Food

Catch Of The Day

Food

The unsung hero in your cupboard just might be that can of seafood. It's versatile, portable, and packed with protein.

BY SARA SCHWARTZ

THIS IS NO EXAGGERATION — fish is one of the healthiest foods on the planet. One serving of albacore tuna, for instance, provides iron, magnesium, potassium, selenium, B12, and niacin. And most importantly, you’re getting heart-healthy omega-3 fatty acids, a type of polyunsaturated or “good fat” that promotes brain health and helps to prevent heart disease and stroke, reduces high blood pressure, and may even play a role in keeping cancer at bay. And it’s an excellent source of lean protein.

And while you can pop a vitamin loaded with all the good stuff that fish provides, Lauren Harris-Pincus, MS, a registered dietitian and author of “The Protein-Packed Breakfast Club,” recommends getting your nutrition needs met by diet. “I am a food-first person,” she says, “so I always think that we should be getting our nutrients from food. When you consume the food source, those nutrients are more absorbable and bioavailable because it was nature’s way of providing it.”

Beyond health benefits there are ecological effects to consider as well, and one company stands out. Wild Planet uses sustainable harvesting methods to individually catch younger, wild migratory albacore in the North Pacific, Central Pacific, and coastal New Zealand. Younger albacore in the can results in healthier options for consumers because the younger a fish is the less time it’s had to eat smaller fish loaded with mercury, notes Wild Planet president William Carvalho. “These are much lower in mercury compared to the older, non-migratory brood stock that live deep in the ocean and do not feed at the surface,” he says.

Most canned tuna is cooked twice—before canning and again after. But the tuna that Wild Planet catches is cooked only once in the can, ensuring all those nutrients aren’t lost in the process. And don’t limit yourself to just tuna—Wild Planet salmon and anchovies are also sustainably caught, nutritional powerhouses packed with omega-3 fatty acids.

Need one more reason to crack a can of seafood? The American Heart Association recommends eating fish at least two times a week. Here are some delicious ways to pack your plate with this power food.

Blackened Salmon Sliders With Sprouts & Caper Remoulade

Yield: 9 sliders

BLACKENED SALMON SLIDERS

  • 2 6-ounce cans Wild Planet salmon
  • 1 tablespoon Cajun spice blend
  • 1  organic egg
  • 2  tablespoons olive oil

Drain Wild Planet salmon and add to a bowl along with Cajun spice and egg. Stir mixture to combine, then form nine 2-tablespoon patties.

Warm olive oil in a nonstick pan and add patties. Cook for 4 minutes per side or until golden. Slider patties can alternatively be brushed with oil and baked at 350 degrees for 15 minutes.

CAPER REMOULADE

  • 2 tablespoons capers
  • 1⁄2 cup Greek yogurt

Drain capers, and mash lightly in a small bowl. Fold in Greek yogurt.

TO SERVE

  • 9 slider buns
  • 1 cup sprouts

Split and toast buns.

Assemble by placing a patty onto slider bun and topping with caper remoulade, sprouts and bun. Serve warm or at room temperature.

CHEF’S TIPS

  • Canned fish has great binding capabilities when forming cakes or patties.
  • Make sliders bigger for a full-sized burger.
  • Substitute egg with two tablespoons of ground flax to bind fish together.
  • Add sliders, remoulade and sprouts over greens for a bun-free alternative.

Marinated Fennel, Orange & Tuna Slaw

Yield: 4 cups

  • 1 shallot
  • 1 teaspoon sea salt
  • 3 tablespoons olive oil
  • 2 oranges
  • 1 blood orange
  • 1  fennel with fronds
  • 2  5-oz. cans Wild Planet tuna

Mince shallot (approximately 3 tablespoons) and place in a medium bowl, along with sea salt and olive oil.

Zest (approximately 1 teaspoon) and juice one orange (approximately 1⁄4 cup) and add to same bowl.

Slice remaining oranges by using a chef’s knife to remove peel and pith and slicing into segments.

Slice fennel thinly (approximately 2 cups), and allow to marinate for 10 minutes in orange juice-shallot mixture. Reserve fennel fronds for garnish.

Drain tuna (approximately 1 cup), and gently toss with marinated fennel.

Garnish with orange segments and fennel fronds.

