Wild Seafood: An Unlikely Key to Combating Climate Change

Posted on April 21, 2012 by bilrob

Wild Seafood: An Unlikely Key to Combating Climate Change

Here’s some food for thought on this upcoming Earth Day: Agriculture is the leading contributor to greenhouse gas emissions in the world. It even beats out transportation. The food we raise, especially meat like pork, beef and chicken, is contributing more to climate change than the cars and SUVs that clog our freeways. That’s not to say we should let our gas guzzling habits off the hook, but it does mean that we should look at our carbon footprint holistically — including the food we consume.

But people must eat. And we need protein, right? So really, this conversation isn’t worth having unless there’s another option, another animal protein out there that contributes less to global warming. Well, guess what? There is.

It’s called wild seafood.

Before we can fully understand the benefits of this undervalued food source, it’s important to dissect the impact that pork, beef, poultry, and lamb have on our already stressed planet.

Let’s break down the numbers. On average, Americans eat nearly 275 pounds of meat per year. We’re number two world-wide — Denmark is number one, at an incredible 321 pounds of meat per capita. Pork is the most popular meat worldwide, followed by poultry and then beef. The U.S. is home to around 60 million pigs and they produce more than 21 billion pounds of meat each year. The world’s largest slaughterhouse, in North Carolina, processes 32,000 pigs per day.

In order to raise these pigs, they must be fed. And like all living things, what goes in must come out. This waste alone releases vast amounts of greenhouse gases into the atmosphere — a potent mix of 60 to 70 percent methane and 30 to 40 percent carbon dioxide. Methane traps twenty-three times more heat in the atmosphere than carbon dioxide and that’s one of the reasons why agriculture is the world’s single biggest contributor to global warming. We’re not talking about a little waste here, either. The 10 million pigs in North Carolina for instance, create more sewage than the residents of North Carolina, California, Pennsylvania, New York, Texas, New Hampshire, and North Dakota combined. Most of this waste isn’t processed. It’s kept in open-air lagoons that pump out greenhouse gases into the atmosphere like it’s going out of style.

The McKinsey Institute has estimated that we’ll need to increase water and land availability by 140 and 250 percent, respectively, in the next two decades to meet the growing demand for food. Doing so — with our business as usual model that includes processing incredible amounts livestock — won’t be cheap or good for our Earth. Meeting this demand would pump 66 gigatons of carbon dioxide into the atmosphere, which could cause temperatures to rise by five degrees Celsius in the next eighty years. Even an increase in temperature at a fraction of that would devastate regions where poor farmers rely on rain-fed agriculture to feed their families.

But we can drastically improve our chances of battling climate change if we start thinking seriously about wild seafood. Better yet, it is truly one of the world’s most renewable resources. It doesn’t take a million years to replace fish, like coal or oil. Wild seafood, properly managed, can replenish itself year by year, decade by decade, millennia by millennia.

The potential that wild seafood has to feed the world, however, isn’t something we can take for granted. Despite the resiliency of our oceans, we’ve done a terrible job at keeping them healthy and abundant. We are literally fishing our oceans into oblivion — catching fish more quickly than they can reproduce to support their populations, destroying ocean nurseries and habitat, not controlling bycatch. As a result, global fish catch has declined since the late 1980s despite more and more boats on the water. Seafood can be a healthy, low-impact protein, but only if we are good stewards of the oceans.

On Earth Day, it’s important to remember that our blue planet can still help to sustain us, if we let it.

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Seafood Fraud

Posted on April 19, 2012 by bilrob

Seafood Fraud

Several restaurants and grocery stores in the South Bay have been mislabeling seafood, according to an ocean conservancy nonprofit study released Tuesday.

The study, conducted by Oceana in May and December 2011, found that about 55 percent of seafood samples collected from local restaurants, sushi bars and grocery stores did not meet federal labeling guidelines.

Sampling locations in the South Bay included Manhattan Beach, El Segundo, Marina del Rey, Redondo Beach, Torrance, Palos Verdes and Long Beach. Red snapper was the most commonly mislabeled fish, which often was actually tilapia, perch, rockfish or bream.

The most egregious cases were at sushi restaurants, where nine out of 10 of those sampled in Southern California substituted white tuna with escolar, a mackerel species that has purgative effects, according to the study.

The majority of mislabelled seafood Oceana found, 45 percent at restaurants and 31 percent at grocery stores, were lower quality species passed off for more expensive ones.

“Consumers are being asked to guess what they are eating,” said Dr. Kimberly Warner, senior scientist at Oceana, in a statement. “The public should be provided with more information about the food they are purchasing. With such high levels of mislabeling, it is more important than ever for the government to increase inspections and require traceability of our seafood.”

