by Manos Angelakis

Aquaculture

Fish and shellfish are becoming, more and more, part of America’s everyday diet.

Fish and seafood are replacing the meat-and-potato meals of the past in North America, especially in haute cuisine kitchens of trendy East and West Coast restaurants where chefs espousing Nuvelle American Cuisine are preparing outrageously good fish and shellfish dishes. However, it is not only the haute cuisine establishments that have opened their menus to seafood; ethnic groups from South and Central America and the Far East are bringing in their food preferences as part of their culture and the restaurants that cater to these groups prepare Ceviche, Congrio, Tom Yam Kung, Grilled Octopus, Pastéis de Bacalhau, Curried Mackerel and Kimchi and hundreds of other dishes.

And where is all this fish and seafood coming from? Only so much wild catch can be had from both the Atlantic and Pacific. In the past, certain species of fish have been over-harvested almost to extinction. So, the answer is aquaculture… fish farming.

Fish farming has been practiced for thousands of years. Egyptians show it in tomb paintings dating as early as 2500BCE. In China, carp has been farmed both as a food staple and as an ornamental addition to garden ponds. And, of course, oysters, clams and mussels have been cultivated from the times of ancient Greece and Rome.

Today, more species of fish and shellfish are being farmed in more parts of the world. The shores of the Mediterranean are dotted with fish and shrimp farms. Sea bass, abalone, and conch are cultured on the Pacific coasts of Chile. Trout is farmed in rivers and streams of both the Northeast and the Pacific Northwest, here in the United States, as well as France, Italy, and Portugal. Atlantic salmon, nearly extinct from over-fishing, is now plentifully available from farms in the US, Canada, Norway and Chile. Striped bass has long been a favorite on American tables. Striped bass was one of the fish caught and eaten by the Pilgrims in Massachusetts and the early Virginia settlers. Now, Hybrid Striped Bass, a cross between an Atlantic striped bass and a white bass is available in fish markets and can be had live, fresh or frozen. Live striped bass can be kept in tanks, but it is highly predatory and will try to eat smaller fish. Fresh dressed hybrid striped bass is preferred, because it can be harvested at any size; it is usually available in 1, 2, or 3-pound sizes. A large one makes a great base for fish-soup.

The “catch of the day” featured in many menus is farmed fish, processed and delivered to a restaurant’s kitchen in less than 24 hours. Every cooking technique, broiling, boiling, grilling, poaching, stewing, braising, sautéing, deep or pan frying or baking can be used with aquacultured products. Unlike meat, fish and seafood should be cooked with high heat and a short cooking time, as there is no need for the flesh to be tenderized by the cooking process. In addition, cold or hot smoking, especially for Salmon and the different varieties of Trout, imparts lovely aromas to the fish when different fruitwoods are used together with citrus. Other fish varieties, farm-raised catfish; tilapia – a fish that played a prominent role in the Biblical story of the loaves and fishes; fresh and salt –water shrimp; and oysters, clams and mussels are delivered fresh every day to fish markets, supermarkets and restaurants.

Fish is low in sodium and fat, and high in Omega-3 antioxidant. Fish is good for you.

Enjoy!

© July 2006 LuxuryWeb Magazine. All rights reserved.