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Paiche Recipe and Giveaway
It’s not everyday that you get the chance to try a fish you’ve never even heard of before. Last week I cooked paiche (pie-chay) a fish from the Amazon, also known as arapaima or pirarucu. Freshwater paiche are huge, growing be up to near 500 pounds, and breathe through lungs rather than gills. Considered a prehistoric fish, the flesh is very firm, but also rich and high in omega-3 fatty acids.
Endangered in the wild from overfishing, paiche is now raised commercially in ponds so wild fish remain protected, and free of any antibiotics or mercury. It’s one of the top fish farmed in Peru, and you may find it on restaurant menus or at Whole Foods, the only retailer currently selling it in the US. It’s easy to cook paiche for a couple of reasons, because it’s dense and firm it won’t easily fall apart and because it’s rich it doesn’t get dry, even if you overcook it. It has a very clean, buttery slightly sweet flavor and is somewhat similar to sea bass or cod in texture. I prepared the dish simply with a tangy sauce that held up well to the flavor of the fish, and served it with a winter salad of fennel, radishes and lemons with fresh mint.
If you'd like to try paiche, leave a comment telling me how you'd choose to prepare it. I will pick one winner at random who will receive a $50 Whole Foods gift certificate. One entry per person, and you must leave a valid email address (don't worry, only I will see it) and have a US mailing address. I will pick the winner on January 27th, 2014. Whole Foods offers a few recipes to consider such as Lime-Roasted Paiche with Sweet Potatoes and Pan-Seared Paiche with Spicy Avocado Sauce. I think it would be fantastic in this ceviche.
If you'd like to try paiche, leave a comment telling me how you'd choose to prepare it. I will pick one winner at random who will receive a $50 Whole Foods gift certificate. One entry per person, and you must leave a valid email address (don't worry, only I will see it) and have a US mailing address. I will pick the winner on January 27th, 2014. Whole Foods offers a few recipes to consider such as Lime-Roasted Paiche with Sweet Potatoes and Pan-Seared Paiche with Spicy Avocado Sauce. I think it would be fantastic in this ceviche.
Note: The salad can also be served separately. A tiny pinch of sugar brings out the sweetness in the fennels and lemon. I used California Olive Ranch Limited Reserve olive oil, which is seasonally available only after the harvest. Like the Italian "olio nuovo" it's very fresh and best used while before it mellows.
Paiche with Miso Butter and Fennel Radish Salad
Serves 4
Ingredients
4 paiche fillets, about 6 ounces each about 3/4 inch thick
2 teaspoons oil
2 teaspoons freshly squeezed lemon juice
2 teaspoons white miso
1/2 teaspoon Dijon mustard
1/4 teaspoon sugar
3 Tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into about 5 pieces
1/2 fennel bulb
5 radishes
1/2 lemon
1 Tablespoon extra virgin olive oil (olio nuovo recommended)
1/4 teaspoon sugar
20 mint leaves, thinly sliced
Instructions
Using a mandolin if you have one, or a very sharp knife, thinly slice the fennel, radishes and half a lemon, removing any seeds. Toss the slices with olive oil, salt and mint.
In a small saucepan combine the lemon juice, miso, mustard and sugar with a whisk. Heat very gently over low heat and whisk in the butter, allowing it to melt and emulsify the sauce.
Sear the fish in a hot non-stick pan coated with a little oil, and cook about 4 minutes on each side. The fish should be cooked through and white, not pink.
One each plate serve a fillet of fish, topped with a tablespoon of the sauce and with some salad.
Enjoy!
Disclaimer: My thanks to Whole Foods for supply a gift card so I could try the fish and also for one lucky reader.
Sea Urchin Spaghetti Recipe
I was a fan of John's pasta back when he was still cooking at Rex Cafe around the corner from my house. Now he sells his pasta at pop ups, generally at either Gourmet and More on Franklin or Biondivino wine shop on Green Street. His squid ink pasta is so good you can enjoy it with just a simple olive oil, garlic and white wine sauce with a little bit of chili flakes or parsley. He also sells lasagna, tortellini and some different shapes and styles of pasta, all made by hand.
This pasta is really a showstopper. I'd recommend serving it for a special occasion or dinner party. I adapted the recipe from one by Sara Jenkins I found in La Cucina Italiana, "spaghetti ai ricci di mare" but I simplified it a bit and didn't use any garlic.
Note: Another option is to make the sauce and top the pasta with another type of seafood instead of just more sea urchin. It's delicious with sautéed scallops or shrimp.
Sea Urchin Spaghetti
Serves 4 as a starter or 2 as a main course
Ingredients
About 4 ounces fresh sea urchin, divided
2 Tablespoons fresh lemon juice
1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
1/2 pound fresh pasta preferably squid ink spaghetti
2 Tablespoons chopped flat-leaf parsley
1 Tablespoon finely chopped chives
Instructions
Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Combine 2 1/2 ounces sea urchin and lemon juice in the blender, purée until smooth. With blender running, add oil in a slow and steady stream until you have a thick emulsified sauce, the texture of mayonnaise. Transfer the sauce and parsley to a large bowl.
Cook pasta until just al dente. Drain and place in the bowl with sauce and parsley, and toss together. Let pasta sit just until it absorbs some of the sauce, about 1 minute, then season with salt to taste. Portion pasta onto serving plates. Top with remaining uni and garnish with chives.
Enjoy!
Disclaimer: My thanks to Whole Foods for providing a sample of sea urchin for this recipe.
Peach Avocado Lobster Cocktail Recipe
I confess, I only cooked live lobsters once, and I kind of freaked out. I made Lee come and put the lobsters in the pot. That was several years ago, so when the nice folks at LobsterAnywhere offered to send me some fresh lobsters, I figured now was as good a time as any to overcome my phobia.
LobsterAnywhere has been a wholesale purveyor since 1999, and their prices are a bit less than some of their competitors. They pride themselves on providing top quality hard shell lobsters from Maine and indeed, mine were very large and very lively when they arrived! They sent the lobsters with a booklet of very useful information, especially on the timing for boiling or steaming them. I went with steaming. But I didn't just drop the lobsters head first into the pot. I followed the instructions on the Fine Cooking video for How to Kill a Lobster. Many articles and experts say it's more humane to kill the lobsters first and them steam them. So I chilled them down for a few minutes, and sliced through the heads before putting them in the pot.
LobsterAnywhere also offers desserts and a delicious clam chowder, but the main focus is on fresh live lobsters. I know many people think eating them with butter and lemon is best, but I like creating recipes so that's what I did. I was planning on making a mango and lobster cocktail, but I had some excellent peaches and so I used those instead. But I'm sure it would be good with mango too. After you get over your fear of lobsters, the rest is easy!
Peach Avocado Lobster Cocktail Recipe
Serves 1
Ingredients
2 ounces lobster
1/3 cup seedless cucumber, diced
1/4 avocado, peeled and diced
1/2 peach, diced
1/4 lime
1 Tablespoon Champagne vinegar
1/2 teaspoon honey
Salt and chili pepper flakes to taste
Instructions
Make the dressing by combining the olive oil, vinegar, honey and seasonings to taste. Whisk together thoroughly. Place the lobster in a bowl. Toss it with a bit of the dressing. In a separate bowl combine the cucumber, avocado and peaches and squeeze the lime over the mixture. Then dress the fruits and vegetables lightly with the dressing. Layer the avocado, cucumber and peach with the lobster in a glass. Serve immediately.
Enjoy!
Disclaimer: LobsterAnywhere provided me with the lobsters used in this recipe. They did not pay me to write this post.
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