Oceana has sponsored Senate Bill 1486, introduced by California Sen. Ted W. Lieu, D-Torrance, which would require food facilities to properly identify seafood and would impose a fine from $50 to $500 on those out of compliance.

However, the state would not fine facilities whose suppliers provided them with inaccurate information.

“The extent of seafood fraud found in California should be shocking to consumers, especially those that are paying extra for seafood they think is healthier and more sustainable,” said Geoff Shester, California program director at Oceana, in a statement. “If enacted, this bill would provide a powerful first step to help turn the tide on seafood fraud.”

When introduced in February, SB 1486 originally included language that would have required sellers to state the seafood’s country of origin, but that provision was redacted on Monday. The U.S. imports about 84 percent of its seafood, according to the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations, and only 2 percent of it is inspected.

Fore more information about the study and seafood fraud, visit www.oceana.org/fraud

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Low seafood catches remain a mystery

Posted on April 16, 2012 by bilrob

Low seafood catches remain a mystery

Seafood catch numbers and conventional wisdom among shrimpers, crabbers, oystermen and fishermen suggests that the poor haul of seafood coincided with the BP oil spill of 2010, which leaked an estimated 4.9 million barrels of oil into the Gulf of Mexico.

But scientists say it isn’t so simple to establish a cause-and-effect connection, since for nearly every species of seafood affected, there is an alternate narrative that explains the landings.

“As scientists, it’s hard for us to speculate because there’s such a high standard. We hold out on what claims we make,” said Scott Porter, a scientist at the Louisiana Universities Marine Consortium research center in Cocodrie. Porter also works as a researcher and diver at the nonprofit EcoRigs, which converts retired oil platforms for sustainable seafood fisheries.

“My studies of oysters since the spill have been trying to find a direct link,” he said. “That hasn’t been extremely easy. Oysters are pretty tough organisms; that’s why they live in the environment they do. It takes a lot to kill them.”

The low oyster harvest can be attributed to several causes other than the oil spill itself, such as the state’s freshwater-diversion program, which opened Mississippi River floodgates in an effort to prevent the leaking oil from invading sensitive inland marshes.

In 2011, the opening of the Morganza Spillway to keep the Mississippi River from flooding into urban areas again exposed oysters, which rely on high salt content in the water, to fresh water.

Porter said he collected oysters from Breton Sound in September 2011, shucked them and put them under a UV light that was set to pick up on certain hydrocarbons.

“The discussion was how come there’s mortality in the oysters,” he said. “They fluoresced the same color a fresh tar ball did.”

Porter then sent the samples to a laboratory. The results indicated the oysters’ tissue contained 200 parts per million of total petroleum hydrocarbons and 31 parts per million of diesel.

“That is significant in the oysters,” said Porter, “so the question is anyone looking at the crabs and the shrimp this way?”

Scott Killian, who works with Porter at EcoRigs, cited another unpublished study they have conducted, analyzing 250 data points over nine months starting in May 2010.

“We did some sampling of shrimp and other types of seafood with trawler nets in Barataria Bay and found high levels of total petroleum hydrocarbons in marine organisms,” said Killian, who began working in the Gulf of Mexico as a commercial fisherman in 1981 and then became a research scientist studying the area in 1997. “I have never seen anything like what I’ve seen since the BP oil spill. This is not par for the course.”

Julie Anderson, an assistant professor at the LSU Agcenter and Louisiana Sea Grant, has done research on the effect of oil and dispersants on local crabs.

For one study, she exposed larval blue crabs to chemical dispersants used to clean up the oil spill. But she exposed the crabs to a much higher concentration of dispersants than what was used in the Gulf oil spill.

Anderson said she found it did not make much of a difference in the crabs’ death rate.

But when she exposed mud crabs to a combination of both oil and dispersant, the oil broke down more easily and was absorbed by the crabs. More of them died as a result.

“From my experiments, I would say it’s not the dispersant alone,” she said. “We did find that the dispersant made the oil more toxic because it brought it into the water instead of just keeping to the surface of the water.”

But, Anderson said, a disease found in local crabs last year may have been due to overpopulation the year before, when waters were closed to crabbers during the oil spill. That sickness may be contributing to the low harvest numbers crabbers have reported this year, she said.

Disproving the suggestion that the spill or its cleanup had an effect on seafood population is proving equally difficult.

Caz Taylor, a seafood researcher at Tulane, took samples of blue crab larvae in the Gulf in 2010 and again in 2011, hoping to determine if the spill had any effect on their population. The results, she said, were inconclusive.

“The idea was to see if there was any obvious drop in the numbers. It doesn’t seem like 2010 was a particularly bad year, but it’s hard to tell because we don’t have any baseline data. And it doesn’t seem like the number of adult crabs is related that the larval supply,” she said.

