Itinerant Muse

More on Salmon

Grilled Salmon Burger with grilled mushrooms and red peppers on a bed of spinach

Can't get enough of wild Alaska salmon!  Chef, author and New York Times columnist Mark Bittman talks about the dangers of eating farmed salmon, as I had mentioned in a previous post.  You can see his video at http://tinyurl.com/mps6op.

His video and article led me to the Monterey Bay Aquarium Seafood Watch, a really interesting website where you can actually print out  a fish buying pocket guide for your geographical region.  This guide is invaluable as a buying guide on how to buy fish emphasizing three key issues:  where is the seafood from, is it farmed or wild-caught, and how was it caught.  The guide lists best choices, good alternatives and what to avoid.

For instance, did you know the Bluefin Tuna has become an endangered species and consumers are asked not to purchase it?  And did you know that when buying halibut, make sure it is Pacific Halibut, not Atlantic?  Who knew!

Anyone who loves fish as much as I do should check out this website.  In doing so, you also support those fisheries and fish farms that are healthier for ocean wildlife and the environment.

Be healthy and buy wisely!

Chicken Pesto Pizza

Chicken Pesto Pizza

When I recently received an e-mail from Twitter that "Doughxpress" was following me, I checked out its tweets and the website, as I always do to determine if I want to follow my follower.  One of the first tweets was this Chicken Pesto Pizza recipe.
Well, I love making pesto and  my basil is flourishing so last night I decided to try the recipe. So delicioso!
Here is my adaptation with notes on the original recipe from Doughxpress.
1/2 c. pesto (mine is homemade from the Chamberlains Flavor of Italy)
1-12" pre-baked pizza crust (usually I make my own, but I used a frozen one - won't do that again)
2 c. sauteed chicken breast strips
1-6oz. jar artichoke hearts drained
1/2 c. fontina cheese ( I used both fontina and asiago cheese for a little extra bite)
Pre-heat oven to 450 degrees -- bake the crust for 5-10 minutes until it lightly browns arond the edges.  Let cool.  Spreead pesto sauce over pizza crust.  Arrange chicken strips and artichoke hearts over the sauce. Sprinkle with the cheeses.  Bake for 8 to 10 minutes until cheese is melted and lightly browned.
Serve with a lovely, rich red.
Bon Appetit!

Wild about Wild Alaska Salmon

Easy Salmon Cakes adapted from Eating Well magazine is a delicious salmon recipe.  I changed it slightly by using wild Alaska salmon that I poached slightly in white wine & herbs.  Also since the salmon was already cooked, I heated the oven to 375 and baked until golden (photo came out a little dark).  I served it with an herb-infused couscous and made a fruit salsa to complement it.

My guests gave the menu rave reviews.  The reason I have started using wild salmon is because of the controversy over farmed salmon.

In the May issue of Better Nutrition there  was an article about why wild-caught salmon is the only way to go.  Although farmed salmon is cheaper, it has been positively proven that it is loaded with toxins, including flame retardants and dioxins that are classified as human carcinogens.  It also is endangering the environment and the wild salmon population.  And, it is usually always dyed to looked more robust and redder, plus the flavor can not compare with wild-caught salmon.

When I purchased the salmon at my favorite market, Wegman's, I picked up interesting information about the salmon seasons, starting with the Copper River King/Chinook & Sockeye salmon running in May & June, then in other Alaskan rivers the Sockeye run in June & July.  In July a new salmon debuts, the Yukon River Keta Salmon, highest in Omega 3 content of any salmon and runs through August until the Coho or Silver salmon appears in August and September. Believe me when I say you can not compare the flavor of wild Alaska salmon to Atlantic and farmed salmon.  It is so far superior, rich and delicious. I promise you that you will save all your copper pennies to splurge on Alaska salmon, while eating healthily at the same time!