Simply Seafood®

Go For The Gusto

Adding Spirited Flavor Without The Fat

Eat healthy or eat delicious? We tend to think that the choice is one or the other, seldom both. But think about all the flavor packed in a sprinkle of lemon zest, a handful of minced fresh herbs or sliced fresh chile pepper. So much flavor that you won't even miss the high amounts of fat, salt and all those other flavor-enhancing ingredients we're trying to cut back on.

Here's a quick look at three high-flavor, no-fat ingredients that can really spice up your seafood cooking. You won't believe how tasty low-fat cooking can be!

Citrus

Citrus Zest, Orange Swirl, Lime Curls, Lime Slices, Grapefruit Wedges, Lemon

Twist and Slice
Citrus fruits not only add distinctive flavor to seafood, but their vibrant colors of yellow, green and orange give them double duty as eye-catching garnishes. Slices, twists, knots, fine zest curls or strips add a splash of color quickly and easily.

Grate Results
The easiest way to grate citrus zest is to use the nubby pointed side of a box grater. Cover that side of the grater generously with a piece of plastic wrap or waxed paper. Rub the lemon over the grater, in a circular motion rather than just up and down. When finished, peel away the plastic wrap and most of the zest will come with it.

The Acid Test
Oranges: juice generally sweet, zest tart and good for many uses Grapefruit: vary in sweetness, ruby variety generally sweeter than white grapefruit; juice very good, zest quite bitter, use sparingly Lemon: very acidic juice, zest very flavorful and tart Lime: very acidic juice, zest more bitter than the lemon

How They Measure

1 Large lemon (7 oz.) = 1 Tbsp. grated zest, 1/4 cup juice
1 Large lime (5 oz.) = 2 tsp. grated zest, 3 Tbsp. juice
1 Medium orange (10 oz.) = 4 tsp. grated zest, 2/3 cup juice
1 Medium grapefruit (1 lb.) = 2 Tbsp. grated zest, 3/4 cup juice

Zest for Life
The "peel" and the "zest" of citrus fruits are often thought to be the same thing, but they are not. The "zest" is the part of the peel that is brightly colored, the thin outer layer of the peel. The remainder of the peel, the white portion, is called the albedo, it doesn't have the aromatic flavor of the zest and is quite bitter. When a recipe calls for citrus zest, use only the outer colored portion of the peel.

Just what is it that makes lemon the universal partner to fish? They've been served side-by-side at home and in restaurants for years on end . . . you can almost imagine the Ancient Greeks squeezing a big wedge of lemon over their just-caught-and-grilled fish.

On rich fish, the acid punch of citrus flavor acts as a balance to the oily character of the fish. For milder fish, the clean freshness of lemon somehow enlivens the fish's own flavor. Citrus flavors seldom overpower the foods they are served with. Instead, they accentuate other foods with a very distinctive character all their own.

Citrus And don't forget about the other citrus fruits, which can often be used in place of lemon, or as a companion. Limes can be used almost interchangeably with lemons, although their flavor is a little stronger (so though smaller, 1 lime can take the place of 1 lemon). Oranges used in place of lime or lemon juice will offer sweeter results; mix orange juice with lemon or lime juice to cut the sweetness if you prefer. Grapefruit vary in tartness; sweeter grapefruit can be used like oranges while tart ones will benefit from pairing with orange juice or a pinch of sugar.

Not only does citrus juice add flavor, but its acid quality reacts with seafood flesh to "cook" it. The flesh doesn't technically cook, as no heat is used, but the color turns from translucent to opaque and the texture firms up, much like cooked seafood does. Seafood salads popular in Latin America---called ceviches---combine chunks of very raw fish with citrus juice, and often onions, tomatoes or other vegetables. Lemon and lime are most commonly used for these no-cook seafood preparations, because they have higher levels of acid than other citrus fruits.

Herbs

Herbs Sage, Flat-Leaf Parsley, Dill, Thyme, Rosemary, Chives, Tarragon, Cilantro, Arugula, Mint, Minced Chives

The Chop
Small-leafed herbs (like thyme) seldom need chopping; simply strip leaves from the stems and use. Flat-leafed herbs (basil, mint, sorrel) should be staked and cut across into thin strips; to finely chop, cut across the strips into tiny bits.

To Chop Other Herbs (like rosemary or curly parsley), put the sprigs in a small pile on the chopping board and chop across the pile. Then rotate the pile of herbs with your hand and chop across again; continue until the herbs are chopped as desired.

Always remove herb sprigs from the stem before chopping. Use a large, sharp chef's knife for chopping, not a small paring knife.