She also tested the crabs for certain chemicals that would suggest they’d been contaminated by oil from the Deepwater Horizon site.

“We hadn’t detected that oil has gotten into the crabs, but we don’t have any evidence that there isn’t oil in them, either,” she said. “It’s difficult to be positive about the absence of something.”

Staff Writer Cara Bayles can be reached at 857-2204 or at [email protected].

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Seafood to cost more as fishing ban begins

Posted on April 16, 2012 by bilrob

Atlantic Cod

Seafood to cost more as fishing ban begins

It’s no secret that when it comes to choosing sustainably harvested seafood in grocery stores, consumers often find themselves in muddy water.

Globally, consumption of seafood has been increasing steadily over the past decade. In Canada, most of us now eat between nine and 10 kilograms of seafood each year – the equivalent of about 70 dinner-sized salmon steaks. And we buy more than half of that fish we eat from grocery stores.

For all those seafood meals, what are we actually purchasing and eating? The fact is that a multitude of fish and seafood products in grocery stores come from unsustainable fisheries and in some cases, damaging aquaculture practices.

Consumers are becoming increasingly aware of global overfishing issues and the habitat degradation associated with damaging fishing practices. People are recognizing the health and environmental benefits of eating locally sourced, sustainable seafood.

While it’s not difficult to find sustainable seafood in most restaurants around town, consumers have been largely left to navigate the grocery store seafood aisles on their own. While it depends on the store, the selection of sustainable seafood products can be limited.

Independent Environmental non-governmental organizations – such as Ocean Wise, Marine Stewardship Council and Seafood Watch – have developed evaluation criteria for determining what is and what is not ‘sustainable’ when it comes to fish, fishing and seafood. These organizations provide us with information to identify potential environmental impacts associated with commonly consumed seafood products, if we go to their websites and take the time to inform and educate ourselves. In general, the criteria focus on the catch method, the regional population status, and industry capacity to prevent overfishing. For example: fishing must be conducted without destroying marine habitat and without excessive bycatch.

Clear as mud, right? The responsibility has largely been left to consumers to seek out sustainable seafood products, but now there are more tools than ever to help us with these decisions. When I choose seafood either in a restaurant or in a grocery store, I always consider the following: sustainability, where it came from, how it was caught, and of course, I seriously consider the fresh vs. frozen debate.

Sustainability

Be sure to look for products that are clearly marked with Ocean Wise, Marine Stewardship Council (MSC), or Seafood Watch logos. Most seafood companies recognize the importance of sustainable product sourcing, and often broadcast it by simply displaying one of these logos. If a sustainable seafood logo is not apparent, itâ€™s likely that your fish or seafood product is not a sustainable choice.

Where it came from?

For those who prefer to eat B.C. produced foods – as many of us do – be sure to read the labels and packaging on the product. Just because the product touts a sustainable seafood logo does not necessarily mean that the fish is from the Pacific Northwest. If the country of origin is not clearly labelled, ask the retailer or fishmonger. As a general rule of thumb, I don’t buy it if I canâ€™t figure out where it’s from.

CHENNAI: Price of Sea-food in the State is all set to go up as the 45-day fishing ban comes into effect from Saturday midnight to facilitate spawning.

The prices of the most sought after species prawn(tiger, golden white) and tuna would witness a rise of over 100 per cent in the coming days.

Though the ban is not applicable to manual fishing boats(fiber boats and catamaran), the catch will come down to the level of kilograms from tonnes which would lead to the price rise.

Besides prawn and tuna, the most desired varieties including seer, pomfret, trevally, shark, and red-snapper will also witness a steep price rise.

At present, the State provides Rs 2,000 per fishermen family as relief to the fishing ban period which gets over on May 31. It was enhanced to Rs 2,000 soon after AIADMK came to power last year as per its poll promise.

Speaking to Express, South Indian Fishermen Welfare Association president K Bharathi said that there were around 10,000 trawlers involved in fishing in the State which would remain anchored for the next 45 days.

“In Chennai alone,1,200 trawlers will be anchored due to this ban. It would affect, across the State, livelihood of five lakh fishermen families involved in the business”, he said.He added that the prices would rise by Rs 250 to Rs 300 per kilogram of the favoured varieties.

On the ban, he said that it had been imposed with the good intentions of facilitating spawning.

Chemical industries in the coast and the thermal power plants were polluting the sea and these institutions should be prevented from releasing their waste into the sea at least during this season, he suggested. “Not just the ban would help improve the marine life, but the fisheries department will have to take a series of measures. Coral reefs which are instrumental in spawning were washed away to a large extent during Tsunami. Setting up of artificial coral reefs through MP funds in each coastal district can boost spawning”, he observed.

