Selenium: Why I'm Not Dead of Mercury Poisoning

I grew up in a family owned fish restaurant - my Dad owned a seafood market and cafe - and not only was it my first solid food, but I ate fish almost every day of my life for 13 years.  Since I am writing this, you can assume I have not died from Mercury poisoning.

"Selenium, an essential element in our diet, is vital to the body's antioxidant system and proper immune function. It has anti-cancer effects and is known to detoxify the body of mercury"

You can get selenium from other foods such as Brazil nuts, sunflower seeds and onions.

You should be more concerned about the sustainability of the fish population than mercury toxicity.  

Paleo Chili Verde Fish

I've been working on a pork chili verde recipe for my cookbook and had some of the sauce left over, and if there's one thing about chili verde (besides the fact that it tastes delicious), is that it's very versatile.  I used freshwater farmed tilapia for this dish, it's a sustainable choice and very mild in flavor but really any type of fish will work.  If you used halibut or a fish with a thicker steak, just up the cooking time a bit. 

1 medium eggplant, diced

1 large tomato, diced

3 large fish filets (tilapia, sole, flounder, cod etc...)

1 orange bell pepper, julienned 

20 oz chili verde sauce

Put eggplant and tomato in a large baking dish and sprinkle with salt.  Wash and pat fish dry, salt and pepper both sides and lay on top of the eggplant and tomatoes. Pour chili verde over top of the fish and lay julienned pepper slices on top.  Bake at 400 for 20+/- minutes, until sauce is bubbling and fish is cooked throughout. 

Paleo Kilauea Coconut Cod with Kale

Since she's erupting, I thought I'd name this Hawaiian inspired fish dish after the famous Big Island volcano. Also, I really like alliteration. 

2 Wild Pacific Cod filets

2 tbs coconut oil

1 tbs dried seaweed

1 tbs dried onion

1 tbs cashews, crushed

1 tsp garlic powder

1 tsp crushed red pepper

1 tsp sea salt

2 tbs unsweetened coconut flakes

2 cups kale

Preheat broiler to high.

In a large saute pan heat coconut oil.  Wash and pat cod filets dry, then salt each side. Mix seaweed, onion, cashews, garlic powder and crushed red pepper together - then press the mixture on to both sides of the fish. Fry the fish in the coconut oil, about 3 minutes on each side.  Remove filets and place on a baking sheet.  Sprinkle any remaining seaweed spice mixture and coconut flakes on top, and place in broiler.  DO NOT TAKE YOUR EYES OFF THE FISH!  The coconut will burn in less than a second, so keep watch.  It only takes a minute or so, you just want it golden.

In the same pan you cooked the fish, drain all but a tablespoon or two of the leftover oil and throw kale in there.  Toss with tongs until wilted, serve fish on a bed of kale. 

Curry Fish Chowder with Delicata Squash and Bacon

I love stews, soups and chowders and this sweet and spicy fish soup is great for cold or hot weather.  The squash fills in for a potato, and with the bacon and coconut milk, you'd never know you're not eating a dairy based chowder.   

I used Pacific wild cod, which is a great cold water fish that will hold up in your soup.  Be sure to ask about how the fish is caught - for cod look for wild caught, bottom longline, jig or trap* - as methods like trawling are ruining the sea floor and cause a lot of collateral damage.  Cod also only has about 89 calories per serving, but almost 20g of protein and tons of omega-3's.

In a large dutch oven chop 3-4 slices of bacon and brown, draining any excess fat.  Add a diced onion, a diced bell pepper, 1 small peeled and diced delicata squash, 2 tbs curry powder, a little salt and pepper - saute for about 4 minutes, adding olive oil if needed.  Add 1 can coconut milk and about 16oz (+/-) vegetable broth.  Bring to a boil and add fish, making sure each piece is cut to about the same size so it will cook evenly.  Simmer until fish is done and squash is tender. Give it a squeeze of lemon before serving. 

*source: Monterey Bay Aquarium Seafood Watch

Paleo Breadcrumbs

When I was growing up my parents owned a restaurant, so we'd eat there most nights (great food and a chance to see Dad!), but when we did eat at home, my mom would make a dish that has become my ultimate I'm-homesick-want-comfort-food.  She would pan fry sole (or tilapia, or snapper), and sometimes I totally crave it.  She'd use bread crumbs, but this is substitute that even the most discerning palates can't tell the difference.  It's a very flavorful way to cook mild fish, all you need is a lemon wedge to complete the meal.

Paleo Breading (can be used for fish, chicken or pork)

1 c almond meal

1/2 c flaxseeds (pulse in a food processor)

1 tbs sea salt

1 tbs fresh cracked pepper

1 tbs fresh flat leaf parsley

1 tsp garlic powder

1 tsp dried oregano

1 tsp lemon zest

1/4 tsp red pepper

Dredge fish in egg then coat both sides with breading, fry in a large saucepan in 2-3 tbs olive oil (1/2 tbs ghee can be added for flavor).  

Poisson Cru

One of the best things about traveling is the food.  It's a quick and effective way to get a good glimpse into a culture and a great way to meet the locals.  Since I'm recovering from not one, but two Thanksgivings (I will not be blogging about those meals) I thought I'd put up one of the most perfect dishes in the world.  Oh yeah, the claim has been made.

Tahiti and her islands are my kind of place.  Idyllic tropical beaches, lots of fish (to see and eat), warm water, friendly people, and the influence of French food. Poisson Cru is good eating to the very core.  Only a few ingredients and your mouth is in for the ride of it's life.  Side note: I saw on No Reservations that Poisson Cru is great hangover food as well, so if you need a break from your morning after chorizo burrito, try raw tuna!