CHEF’S TIPS

  • Using blood oranges adds an extra sweetness, visual appeal and showcases the best the season has to offer.
  • Substitute oranges with grapefruit for a lower sugar content.
  • Fennel fronds make a great garnish and add a subtle licorice flavor to dishes.
  • Use citrus zest in other recipes for extra flavor and to reduce produce waste.

Lemon Roasted Cauliflower, Tuna & Olive Antipasti Salad

Yield: 6 cups

LEMON ROASTED CAULIFLOWER

  • 1 small head cauliflower
  • 3 tablespoons olive oil
  • 1 lemon
  • 8 sprigs fresh thyme

Preheat oven to 400° F.

Cut cauliflower into small florets and toss with olive oil.

Spread out on baking tray and roast for 15 to 20 minutes, or until golden.

Zest (approximately 1 1⁄2 tablespoons) and juice lemon (approximately 3 tablespoons) and toss with roasted cauliflower.

Destem thyme (approximately 2 tablespoons) and toss with warm cauliflower.

ANTIPASTI SALAD

  • 1⁄4  cup pitted green olives
  • 1⁄4  cup pitted black olives
  • 2 cans Wild Planet tuna

Cut olives in half lengthwise and toss with cauliflower in a medium bowl.

Drain Wild Planet tuna.

Gently toss tuna (approximately 1 cup) with cauliflower mixture before serving.

CHEF’S TIPS

  • Toss lemon after the cooking process to retain extra flavor— lemon dulls when it spends too much time in the oven.
  • Try substituting Brussels sprouts, squash, or broccoli for a different antipasti salad variation.
  • Don’t overcrowd the roasting pan to ensure even crispness and browning.
  • Mix fresh herbs with the warm roasted vegetables to help bring out their flavor.

Warm Black Quinoa & Green Bean Salad With Anchovy-Walnut Dressing

Yield: 8 cups salad, 1 1⁄2 cups dressing

  • 1 acorn squash
  • 1 cup black quinoa
  • 3 cups filtered water
  • 2 cups green beans, split lengthwise (approximately 1⁄2 pound)
  • 1 1⁄2 cups purple grapes

Deseed squash and cut into wedges (approximately 3 cups). Place into a medium pot with quinoa and water.

Cut green beans into 1-inch pieces and split lengthwise. Set aside.

Bring quinoa mixture to a boil. Cover and cook for 10 minutes on low heat.

Add beans and cook for 5 minutes, covered. Strain to remove excess water.

Cut grapes in half crosswise and fold into quinoa salad.

ANCHOVY-WALNUT DRESSING

  • 3⁄4 cup walnuts, extra for garnish
  • 6 Wild Planet anchovies
  • 1⁄4  cup olive oil
  • 1⁄4  cup filtered water
  • 2 teaspoons sea salt
  • 1 orange

Soak walnuts in 1⁄2 cup hot water for 10 minutes and strain. Add to blender along with Wild Planet anchovies, olive oil, water and sea salt.

Zest (approximately 4 teaspoons) and juice (approximately 1⁄3 cup) orange and add to blender. Process mixture until smooth. Note: Dressing will taste salty on its own. If using on a different salad, reduce amount of salt by half.

Toast extra walnuts lightly in a pan and chop roughly.

Drizzle dressing over salad right before serving and garnish with walnuts.


CHEF’S TIPS

  • Black quinoa is sturdier than white and red varieties, making it more difficult to overcook.
  • Purple grapes add a great pop of color and lend a sweetness to the dish.
  • Cook black quinoa and squash together to cut down on prep time and dishes.
  • Substitute butternut, kabocha or delicata squash if acorn is not available.
  • Keep the skin on the squash for added texture and to help keep the squash together during the cooking process.
  • Try using the anchovy-walnut dressing as a traditional Caesar salad substitute.

Mediterranean Tuna Melt With Feta, Spinach & Sun-Dried Tomatoes

Yield: 4 pieces

  • 1 small red onion
  • 1⁄4 cup sun-dried tomatoes
  • 1⁄2 cup frozen spinach
  • 1 cup crumbled feta
  • 1 can Wild Planet tuna
  • 1 package (approximately 1 pound) multi-grain pizza dough

Preheat oven to 450° F.