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Seafood collection

Posted on April 13, 2012 by bilrob

Seafood collection

We love our seafood in Spain, there is such a wide variety to choose from. We like to experiment with our layouts and recipes and have built a special database just for our seafood collection.

Here are three different types of seafood recipes which we think you will like. We do a varied selection of seafood platters and salads for our dinner party and barbecue guests, so this one is a typical example of how we put it together. The Fish & Rice puff is a variation on a fish pie which appeals to kids when you can never get them to eat anything. And lastly, the humble fish and chips. We like this version because of its clean and simple looks. Give them a try.

SEAFOOD PLATTER WITH WARM SALMON DIP

Seafood Platter can be prepared several hours ahead of sewing; keep, covered, in refrigerator. This recipe is not suitable to freeze or microwave.

500g cooked king prawns
500g mussels
100g broccoli, chopped
1/2 bunch asparagus
100g sugar snap peas

WARM SALMON DIP
105g can salmon, drained
15g butter
1 small onion, finely chopped
1 clove garlic, crushed
2 teaspoons plain flour
2/3 cup milk
2 tablespoons grated tasty cheese
2 teaspoons lemon juice
2 teaspoons sour cream
2 teaspoons chopped fresh dill

Shell and devein prawns, leave tails intact. Add mussels gradually in single layer to large saucepan containing about 1 cup of boiling water. Reduce heat, simmer, covered for about 3 minutes or until shells open; remove immediately. Boil, steam or microwave broccoli, asparagus and peas until just tender; drain, rinse under cold water, drain. Place seafood and vegetables onto serving plate, serve with dip.

Salmon Dip: Blend or process salmon until smooth. Heat butter in medium saucepan, add onion and garlic, stir over medium heat until onion is soft. Add flour, cook for 1 minute, stirring constantly. Remove from heat, gradually stir in milk, stir constantly over high heat until mixture boils and thickens. Stir in salmon, cheese, juice, cream and dill.

FISH AND RICE PUFF

Filling for puff can be made up to 3 days ahead; keep, covered, in refrigerator. Assemble fish just before baking; serve as soon as it is cooked. Recipe unsuitable to freeze or microwave.

1/2 cup peas
1 small carrot, finely chopped
3/4 cup cooked rice
1 small onion, finely chopped
1 egg, lightly beaten
1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley
440g can salmon, drained
2 sheets ready-rolled puff pastry
1 egg yolk
1 tablespoon milk

Boil, steam or microwave peas and carrot until tender, drain. Combine peas and carrot with rice, onion, egg, parsley and salmon in medium bowl. Cut pastry sheets into large fish shapes; cut 1 about 1cm larger all round than the other. Place smaller shape onto greased oven tray, top evenly with fish mixture, leaving 1cm border. Brush border with combined egg yolk and milk. Top fish with remaining pastry, press edges together firmly. Make fins and tail from pastry scraps, attach to fish.

Brush fish all over with egg mixture, bake in hot oven for about 25 minutes. Cover fins and tail with foil during baking, if necessary, to prevent them from burning. Reduce heat to moderate, bake further 20 minutes or until well browned.

FISH AND POTATO SCALLOPS WITH TAFITARE SAUCE

We used bream in this recipe. This recipe is not suitable to freeze or microwave.

3 medium potatoes
2 cups self-raising flour
1 egg, lightly beaten
1% cups water
4 medium white fish fillets
cornflour
oil for deep-frying

TARTARE SAUCE
3/4 cup mayonnaise
1/4 cup cream
2 tablespoons chopped gherkins
2 tablespoons drained capers, chopped
2 tablespoons chopped fresh chives

Boil, steam or microwave potatoes until just tender; cool, cut into 1cm thick slices. Sift flour into medium bowl, make well in centre, gradually stir in egg and water (or blend or process ingredients) until smooth. Dip fish and potatoes into cornflour, shake away excess cornflour. Dip into batter, deep-fry in hot oil until golden brown and tender. Drain on absorbent paper. Serve with sauce and chips.

Tartare Sauce: Combine all ingredients in small bowl.

FISH BURGERS

We used thick ling fillets in this recipe, but cod or hake will do just as well. Patties can be prepared for cooking up to a day ahead, keep, covered, in refrigerator. They can be frozen for up to 2 months.

750g white fish fillets
3/4cup stale breadcrumbs
1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley
1 egg
plain flour
6 hamburger buns
6 lettuce leaves
alfalfa sprouts
1 medium tomato, sliced

CHEESE AND HERB FILLING
½ cup grated tasty cheese
1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley
1 tablespoon chopped fresh chives

GARLIC MAYONNAISE
½ cup mayonnaise
1 clove garlic, crushed
1 tablespoon chopped fresh chives

Blend or process fish, breadcrumbs, parsley and egg until smooth. Divide mixture into 6 portions. Press a level tablespoon of filling into centre of each portion. Shape mixture around filling to form patties. Toss each patty lightly in flour, cook on well-greased barbecue plate or in frying pan for about 5 minutes on each side (or microwave on MEDIUM HIGH for about 3 minutes each side) or until cooked through.