Garden Fresh
Herbs are quite easy and inexpensive to grow, so you might consider adding some to your garden. All they need, generally, is good sunlight and water. Herbs also grow well in boxes or pots, on porches or window sills. Having fresh clippings of herbs at your fingertips can be addicting and inspiring to the home cook---give it a try!

Some of the oldest cooking ingredients known to man are still among the freshest and most appealing in today's kitchens. Herbs are aromatic, colorful, diverse, full of flavor, healthful and---most importantly---perfect with seafood!

Some books may suggest a mere handful of herbs to pair with fish, when really it is hard to think of an herb that doesn't deliciously accentuate fish. About the only thing you need to consider when pairing seafood with herbs is the intensity of flavors. Salmon or bluefish, for example, with their inherent pronounced flavor stand up well to the more assertive flavors of rosemary and sage. Delicately flavored sole, on the other hand, might be over-powered by sage yet perfectly paired with basil or oregano. It is, after all, a matter of taste, so experiment with your favorite seafoods and herbs to find combinations that you prefer.

Fresh herbs are far and away preferable in cooking to dried herbs. They have a more pleasing texture and aroma, but also much of an herb's distinctive flavor is concentrated in the oils in the leaves, and these oils are often lost in drying.

When a recipe calls for a fresh herb that you do not have, you are often better off using another fresh herb---even just parsley---rather than using dried herbs. In a pinch, however, dried herbs can be used with some success. They do go stale after 6 to 9 months, however, so don't expect that dried marjoram you've had on the shelf for a few years to add much character to your recipes.

When using fresh herbs, add them at the end of the recipe so their flavor will be freshest and most aromatic. Using a fresh herb early in cooking can add depth of flavor---as with basil in a tomato sauce---but stir in a little of the freshly chopped herb at the end to accentuate the flavor.

Chiles

Chile Flowers, Habanero, Green Serrano, Jalapeno, Anaheim, Thai Bird, Jalapeno Slices, Red Serrano

The Heat of the Bite
Generally, the smaller the pepper, the hotter the heat. Green chiles are under-ripe; most turn red, yellow, orange or brown when fully ripened. Seeds and white ribs inside fresh chiles pack powerful heat; remove them before cooking to modify intensity; same goes for seeds of dried chiles Roast fresh chiles before cooking to mellow the heat slightly.

A Chile Roast
Roasting chiles not only tempers the heat slightly, it brings out a touch of sweetness and adds a smokey flavor. And roasting makes it easy to peel away the skin, which can have a bitter aftertaste. You can roast a chile under the broiler or on a charcoal grill. Set the pepper a few inches from the heat until the skin is blistered and black, turning the chile occasionally so it roasts evenly. (You can also roast a chile over a gas flame, holding it in a pair of long-handled tongs or stuck on a long fork.) Put the roasted chile in a paper or plastic bag, close the top and let sit for about 10 minutes. The chile will "sweat" in the bag, making it much easier to peel away the skin. When cool enough to handle, peel away the skin, cut out the core and remove the white ribs and seeds.

Is Your Chili Chile?
Don't confuse chili powder with powdered chiles. Chili powder is a seasoning mix that is used to make chili---generally it includes dried chiles, oregano, cumin and garlic. Powdered chile is dried chile peppers crushed into a fine powder---often specific to a particular variety, as habanero powder, but sometimes labeled simply as "mild" or "medium" chile powder.

People who aren't familiar with cooking or eating chile peppers tend to believe that all recipes with chiles mean burn-your-tongue heat and pass-the-bread-I'm-gonna-die intensity. Sure, there are those chile aficionados for whom it's not serious eating unless beads of sweat break out on your forehead. But it doesn't have to be that way . . . and in the opinion of many it shouldn't.

The most intense heat of the fresh chile pepper is in its seeds and in the white ribs running vertically inside the chile. Unless you like very potent heat, remove the seeds and cut away the white ribs before using fresh chiles. In dried chiles, the intensity of the seeds is even more pronounced. Chiles---whether minced fresh, crushed dried or powdered---make great marinade ingredients, especially with other spunky ingredients like citrus juice, cilantro, ginger, garlic and such. Moderation is key, especially when using very-hot chiles. Seafood doesn't need to marinate for long anyway, and when it comes to chile-laced marinades---5 to 10 minutes should be plenty. At the El Paso Chile Company in Texas, owner Park Kerr likes to think of chiles like a symphony. One chile---a single note---can be tasty, if flat. But a few chiles prepared together in a recipe---such as chipotle, serrano and mild green New Mexico---make a melody that really offers a depth of flavor you can't get from just one chile.