Savoring the Wild Winter Seafood of the Pacific Northwest!

What’s on your plate during these dark dreary winter days?

For me, it’s been the wild and wonderful winter seafood of the Pacific Northwest.

Yes, I know that sounds a bit odd. Seafood always hits the hot button during the summer months when we naturally pair it with sunshine and sea breezes.

That said, in January and February I was drawn to the fabulous seafood counters we have here in the Emerald City. During the rare moments when I can escape my desk,  I often choose to visit the supermarket and troll the produce and seafood counters, watching the sales and in store specials for inspiration.

In January, I noticed that retailers in town were featuring fresh Pacific Rockfish, a wild whitefish harvested in the cold offshore waters. On sale for less than $6 a pound, I dove in and bought a few fillets. At home, I decided to take a French inspired approach and, after pin boning the fillets, crafted a basic herb sauce to top the baked fish. A delicious success that sent me back to the fish counter.

For Round 2, I rustled up a crab stuffing which I mounded on the thin fillets and created a tidy bundle. The packages baked in the oven while I raced off to another task. This second success sent me back to the seafood counter at Shoreline’s T & C Market where I chatted with the young fishmonger who totally agreed it was a winner of a local wild fish and pointed me to the Rockfish poster nearby. Although he couldn’t tell me which species of rockfish they were featuring (there are many!), he happily wrapped up a few more pounds so I could stash them in the freezer.

Shortly thereafter, I eyed some fresh Pacific Winter King Salmon fillets, although price at $39 a pound, they looked stunning in the seafood case at the market, and were from  Southeast Alaska, which is renowned for being some of the best. Back at home, a pound of that beautiful king was wrapped into French inspired medallions which I seared on my Le Creuset ridged grill pan and finished in the oven.

Oui! Oui! Bon Appetit! I was on a roll….

Next up? Local Dungeness Crab. I love this cranky crustacean but during the Pandemic the prices skyrocketed and after visiting Merino’s Seafood Market in Westport last summer, I shifted toward their spectacular canned Dungeness which I have been happily using all winter.

That said, when my local QFC, Winco, and Costco were featuring these fresh cooked beauties for less than $6 a pound, I dove in, bought a bunch, and got cracking at home! My first round was simply steamed in my Le Creuset wok, picked by my husband and me over newspaper at the kitchen table and served with a stunning Garlic Ginger Soy dipping sauce that I created. The ginger was the perfect counterpoint to the briny richness of the crab.

My husband gathered the crab shells and made a superb crab stock. I went back for more and stashed the whole crabs in the freezer.

Finally, this week, Fresh Wild Pacific Cod from Alaska is showing up. I love Pacific Cod as it’s a buttery blank slate that lends itself to being served in the most basic way over mashed potatoes with garlic green beans or chard on the side. But it’s also great turned into endless other creations. Shoreline T & C Markets is currently featuring big buttery fresh fillets of this cold-water fish and I’ve purchased two large fillets just since the sale started. A quick check to remove any pin bones and a generous salting with La Baleine sea salt, sets this fish on the path to success. Placed in an au gratin pan with some lemon slices underneath, drizzled with a reduction of fish broth, wine, and butter, and baked in a 375 oven until warmed through, It’s a very cozy preparation.

When I recently reflected on all this stunning local and wild seafood being featured at markets this winter, I began to wonder WHY. It feels different this year. I’ve lived here for over 28 years now and have trolled these counters for nearly a generation now.

When I questioned my friendly fishmonger (yet again!) if something was shifting…he looked up from the case while preparing my order and said, “You know, I think it is…I think we are seeing more this winter.”

Indeed, I do believe there is a shift and I’d like to think that more of our domestic wild and wonderful seafood is being kept here in the local American markets. With a global pandemic, disrupted supply chains, and international wars, the pivot to local and American seems stronger than ever.

It’s a big bright spot for me as we schlep through the dark days of winter, waiting for those breezy days at the beach!

Wildly Deliciously Canned Dungeness Crab from Washington

Sometimes you have to step out of your comfort zone to discover something delicious, local, and timely.