Split buns, toast cut sides under hot griller. Make burgers, using patties, lettuce, sprouts and tomato,
and top with garlic mayonnaise.

Cheese and Herb Filling: Combine all ingredients in small bowl.

Garlic Mayonnaise Combine all ingredients in small bowl.

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Dispelling myths about seafood consumption

Posted on March 28, 2012 by bilrob

Dispelling myths about seafood consumption

When I opined about the confusion caused by the 2004 Food and Drug Administration (FDA) advice to pregnant women about eating seafood in The Hill’s Congress Blog back in February (Seafood should be next up on FDA plate), I had no way of knowing that my points would be so readily illustrated in the same space little more than a year later (Pollution no match for motherly love).

I commend Jessica Capshaw for championing a cleaner, safer world for this generation and the next. Cleaning up coal burning power plants is an important mission, and I support the clean air initiatives, but the information presented about seafood contradicts the current advice given to pregnant women by the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) and U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) in the 2010 Dietary Guidelines for Americans (DGA).

The current guidelines were adopted after a committee of scientists evaluated the safety of eating seafood during pregnancy and breastfeeding and recommended that pregnant women and breastfeeding mothers eat 8 to 12 ounces (2 servings) of a variety of fish per week, which can include up to 6 ounces of albacore (white) tuna.

There are just four rarely-eaten types of fish for this population to avoid (shark, king mackerel, swordfish and tilefish) because of methyl mercury. The nutrition we get in the womb can affect us all our lives and science shows that eating fish during pregnancy boosts brain and eye development in babies. But the amount of seafood pregnant women eat remains woefully low during and even after baby is born. Unclear and outdated advice from the FDA/EPA about eating seafood has created confusion among pregnant women and breastfeeding mothers, which can have unintended consequences for babies’ brain development.

Fish and seafood is the major dietary source of omega-3 DHA, an essential nutrient required by the brain as it grows. Misinformation about eating seafood has worked its way into everything from opinion columns to casual conversations and frightened large numbers of pregnant women from eating a healthy food which contributes to babies’ optimal growth and development.

It is time for accurate science-based messages that tell Americans what the World Health Organization and the United Nations’ Food and Agricultural Organization have been saying; the danger isn’t in eating too much seafood, it’s in not eating enough. It’s a message that’s spelled out in a new video from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration in which Dr. Emily Oken of Harvard Pilgrim Healthcare Institute says, “when we conducted…focus groups with pregnant women they followed the precautionary principle often; if there’s any risk I’d rather be safe than sorry. But not recognizing, because no one had told them, that there was risk to eating no fish as well.”

The rhetoric and the advice about eating seafood has not caught up with the science in this country and now does far more harm than good. Unfortunately, this is not a completely unusual scenario. Concerned parents around the world began avoiding vaccines after it was reported that the life saving shots were causing autism. Science thoroughly discredited such proclamations, but not before a resurgence in preventable diseases. There is no doubt that we owe the public carefully thought out, scientifically based messages that they can use to make informed decisions about nutrition and health. We eagerly await updated advice about seafood and nutrition during pregnancy and breastfeeding, which members of congress encouraged FDA to adopt last year.

Dr. Harris, RD, is a professor of Food Science and Human Nutrition at Colorado State University and a member of the Perinatal Nutrition Working Group, a program of the National Healthy Mothers, Healthy Babies Coalition.

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SEAFOOD AND VEGETABLE PLATTER WITH TWO SAUCES

Posted on March 27, 2012 by bilrob

SEAFOOD AND VEGETABLE PLATTER WITH TWO SAUCES

Seafood salad is an excellent starter. Here in Valencia, good quality seafood is available everywhere – supermarkets, municipal markets and even street sellers. We regularly make a seafood salad for each of our entertaining events and vary the type of seafood used. This seafood salad is a very simple arrangement, yet also very effective visually. It uses only three types of seafood – oysters, prawns and squid. However, you can use any type of seafood that you prefer. Large mussels are an excellent substitute for the oysters, which can be expensive depending on your location.

We used the hot Asian variety of chilli sauce in this recipe, but just use what is available to you, if indeed you want to use chilli at all.

