Secret Ingredient: Anchovies

By Christine Burns Rudalevige
My husband thinks he didn’t start tolerating anchovies – he doesn’t yet put them in the “like” category – until he had a really good one on a pizza in Sicily in February of 2008.  The fact is, he’s been eating them, and dare I say liking them, since he met me in 1992. He just doesn’t know it.  Well, I guess he does now.

I love the salty little guys on any pizza, on top of Caesar salads and occasionally smeared on crusty bread right out of the tin.  But for many of the other eaters in my house, anchovies must be administered a bit more stealthily. Anchovies are the secret ingredient in many of the sautés, sauces and vinaigrettes I make week in, week out.  I didn’t think this one up on my own, folks. This is a classic chefy technique for adding umami (that earthy, salty, meaty undertone of food) to a dish because they balance out flavors and add saltiness to dishes across all Mediterranean cuisines. 

Taking Stock in Fish Girls’ Early Success

By Christine Rudalevige

Basic Shellfish Stock (Photo by Christine Rudalevige)

When Mollie and I hatched the Family Fish Project back in October, our main goal was to help our readers in their quest to eat more fish at home.  Ultimately, we want to be the ones you turn to when you’ve got questions about what kind of fish to buy, how to cook it, or how to use all its bits to maximize both the price paid and its presence in the kitchen on a daily basis.

Well, if we were to measure our early success – and we constantly will be doing that as you’ve never met two more Type-A ladies in your life – we’re happy to report that in the two weeks since we launched the blog, we’ve gotten two whole questions.  Two questions in two weeks.  That is a very good start for the Fish Girls!

Last week we helped Phoebe in Berks County, Pennsylvania, navigate her maiden salmon cookery voyage by suggesting via our Facebook page that she make an orange juice, honey and chili marinade, let the fish soak in that while she worked and then broil it for dinner.

And yesterday we got a question from Elizabeth from the Boston area who, wanting to try our Adaptable Asian SeafoodNoodle Souprecipe, asked for tips on making a good shellfish stock.  So while this particular post is for Elizabeth, we encourage all of our readers to keep the questions coming and you may just get one of your own!

A Good Basic Shellfish Stock

The trick to having a constant supply of good stock in the house is a matter of always having it on your mind.  Not in the front of your mind --  like the thoughts about putting your shirt on right side out or remembering to pick your kids up from school.  But, rather, in that part of your brain that helps you manage the underpinnings of your life on auto-pilot. 

Two loves of Mollie's Eating Life

By Mollie

I love halibut.  I just do.  It’s flaky and mild and when cooked right, succulent. It’s a great white fish to try on your picky eater as many people who “don’t like” fish, will try halibut as the meaty texture is more familiar to other white meats and therefor less intimidating than softer more “fishy” fish.   

Where we live we mostly see East Coast halibut and the price can vary dramatically throughout the year.  

Ok, so I love fennel too.  My kids got so tired of roasted fennel the year I discovered how super sweet and caramel-ly this veggie gets when roasted in a very hot oven.  THEN I figured out that raw it’s 100% different; spicy and crunchy with a bright, clean flavor.  Adding it to slaws and salads gives them a unique twist. 

Winter brings blood Oranges into our little citrus-lacking corner of the world.  It’s a great fruit to try on your kids because it’s as familiar as well…an orange but inside that deceptive little reddish orange ball lies ruby red segments just asking to be turned into all kinds of culinary wonders. 

You can substitute regular Navel or Valencia if you can’t find blood oranges.

Pan Roasted Halibut with Fennel and Blood Orange Salad

(Serves 4)

Ingredients

3 blood oranges

1/4 cup orange juice

1 small fennel bulb, trimmed and sliced very thinly

1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil

2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley leaves

1 teaspoon salt

½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

1.5 lbs halibut fillet, skinless

Salt and pepper (to season fish)

Directions

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. 

Throughouly wash the oranges trying to remove as much of the waxy coating as possible.  Zest the oranges to get about 1 tablespoon.  Then peel the orange and cut the segments away from the white pith.

In small bowl combine the blood orange segments, orange juice, and zest. Add the fennel, the olive oil,   parsley, the 1 teaspoon of salt and ½ teaspoon of pepper. Toss well to combine and let stand at room temperature for about an hour. 

Lightly coat baking pan with olive oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Bake for 10 to 12 minutes depending on thickness until fish flakes easily.

Gently transfer the fish to a serving plate. Top with the orange and fennel mixture and serve immediately.