Using scissors, cut sun-dried tomatoes into small pieces.

Soak tomatoes and frozen spinach in hot water for 10 minutes.

Drain well and squeeze out excess moisture. Add to a medium bowl, along with crumbled feta.

Dice onion (approximately 1⁄4 cup) and add to bowl.

Drain Wild Planet tuna and toss with sun-dried tomato mixture.

Divide dough into four sections. Roll out each piece into a 6-inch round (use a small amount of flour if dough is too sticky).

Place 2⁄3 cup of filling on bottom half of each round, leaving a 1⁄2 inch border.

Fold over dough and use a fork to pinch dough closed. Score the top of the dough with a knife.

Place on a parchment-lined baking tray and bake for 20 minutes, or until dough is golden and cooked through. Cut in half before serving.

CHEF’S TIPS

  • Serve the filling on your favorite toasted bread, or roll out the dough and use the filling as a topping to make warm flat- breads.
  • Mix the tuna filling with your favorite pasta for a flavorful pasta salad.
  • Soaking tomatoes and spinach together eliminates the need for extra dishes.
  • Freeze extra calzones before baking to have extra meals in a pinch.

Salmon & Rosemary Creme Fraiche Layered Potato Pancakes

Yield: 1 dozen layered pancakes

POTATO PANCAKES

  • 6 sprigs rosemary
  • 1⁄2 cup olive oil
  • 2 teaspoons sea salt
  • 2 large Russet potatoes (approximately 1 1⁄2 pounds)

Preheat oven to 425° F.

Destem and mince rosemary (approximately 2 tablespoons) and combine with olive oil and salt.

Spiralize potatoes (approximately 8 cups) and soak in cold water for 10 minutes. Rinse to remove residual starch. Blot potato spirals dry and massage thoroughly with 1⁄3 cup of the oil mixture.

Line baking tray with parchment paper. Form small piles (approximately 1⁄4 cup each) and place in a single layer onto tray.

Bake for 15 minutes, flip and press each pancake gently and cook for an additional 5 to 10 minutes, or until golden and cooked through.

TO SERVE

  • 2 cans Wild Planet salmon
  • 1 cup crème fraiche
  • 6 radishes
  • 1⁄4 teaspoon ground black pepper

Drain Wild Planet salmon (approximately 1 cup), and gently toss with remainder of rosemary oil mixture and crème fraiche.

Slice radishes in half lengthwise.

Assemble by placing salmon crème fraiche onto each pancake. Stack pancakes and garnish with cut radish and black pepper.

CHEF’S TIPS

  • Soak spiralized potatoes in cold water to remove excess starch and ensure crispier pancakes.
  • Make shoestring fries using the extra potatoes for a quick snack.
  • Potatoes can be spiralized the day prior and stored in cold water over- night in the fridge.
  • Experiment using different seasoning profiles, such as oregano, black pepper, chives, or sage.

Anchovy Mayo Deviled Eggs With Watercress

Yield: 12 deviled egg halves

  • 6 organic eggs
  • 1 bunch watercress
  • 1 teaspoon flaky sea salt

Add eggs to a small pot and cover with cold water. Bring to a boil over high heat, and cook for 10 minutes once water boils.

Drain carefully and cool in ice bath or under cold running water.

Peel eggs and cut in half crosswise. Trim a small amount of each bottom so eggs rest flat.

Remove egg yolks, reserving for anchovy mayo.

ANCHOVY MAYO

  • 1 lemon
  • 3 tablespoons mayonnaise
  • 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
  • 5 Wild Planet anchovies

Zest (approximately 2 teaspoons) and juice lemon (approximately 2 tablespoons) and add to a bowl along with mayonnaise, Dijon, 5 anchovies (or to taste), and reserved egg yolks.

Remove spines from anchovies and crumble fillets (approximately 3 tablespoons) into egg mixture. Mash until smooth.

Place anchovy mayo into piping bag, or an empty plastic bag, and pipe mixture into hollowed out egg whites.

Top with watercress and flaky sea salt.

CHEF’S TIPS

  • Watercress balances out the flavor by bringing a floral grassiness to a decadent snack.
  • Blend the mixture in a food processor for a smoother texture.
  • Lemon and Dijon help balance the rich anchovy and mayo notes.