1kg cooked prawns
500g squid
2 dozen oysters on shell
1 tablespoon oil
1 tablespoon light soy sauce
1 teaspoon chilli sauce
250g broccoli
250g snow peas
2 cucumbers

BASIL AIOLI
4 cloves garlic, crushed
2 egg yolks
1 cup basil leaves
1 cup oil
2 tablespoons lemon juice

GINGER LEMON SAUCE
1/4 cup lemon juice
1/4 cup oil
2 tablespoons dry white wine
1 tablespoon grated fresh ginger
2 teaspoons light soy sauce
1 teaspoon sugar

Shell and devein prawns, leave tails intact; cut squid into 5cm strips, mark one side of each strip with a diamond pattern. Heat oil in large pan, add squid, soy and chilli sauces, stir-fry few minutes, until squid is tender; cool.

Trim broccoli, cut into flowerets, boil, steam or microwave until just tender. Top and tail snow peas, boil, steam or microwave for 1 minute or until just tender. Peel cucumbers, cut into thin 5cm lengths. Place prawns, squid, oysters, and vegetables on plate. Serve with Aioli and Sauce.

Basil Aioli: Blend or process garlic and egg yolks until smooth, add basil and one-third of the oil, process until smooth, gradually add remaining oil in a thin stream while motor is operating until mixture is thick; add lemon juice, process until smooth.

Ginger Lemon Sauce: Combine all ingredients in jar; shake well.

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Octopus prepared Spanish style

Posted on March 22, 2012 by bilrob

Octopus prepared Spanish style

Octopus is a favourite seafood dish all over Spain – especially in Galicia, which is highly praised for it’s quality and variety of seafood.

Humans eat octopus in many cultures. The arms and sometimes other body parts are prepared in various ways, often varying by species.
Octopus is a common ingredient in Japanese cuisine, including sushi, takoyaki, and Akashiyaki.

In Korea, some small species are sometimes eaten alive as a novelty food. A live octopus is usually sliced up, and it is eaten while still squirming.
Octopus is eaten regularly in Hawaii, since many popular dishes are Asian in origin. Locally known by their Hawaiian or Japanese names (“he’e” and “tako” respectively), octopus is also a popular fish bait.

Octopus is a common food in Mediterranean cuisine and Portuguese cuisine. In Galicia, polbo á feira (market fair style octopus) is a local delicacy. Restaurants which specialize or serve this dish are known as pulperías. On the Tunisian island of Djerba, local people catch octopuses by taking advantage of the animals’ habit of hiding in safe places during the night. In the evening they put grey ceramic pots on the sea bed. The morning of the following day they check them for octopuses that sheltered there. A common scene in the Greek islands is octopuses hanging in the sunlight from a rope, just like laundry from a clothesline. They are often caught by spear fishing close to the shore. The fisherman brings his prey to land and tenderizes the flesh by pounding the carcass against a stone surface. Thus treated they are hung out to dry, and later will be served grilled either hot, or chilled in a salad. They are considered a superb meze, especially alongside ouzo.

PULPO A FEIRA – GALICIA STYLE OCTOPUS

Ingredients

• 1 octopus
• 1 bay leaf
• Paprlka/cayenne pepper
• Olive oil
• Salt

Preparation

Scrub the octopus well in cold water to clean it. Using a pestle, beat the suckers to free any sand. Scrub again until completely clean. Once dried, the octopus should be placed in the freezer for two to three days to tenderise the meat. After this time, remove from the freezer and defrost.

Cook the octopus in boiling water with a bay leaf until tender (check with a fork). The cooking time will depend on the size of the octopus. Once tender, remove from the pan and leave to cool.

Chop the octopus into slices with scissors and season with salt and paprika or cayenne pepper (to taste), and drizzle with olive oil. Boiled potatoes make an ideal accompaniment. Serve on a wooden board, if possible.

PULPO A LA CAZUELA – OCTOPUS CASSEROLE

Ingredients

• 1 large octopus
• 1 pepper
• 2 tomatoes
• 1 onion
• 3 cloves garlic
• 400 g (13 oz) potatoes
• Parsley
• Bay leaf
• Olive oil
• Salt
• Pepper

Preparation

Wash the octopus well by scrubbing it in cold water, making sure there is no sand (particularly in the suckers). Place in the freezer for two or three days to tenderise the meat. Defrost the octopus and cook in boiling water with a bay leaf until tender (a fork should pierce the flesh easily). Remove from the pan and put to one side to cool.

Finely chop the onion and pepper and fry in an earthenware casserole with hot olive oil until tender. Chop the tomatoes and crush the garlic in a mortar with a few sprigs of parsley, and add to the casserole. Season with salt and pepper. Chop the octopus, add to the mixture and leave to cook for ten minutes, stirring occasionally.

Meanwhile, peel and wash the potatoes, dice and fry in hot olive oil. Add to the octopus at the last moment, as otherwise they could thicken the sauce. Serve in the same earthenware dish.