In September my husband and I headed out to the Westport, Washington, which is a small remote fishing town located on the Pacific Ocean. About three hours from Seattle, this town has long been a favorite misty destination for us. For many years we brought our kids out there and spent many a summer weekends camping at the state parks. This year, as empty nesters, we decided to head out to Westport after Labor Day. School was back in session and the weather looked to be great.

Of course, trolling the large marina which features an array of fishing and crabbing boats was on our list. Home to a large commercial fishing fleet, Westport has a decidedly salty air. The fog horn blows continuously in the distance. Seafood processing facilities dot the down town…peppered alongside bars, salt water taffy shops, and fish and chips style restaurants.

On this visit I decided to check out Merino’s Seafoods. Locally owned and operated for decades, this no frills shop features seafood and shellfish harvested in the wild from the North Pacific by local fishing vessels just miles off the Washington coast. Merino’s also does all the processing and canning in house only feet from the dock where the seafood is brought in. Local charter boats send their customers to Merino’s in order to get their catch of salmon or albacore tuna processed (filleted and vacuum packed) to their specification. Merino’s also has a full service seafood market and a great fish and chips window which is a new addition since the pandemic.

I had driven by Merino’s many times while in Westport but this year I ventured in. There was more buzz around the place. Sports fishermen were flocking there with the massive quantities of tuna they had caught that day. The fish and chips window had a steady stream of customers daily. In their compact and bustling retail market, I found a crowd of fishermen waiting to pay their processing bill. I also found a large wall featuring cans of local seafood-tuna, salmon, sturgeon, oysters, crab, razor clams and more. I have relied on canned seafood, mainly clams and salmon, in my kitchen for many years but with food inflation and security on everyone’s minds these days I decided to explore the other canned options. The canned Dungeness immediately caught my eye.

My husband and I often catch our own Dungeness crab in the Puget Sound but that’s an arduous task on many levels. I also sometimes splurge and buy the one pound plastic tubs of fresh Dungeness crab at Costco but even that has topped $50 a container in the last couple years. I soon reasoned the canned wild Dungeness crab could be a luxurious pantry item! (Most of the canned crab in the markets these days is imported from Asian and I simply never buy it.) This locally caught and processed crab seemed like the perfect solution!

When I got to the register to buy a can, the chatty gal at the counter assured me it was high quality, as she herself was “a shaker”, which is someone trained in the messy task of picking the crab. She told me she had even trained her daughter the skill cause not that many folks can do it these days! When I asked where it was processed she nodded towards the back of the building and said, “Here!” That was all I needed to know so I turned around and bought 8 more cans! It was a good investment!

Last week I finally got round to cracking a can and decided to craft a simple crab salad inspired by a recipe from a vintage 1970s Scandinavia cookbook. When I opened the can I was greeted with gorgeous crab segments and underneath found the picked flakier crab. Yes, this was a deliciously luxurious find. Tweaking the ingredients, I soon had a spectacularly fresh tasting Krabbsallad. A luxury indeed!

To order by mail, contact Merino’s Seafood.

Canned Wild Dungeness Crab from Merino’s Seafood in Westport Washington

Scandinavian Crab Salad with Lemon, Celery and Dill

Convenient wild Dungeness crab with a Scandinavian flavor
Prep Time10 mins
Course: Salad
Cuisine: American
Keyword: canned crab, canned seafood, scandinavian, seafood, wild seafood
Servings: 2

Equipment

  • large bowl
  • sharp knife
  • cutting board

Ingredients

  • 1 can Merino's Wild Dungeness Crab
  • 1 Lemon, juiced
  • 2 celery stalks, chopped
  • 1 Tablespoon finely minced onion
  • 2 Tablespoons light mayonnaise
  • 1 Tablespoon finely chopped fresh dill
  • salt and pepper to taste

Instructions

  • Open the can of Dungeness crab, draining the juice from the can, if desired. Put the crab in a large bowl and toss well to combine and break up the meats. Pick out any shell or cartilage if found.
  • Add the lemon juice, celery, onion, mayonnaise, fresh dill and salt and pepper to taste.
  • Combine the crab with the ingredients, tossing gently. Transfer crab salad to a glass jar and chill. . Serve over fresh baby lettuce, sliced tomato or dollop it into a halved and pitted ripe avocado.
  • Serves 2 for lunch.