Carrie's Experimental Kitchen: Week 21: Seafood Frenzy Friday

Friday, June 8, 2012

Week 21: Seafood Frenzy Friday

Welcome to Week 21 of Seafood Frenzy Friday where I select seafood recipes from some of my food blogging friends to showcase for all of you since I don't eat any fish myself. Simply click on the name of the recipe underneath the picture to be taken to the author's original post.

According to an article on eHow.com, salmon is arguably a contender for the title of "fillet mignon of the sea" with its rich flavor appealing to a wide variety of palettes and its tremendous nutritional value as a source of protein, Omega 3 fatty acids, and vitamin D. For all of its value in flavor and potential health benefits, there comes a price tag and it is important to get the most from your salmon dollar.

Never purchased salmon before? No problem! Here are 5 tips on how to select salmon:

1. Have an idea of how much salmon you intend to cook and what else you will need for the meal. Salmon is a fairly delicate meat and will spoil outside of refrigeration if it is neglected for an extended period of time.  

2. Additionally be aware of the differences between farm raised and wild caught salmon. Wild salmon tends to be a bit leaner and has an overall richer, gamier flavor making it generally the more desirable premium product, but pricing and availability in most areas favors farm raised salmon as the more economical choice.

3. Inspect your intended purchase visually. The flesh should be very firm and together. Any feathering of the flesh indicates a potential problem, as does slimy skin and scales that fall out at ease. The color of the flesh can vary depending on the particular variety of salmon and is not as important of an indicator of quality as the condition.  

4. Get a chance to smell the cut of fish. This is probably the most important step, and should make or break your decision to purchase. Salmon should smell rather sweet with a bit of saltiness if it is fresh, while if the salmon has the more typical fish smell it should be discarded.

5. When you purchase your salmon, take it home as soon as possible to avoid spoilage which can lead to illness.

And now for this weeks' seafood roundup!

Just Putzing Around the Kitchen