PULPO A LA VINAGRETA – OCTOPUS IN VINAIGRETTE DRESSING

Ingredients

• 1 octopus
• 1 bay leaf
•1 onion
• Parsley
• 2 hardboiled eggs
•1 tin red bell peppers (pimiento morrón)
• Vinegar
• Olive 0il
• Salt

Preparation

Wash the octopus carefully by scrubbing it in plenty of cold water, making sure that the suckers are free of sand. Place the octopus in the freezer for two or three days to tenderise the meat. Defrost the octopus and place in a pan with boiling water and a bay leaf.

Cook until tender (check by pricking with a fork). Cooking time will depend on the size of the octopus. Remove from the water and leave to cool.

Prepare the dressing as follows: in a bowl mix twelve tablespoonful’s of olive oil, four of vinegar and a pinch of salt. Beat well to produce a creamy mixture. Finely chop a small onion, a few sprigs of parsley, the pepper and the hardboiled eggs, and mix in to the dressing. Check for salt and vinegar to
taste. Serve the octopus in slices, with the dressing poured over the top.

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Octopus - Day of the Tentacle

Posted on March 22, 2012 by bilrob

Octopus – Day of the Tentacle

Well, we all know about my strong affinity for cephalopods, and today’s recipe leaves no exception to that rule! I saw myself some octopus at the market, and the rest is history. I sometimes wonder if it’s possible for someone to have TOO much octopus? I would venture to say no….but if it is possible, I’d be the first to find out. That being said, I probably won’t be slowing my consumption any time soon. I know, I know – they are one of the most intelligent creatures out there…dare I say clever? Well, they can use other sea creatures shells and RUN ON THE OCEAN FLOOR! (thank you Planet Earth). Or, since they hate paparazzi, they will STEAL your brand new underwater camera and run away with it. I guess I really wouldn’t want to be caught in an underwater alley with these guys. But, all danger and cleverness aside, octopus as an ingredient is awesome! Not to mention, it is super healthy – it’s a straight up, epically lean protein. Can’t go wrong with that! And if you’re squeamish about the tentacle situation, don’t worry – it’s doesn’t have as creepy of a texture as you may think! So give it a try, and you won’t be disappointed!

In my experience of eating octopus, I really don’t discriminate in preparation – I’ve stewed it, steamed it, grilled it, braised it you name it! But I really do love the flavour of octopus with a bit of char on it. Since I don’t have the means to grill my octopus, I got my broil on! And the results were fantastic.

Curry Dusted Octopus with Red Onions, Chickpeas, and Thai Basil
Serves 4 as an appetizer

1 whole octopus, poached (recipe follows)
1/2 T curry powder (I used medium-hot)
2 red onions, chopped into 1/8ths
1 can chickpeas, rinsed and drained
1 cup whole almonds
Olive Oil
Salt
Fresh ground black pepper
1 lemon, quartered
1/4 cup Thai basil, either whole small leaves, or roughly chopped

Preheat the oven to 425F. In a large roasted pan, toss the onion and chickpeas with enough olive oil to coat (a few tablespoons should suffice). Sprinkle with about 1 t sea salt, and a few grinds of black pepper. Let this roast for about 30 minutes, shaking the pant every so often, until the chickpeas have started to brown and the onions have softened. Meanwhile, fry the almonds. In a medium skillet, heat about 1/4 cup of olive oil until hot, but not smoking. Toss in the almonds, and allow them to cook for about seven minutes, until they’re nicely browned but not burnt. Transfer with a slotted spoon to a plate covered in paper towel and allow to drain. Set aside.

Next, prep your octopus for broiling. If you were able to purchase pre-cooked octopus, and you only have the tentacles, you’re one step ahead! Otherwise, proceed with the following. Remove each tentacle – I left them whole for presentation, but you can cut them into large pieces if you prefer! Also, cut the head portion into large rings. Right before broiling the octopus, dust each piece with the curry powder. Remove the onion mixture from the oven and place the octopus pieces over top. Turn the broiler on, and place the roasting pan back into the oven, about 4-5 inches from the broiler. Allow to cook for about seven minutes, or until the octopus has a bit of char on it.

To plate, spoon the chickpea and onion mixture evenly amongst four plates, topping each with two tentacles and a few rings. Divide the almonds evenly amongst the four plates as well. Squeeze a lemon quarter over each plate, and finally, sprinkle the Thai basil over top. If you are so inclined, you can finish the fish off with a little Maldon sea salt and some more fresh ground pepper.

