Salmon with Potatoes and Peas in a Ginger Broth
Years ago I worked as a cook in a couple of restaurants in Les-Baux-de-Provence, France. During my time there, I used to go into a nearby village on Saturday mornings to visit the local market. I didn’t buy food at the market - after all, I worked in a fully stocked restaurant and was living in quarters without a kitchen. Instead, I would just sit and watch the women who ran the fish stall. There were three of them working in a caravan with an open side, and they spent the whole morning preparing the fish for sale -cleaning, de-scaling,’breaking down whole fish into fillets, doing all things to all sorts of fish. They were masterful with their knives, slicing the fish with grace and precision. They worked quickly and quietly as they prepared their display. I admired their skill and thought at the time that I might like a future working as a fishwife. Strange to some, I suppose, but that’s what I thought at the time.
Well, time passes and plans change. My career path has never been predictable, and I never did become a fishwife. Perhaps now, however, I’ve come as close as I ever have to realizing my dream of selling fish. No, I’m not actually fishing, cleaning or preparing the fish, but for the first time I’m about to provide access to the freshest, tastiest fish many people will ever taste (unless they visit a seaside town and buy fish off a boat). Here’s how I came to this…
Of all the things I do as Blue Jean Chef, one of the best parts of my job is looking for, finding and presenting great food products on QVC. A few months ago, I was approached by a company called Anderson Seafoods. They wanted to sell FRESH fish on QVC. Let me repeat that – FRESH fish, which means never frozen fish, right to customers’ doors. For those of you who don’t know, when you buy fish from your grocery store, in most instances that fish has been previously frozen. It’s not a tragedy, but it’s not the same as fresh fish. Grocery stores and big box clubs just don’t have the ability and handling strategies to provide fresh fish to their customers. The only way you can really be sure of getting fresh fish is to be visiting a seaside town and buy fish off the boat to prepare yourself.
Oven-roasted Salmon with White Beans, Tomatoes and Spinach
Anderson Seafoods sent me samples of their salmon, tuna, shrimp, langostino tails, scallops and mussels so I could see the quality of their products. Now, truth be told, salmon is not my favorite fish, but when I cooked it up, I was blown away. Their salmon was the best salmon I have ever tasted in my life and I’ve been enjoying it regularly ever since. I’m not even sure how to describe it – it was pure, clean, fresh, delicious, moist and flaked beautifully. I was sold! Beyond the delicious fish, however, I was also super impressed with the packaging and delivery of this fish. It comes in packaging that is made from post-consumer materials and is completely recyclable AND reusable. (The ice packs included with the fish are great for coolers!) I requested samples one day and it was at my door at 7:30am the next morning! Are you kidding me? I did more research on Anderson Seafoods to try to understand more about how they operate.
Maple-glazed Salmon Bites with Apples and Chives
Anderson Seafoods has been a family owned and operated American business for over 30 years. I think their premise is quite simple – they only work with premium fish, they handle it with care, and they only send the very best out to their customers. Sounds simple, doesn’t it? Well, maybe, but it takes effort and hard work. It means only sourcing the very best and rejecting what doesn’t make the mark, even if it costs them in the short run. This is a company that I am proud to partner with. I’m extremely excited to be presenting Scottish Salmon from Anderson Seafoods on QVC for the first time during the 5pm ET show on Monday, October 22nd (item number M29872).
Interested? If you’re a fish lover, I know you are. You probably know that fresh Scottish Salmon is a rare find on this side of the ocean. You also probably know that Scottish Salmon is renowned for it’s flavor, coming from the cold, free-flowing, nutrient-rich waters of Scotland and as such is Scotland’s biggest export. You’re probably really excited about this opportunity already.
If you’re not a regular fish eater, let me tell you a little more about this Scottish Salmon from Anderson Seafoods. To put it simply, it is delicious, it is very healthful and good for you, AND it is extremely easy to prepare. We’ve all heard the stories of how we should eat fish three to four times a week, but few of us manage to do that. Fish, and salmon in particular, provides us with needed Omega-3 fatty acids that we need for better brain function, better control of our inflammatory process, and as prevention for numerous diseases including cardiovascular and eye diseases. With one 4-ounce portion of salmon, you can give yourself more Omega-3s than most people get over the course of several days! Salmon also provides us with Vitamin D and good cholesterol. It’s a great source of protein too.
Salmon en Papillote with Tomatoes and Basil
So, how do you prepare it? I’ve always believed that to be the best cook you can be, you should buy the best ingredients you can and do as little to them as possible. With salmon as good as this, you can put salt and pepper on the fish and cook it on a grill or in a skillet for 3 to 4 minutes per side. It’s that simple. Truly. Of course, there’s a lot you can do with salmon too. Below I’ve given you four different recipes for the Scottish Salmon from Anderson Seafoods. I think you’ll enjoy them all. What a great way to impress your family, special guests, or just yourself. Oh – and a tip for the holidays… as an avid cook, I would LOVE to receive something like this as a gift. There could be nothing better to give a foodie than a superior quality ingredient to work with, and QVC is offering different shipping dates so you can be assured your gift will arrive at the right time.
Don’t miss it! Tune in on Monday, October 22 at 5pm ET (M29872). I’ll cook the fish for you to show you how easy it can be, give you a glimpse at the different recipes below and though you won’t be able to taste it, you can be sure I will taste it for you!