Alaska wild seafood and fish are staples of the diet here in the Great Land. Thousands come to the Great Land to pursue the State’s plentiful halibut, shrimp, and salmon. Fish stocks in Alaska are managed on a sustainable basis and make for healthy fare. Here are a few suggestions for preparing wild Alaska seafood in your own home the way we enjoy it. Visit the Alaska Seafood Marketing Association for more information and preparation hints.
Red or Sockeye Salmon
Red Salmon harvested from the Copper River Delta are world renowned for their quality and taste. Learn to grill your fish directly on the barbeque grate. Use a moderate temperature setting and spray the grill surface with a non-stick cooking spray. We like to marinate fully cut, skin-on Red Salmon fillets in Yoshida’s Gourmet Sauce for about 15 minutes. Longer periods of marination don’t provide additional benefits to the fish. Place the fillets on the grill and carefully slide them back and forth on the grate. This will help prevent sticking. Try to turn your fish only once while it is cooking. Avoid overcooking; it should only take about five minutes per side on the grill. Fish is cooked at the point where the flesh is no longer translucent. Serve your Red Salmon with fresh asparagus from the Washington State. This is excellent fare.
Pacific Halibut
A favorite in Alaska, halibut can be prepared in many ways. If you are able to purchase fresh caught halibut or take one of these titans on your own, the difference with frozen halibut is remarkable. Using a baking dish or a tray formed from heavy aluminum, melt a stick of butter over the grill. You can use the stovetop in a pinch. Add about a half-cup of soy sauce, a generous shot of white Worchester and some fresh squeezed lime juice to the melted butter. Place halibut portions into the mixture and cook them until they are just cooked. Avoid handling the fish too much. Serve a generous portion of the fish with red potatoes and freshly baked bread!
Spot Shrimp
You might see a trend here. The grill is a great way to prepare seafood. It only seems right to spend some time outdoors preparing these treats that come from the greater outdoors. Alaska Spot Shrimp are a true oxymoron, they are huge shrimp! Shrimp are sold by the number of tails per pound. Spot Shrimp sold as “U10″ or under ten per pound are common. The simplest and many think best way to cook shrimp is to use bamboo skewers and cook them over a moderately hot grill. Brush the shrimp with melted butter and lightly sprinkle garlic salt on them. Again, avoid overcooking your fresh seafood. While it may be cliché, grilled Spot Shrimp served with a prime cut of aged Angus beef is a meal hard to surpass.
Plan a visit to Alaska or visit us vicariously through preparing Alaska wild seafood at home. While the fishing is remarkable, there are many other culinary opportunities available to our visitors. Fine restaurants, community salmon bakes and crab boils to name a few.
Copyright © 2013 by Alan Sorum – Portions of this article were first published at suite101.com