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Fresh raw ahi tuna, seeded and sliced cucumbers, sliced onions, julienned carrots, salt & pepper, lime juice, fresh coconut milk.  That's it.  

The first photo is our friend Rota from Raiatea squeezing the milk from the shredded meat of a mature coconut from his yard using a t-shirt (you can also use cheesecloth).  You can use canned, but if you have the muscle, the time and the patience, try the fresh stuff, you'll be shocked how much better it tastes.

Barramundi & Coconut Vegetable Chowder

I have a bunch of cookbooks and get a few food magazines (I cry a little every time I think about my beloved Gourmet), and I really enjoy the challenge of taking recipes that sound delicious, but don't necessarily fit in with our style of eating, and turning them into paleo-friendly dishes.  I channel my favorite chefs, put on one of my many aprons, crank the iPod and have my own little test kitchen session.  Sometimes it works...other times, it's pretty apparent my modifications were less than stellar and our dog Brody gets a nice meal, but in any case it's an adventure.  This recipe came out better than I could have imagined, and there were no leftovers to be had.

I adapted this recipe from the October Bon Appetit magazine, where they took it from Happy Restaurant in Boulder. 

For the chowder:

Heat 1 tbs oil in a large pot - add 1 cup diced onion, 3 kaffir lime leaves (if you can't find them, you can use the zest and juice frPublish Postom 1 lime), 3 large fresh basil leaves, 1 tbs minced fresh ginger, 1 chopped jalapeno with seeds, 2 smashed garlic cloves.  Stir occasionally for 4-5 minutes, then add 3 cups canned coconut milk, 2 cups vegetable broth, 2 tbs salt, 1-2 tsp chili oil, and 1 15oz bottle fresh carrot juice.  Reduce heat to low and simmer uncovered for 1 hour.  Strain out the solids - pressing them to get all the liquid out - and return liquid to pot.

Peel and cube (removing the seeds) of 1 small acorn or delicata squash, then boil until soft.  Add the squash cubes, 1 carrot peeled and cut into matchsticks, 1 red bell pepper cubed, 1/2 cup sliced water chestnuts, 1 small head of grated cauliflower and 2 cups chopped sugar snap peas to the broth.  Simmer for about 5 minutes, or until the vegetables are just soft.

For the fish:

Rinse and pat dry 4 small fillets (I used Barramundi, but you can use any fish really).  Add salt and pepper, and 1 tbs flax seed meal to each fillet, pressing the flax seed meal into the flesh.  Heat up 4 tbs coconut oil in a saucepan, and place fish skin side up*/flax seed side down into the pan.  Cook approx 4 minutes each side.

Serve with avocado slices, lime wedges and fresh basil

*note on cooking fish, the skin side attracts the heat, so if you're broiling fish, skin goes down, if you're grilling/frying, skin goes up! 

Recipe: Foolproof Fish, Two Ways

When I had my recent cooking class, the guest of honor (aka, birthday girl) requested that we cook fish since she was uncomfortable making it at home. Fish, my specialty! Actually, my dad was the one that had a seafood market and cafe for over 25 years, but I watched him cook a lot of fish, that I in turn, ate, so I feel like an authority.



I picked 2 fish recipes that quick and easy. The first being a Mahi Mahi 'packet' with fennel, purple potatoes and pancetta. Foil is the 'quick and dirty, I'm at home cooking for my husband on a Thursday' type of material, so if you really want to impress, use parchment paper. For a super wow factor when a visiting dignitary comes to dinner, use banana leaves.

• Spread foil out on a baking sheet and grease with butter.
  
• Dice fennel bulb (save the green fronds for garnish), dice or medallion purple potaoes (I use purple becuase they add great color to the dish, but you can use red or fingerling) and brown in a pan wth pancetta. You can use olive oil, but I prefer a little butter for this one.
  
• Rinse Mahi Mahi (you can also use halibut, swordfish, or any thicker filet of fish).
• Put pancetta mixture into foil, lay fish on top. Add salt, pepper and a drizzle of oilve oil
• Fold foil to make a packet, but be sure to leave space for steam to build up
• Place baking sheet (with foil packet) in the oven at 375 degrees. It will take anywhere from 10-20 mins depending on the fish, so check it regularly.
• Fish should be flaky but not dry....a good rule of thumb, if you think it's almost done, it is!
  

The second recipe is actually my comfort food. If we didn't eat at the restaurant and my mom had to cook, we had pan fried tilapia/sole/snapper (with rice a roni and vegetables). With this recipe, I just added an extra step, and the principles can apply to finish any fish with a sauce.

• Take snapper, rinse and pat dry. Season both sides with salt and pepper. A purchasing suggestion, estimate about 6 oz raw fish per person.
• Heat oil in pan until just about smoking, and lay filet in the pan - you should hear a big sizzle! You'll only need about 3 mins on each side
• Remove fish from pan and place on a plate
• In the same pan, add 1/2 cup white wine to deglaze, scraping up all the bits. Let that reduce down to about 1/2 and add the juice of 1-2 lemons. Add 1/2 cup of capers (or more if you're a fan of the briney deliciousness) and let summer for an additional 2 minutes. Add 1 tbs of butter and stir, then remove from heat.
• Plating: Place filet on plate and spoon sauce over top.

And special thanks to my sous chef, Brody, who actually went out and caught the fish that morning...just kidding