Issue #017: The Wild West is OPEN (mostly)
The floodgates are opening - here's what's in stores for the upcoming Long Weekend
The best Chilean Sea Bass Substitute, a Cod that’s not-a-cod, two recipes, a spicy cooking class and this week’s sweet Subscriber Deal.
Almost here…
Is this wild?
Do you have Wild Salmon?
When will you have Wild Salmon?
What is Ling Cod?
These are questions we get all year long, though with much more frequency these days as the weather warms and folks can FEEL the wild season is almost here. Like fruit and vegetables, fish is seasonally available, with fisheries operating seasonally.
The first wild salmon run is the Copper River in Alaska and it starts TODAY.
This fish is the most highly valued in the world. Dan is working on getting us a tiny part of the run, but due to logistics, a powerful American dollar, and larger Canadian fish operations deciding to ‘take a pass’ on Copper this year, we might not see it. Stay tuned. We should see the first Canadian run within two weeks of the Copper opening, typically from the North of BC.
Wild B.C. Spot Prawn season opened THIS WEEK TOO!!!
Dan is trying to get a small shipment in stores for Saturday that will be available for pre-sale only. We will send out an email and blast to social media if we are able to secure live spotties. You can also send us an email to let us know you’d like to be first on the list for a pound or two!
For the Love of COD
Remember the days of Chilean Sea Bass (actual name Patagonian Toothfish)? This fish became THE restaurant fish of the nineties and early 2000’s. It was thick, with a crazy high fat content and super mild flavour that everyone loved. And of course, it got fished to near extinction thanks to us awesome humans.
Given our commitment to good, clean and fair, we’ve always chosen to highlight wild B.C. Black Cod, less commonly (but more accurately) known as Sablefish or Butterfish. It’s the closest we’ve found to Chilean Sea Bass AND it’s found in Canadian waters fished by small boats harvesting responsibly.
These fish thrive in the cold, nutrient-rich waters of the Pacific Ocean, and their availability increases after the opening of the Pacific Halibut fishery. We love Black Cod for its ridiculously buttery texture, its delicate and sweet flavor, as well as the fact that it is a cinch to cook perfectly. It’s pretty forgiving if it doesn’t make it out of the pan quite in time, AND we have a pretty regular supply hitting our shops a couple of times a week.
Are you ready to bite into it?
How to make it SHINE.
Classic Nobu-ish Sablefish (Black Cod):
We make a killer miso marinade (It has seventeen ingredients!) that we love on salmon but especially on Sablefish. While Nobu marinates their Sablefish for 48 hours, I prefer to actually taste the fish. 😉
An hour with the marinade brushed on is enough; two hours is my max.
Starting the fish from room temperature is always key.
Set your broiler to HIGH. Place the rack on the top bracket.
Oil a pan and lay the fish skin side down.
Broil for 5-8 minutes depending on thickness.
A little char is ideal. I always set a timer a few minutes before I think it’ll be cooked and then gauge from there.
Insert the tip of a paring knife into the fattest part of the fish. It should enter easily and emerge just hot. If still cool, place the fish back into the oven for another 2-3 minutes.
Serve with Gai lan (Chinese broccoli) or bok choy with a sweet and sour glaze (or better yet, douse it with our ginger scallion sauce in the pan to finish).
What is a LING COD?!
Ling cod isn’t actually a cod. It’s a greenling. But it looks like a cod, acts like a cod, tastes like a cod and apparently folks like cod, so it’s called a cod. Make sense?
Indigenous to cold coastal B.C. waters, Ling Cod is a meatier cousin to traditional cod. Mild in flavour, with decent fat content, dense structure and a thick skin, this fish works in pretty much every preparation. On the grill, pan roast, olive oil poached, in soups, battered and fried, blackened… Whether served as a simple fillet with a squeeze of lemon, marinated in Chimichurri or incorporated into a flavourful seafood stew, Ling Cod hits the spot every time.
How to make it SHINE.
Here is a recipe that I LOVE for Ling Cod. And it’s perfect for summer. You’re welcome ;)
Grilled Ling Cod with Coconut Milk and Cilantro
Adapted from Melissa Clark, NYT Cooking
Serves 2
Ingredients:
2 x 6 ounce portions of Ling Cod
Sea Salt & Pepper
2 tbsp Coconut Oil
2 whole Limes, juiced
1 medium Shallot, peeled and sliced
1 bunch Cilantro, washed and picked
1 cup Mint, washed and picked
1-2 Thai Chilies, chopped
1 clove Garlic, finely minced
1 tsp Fish Sauce (Red Boat)
½ cup Coconut Milk, full fat
1 tbsp Vegetable Oil
Sea Salt
Method:
Preheat grill to medium high 5 minutes before cooking with the lid closed
Pull the Ling Cod from the fridge 1 hour before cooking
Rub the outside of the filets with 1 tbsp of coconut oil or olive oil, Season well with sea salt
Juice the limes into the bowl of a food processor.
Add the shallot, cilantro, mint, chile, garlic, fish sauce and a pinch of salt.
Pulse together until a very coarse puree is formed.
Add the coconut milk and the vegetable oil. Pulse again.
Taste for seasoning, adding more fish sauce, lime juice and/or salt to taste.
Reserve.
Grilling:
Place the filets SKIN SIDE DOWN onto the heated grill surface. Close the lid.
Do not touch for at least 4 minutes, depending on the thickness of the Ling Cod filet you are cooking. It should typically take anywhere from 6-8 minutes to cook through perfectly. Using the paring knife trick, check for doneness.
Serve with sauce!
Speaking of Thai Fish
We have a few spots left for our Thai Fish Class! If you want to try more fish like the delicious Ling Cod recipe - join us on June 5th at 888 Queen Street East. We’ll spice it up and eat until we have to roll you all out.
The Big DEAL -
Thanks for reading along.
We’re so excited to get you onto Black Cod (yes, Sablefish). It’s like having an extra arrow in your quiver, an easy way to make a gorgeous dinner that will floor your guests. AND THIS IS THE WEEKEND TO DO IT! We have both FRESH and FROZEN Sablefish in stock at our stores* (so you can stock up) and get serious with a new fish and a new method.
Saturday May 18th and Sunday May 19th all Sablefish will be $5 off per pound.
Come and GET IT!!
How to get this sweet deal?
Go to a store, say hello, let the staff know you’re a subscriber then give us your name/email to get your discount. It’s really that easy.
… And let us know you’re a subscriber each time you come in to shop, even if you’ve missed the issue. We can point you at a specials you might not know about.
Be Social 🐠
Did you slam dunk that Sablefish? Tag us in your Instagram stories @Hookedinc - We love seeing what you’re making for dinner and we want you to know we think you’re an amazing home cook and we can hand out all the digital high fives y’all deserve.
Have a question on a burning topic? Leave us question in the comments to get your query featured in an upcoming Issue.
*Our stores: Hooked in Leslieville, Hooked in Kensington Market, South Kingsway Hooked. Does not include our cousin store, Hooked on the Danforth.
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