So, not only is this dish BEAUTIFUL to look at, but it created the most heavenly smell in my apartment! Furthermore, the flavour combination was beyond delicious. The dusting of curry powder gave just enough warmth and heat to the dish, without making it too spicy, and it was just enough to give a mild, underlying curry flavour – almost so discreet that you may not be able to pick out the flavour immediately. The roasted onions and chickpeas had a great depth of flavour to them, that was only brought out by the toasiness of the fried almonds. The Thai basil topped the dish off and took it to an entirely different level. Seriously, go get yourself some octopus and give this dish a try – it’s sure to be a crowd pleaser!

Poached Octopus

1 whole octopus, cleaned (if you’re squeamish, you’re fishmonger is sure to help out!)
1 cup white wine vinegar
1 lemon, halved
8 black peppercorns
4 bay leaves
2 T plus 2 t kosher salt

In a large stockpot, combine all of the ingredients with 1 gallon of water and stir to combine. Be sure to squeeze the lemons prior to putting them in the liquid! Bring the liquid to a boil, lower the heat, and let simmer for about 10 minutes so the flavours come together. Here’s the fun part! With some heavy duty tongs, dunk the octopus headfirst into the water three times, leaving it for about five seconds each time. This action lets the tentacles curl up properly! After the final dunk, drop the whole octopus in and bring back to a boil. Lower the heat once more, and allow to simmer for about 30 minutes, or until the octopus is tender. Remove from heat, drain well, and set aside to cool. Booya!

Source: Stainlesssteelthumb.com
Fish & Seafood with Bill & Sheila
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CDC says imported spices, seafood cause most Foodborne Disease

Posted on March 17, 2012 by bilrob

CDC says imported spices, seafood cause most Foodborne Disease

WASHINGTON — Foodborne disease outbreaks caused by imported food appeared to rise in 2009 and 2010, and nearly half of the Foodborne Disease outbreaks implicated foods imported from areas which previously had not been associated with Foodborne Disease outbreaks, according to research from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, presented recently at the International Conference on Emerging Infectious Diseases in Atlanta.

“It’s too early to say if the recent numbers represent a trend, but CDC officials are analyzing information from 2011 and will continue to monitor for these Foodborne Disease outbreaks in the future,” said Hannah Gould, an epidemiologist in CDC’s Division of Foodborne Disease, Waterborne and Environmental Diseases and the lead author.

Reports

CDC experts reviewed Foodborne Disease outbreaks reported to CDC’s Foodborne Disease Outbreak Surveillance System from 2005-2010 for implicated foods that were imported into the U.S. During that five-year period, 39 outbreaks and 2,348 illnesses were linked to imported food from 15 countries. Of those outbreaks, nearly half (17) occurred in 2009 and 2010.

Overall, fish (17 outbreaks) were the most common source of implicated imported foodborne disease outbreaks, followed by spices (six outbreaks including five from fresh or dried peppers). Nearly 45 percent of the imported foods causing Foodborne Disease outbreaks came from Asia.

“As our food supply becomes more global, people are eating foods from all over the world, potentially exposing them to germs from all corners of the world, too,” Gould said. “We saw an increased number of outbreaks due to imported foods during recent years, and more types of foods from more countries causing outbreaks.”

Imports

According to a report by the Department of Agriculture’s Economic Research Service, U.S. food imports grew from $41 billion in 1998 to $78 billion in 2007. Much of that growth has occurred in fruit and vegetables, seafood and processed food products.

The report estimated that as much as 85 percent of the seafood eaten in the U.S. is imported, and depending on the time of the year, up to 60 percent of fresh produce is imported.

ERS also estimated that about 16 percent of all food eaten in the U.S. is imported. The types of food causing the Foodborne Disease outbreaks in this analysis aligned closely with the types of food that were most commonly imported.

Gould warned that the findings likely underestimate the true number of outbreaks due to imported foods as the origin of many foods causing outbreaks is either not known or not reported.

“We need better — and more — information about what foods are causing Foodborne Disease outbreaks and where those foods are coming from,” Gould said. “Knowing more about what is making people sick, will help focus prevention efforts on those foods that pose a higher risk of causing illness.”

Precautions

Recently, the Food and Drug Administration has have stepped up its efforts to conduct environmental assessments to determine the root cause of Foodborne Disease outbreaks. With lessons learned from outbreaks, measures will be taken to prevent such outbreaks in the future.

The newly enacted FDA Food Safety Modernization Act is also a major step in establishing a prevention based food safety system that would address domestic as well as imported foods. CDC, FDA and USDA will continue to work together to prevent foodborne illness and stop harmful products from entering commerce.

Bill & Sheila’s Food Safety – Bacterial Infections
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Octopus - Day of the Tentacle

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CDC says imported spices, seafood cause most Foodborne Disease

CDC says imported spices, seafood cause most Foodborne Disease

Reports

Imports

Precautions

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