller silvery fish that are about 6 inches in length and 1 to 1 1/2 inches diameter. These can easily be cleaned and pan fried. Actually, I usually hear that is how most people eat these smaller fish. I've never tried it personally, perhaps I need to this season.


There are some pretty interesting facts about this fish, but I find this the most intriguing.


-They are also known as "Candlefish" This nickname comes from the fact that the smelt are so full of oil that when dried, placed upright, and lit, the fish would burn from end to end like a candle. 
(I want to try that...but I think that wouldn't be a very pleasant fragrance )

There are some nice historic references found here. Also included is a basic recipe.


Looks like these have also been recently tagged as being a threatened species. Particularly here in the North West.
Info. about that here.


Also in are Fresh Iwashi, or Sardines!

These I've had, but only grilled like Saba, Mackerel. While that is tasty, it's hard to avoid all the little bones! 
Iwashi Shoyuyaki is a pretty common Japanese way to prepare this fish.


So that's in and Fresh these days! Stop By!


On a completely different note, I will try and locate the download cable to my digital camera to add pictures to all this stuff. Hang on! should be coming soon!