It didn’t dawn on me until I started writing this post, that you would be reading this on a day celebrating both Good Friday and    Earth Day. It is just one of those happy coincidences. 

Good Fish, written by Chef Becky Selengut, an advocate of seafood sustainability, and seasonal, regional cuisine,  is a cookbook filled with recipes for sustainable seafood. What I love about this book is that it focuses on what you can eat. Becky addresses the dilemnas over farmed vs. wild fish, and fresh vs. frozen, and how to determine which you should get, and she does this in a very down to earth manner.

This book is more than just about fish though. It hits a vast array of seafood, and is filled with wonderful recipes, tips, and techniques, to help you prepare them in the best possible way.

Oh and it’s a pretty enjoyable read too

I first met Becky via twitter, about 2 years ago, and got to visit with her for a little while on a recent trip to Seattle. She is full of wit and wisdom, and her humorous nature rears it’s head through parts of this book. For example, the recipe for mussels with bacon and israeli couscous (she originally wanted to call it “Bad Jew Stew”), is preceded by a “Dear Grandma” letter, with the statement “Isn’t it funny how I combined bacon and israeli couscous with shellfish? Love Becky.”

All of the above, makes for a really great cookbook.  If you are a conscientious cook, who wants to learn how to properly prepare seafood, then this is the perfect book for you.

I have about a dozen or so recipes marked thoughout this book, but I really have been craving salmon, and I thought you would enjoy this recipe. With the salad and fennel, it makes a deliciously light meal for four. So in honor of Earth Day and Good Friday, I thought I would give you this one Good Fish.

GRILLED SOCKEYE SALMON WITH FENNEL TWO WAYS

 

 

Ingredients

For the fennel salt:

Dried fennel seeds – 1 Tablespoon

Salt – 1 teaspoon

Black pepercorns – 1/2 teaspoon

 

For the vegetables:

Fennel bulb – 1 large, with stems removed, cut into thin wedges. Reserve small frond pieces for garnish

Red onion – 1 medium, cut into thick slices

Extra-virgin olive oil – 1 Tablespoon

 

For the salad:

Greek-style yogurt – plain 1/4 cup

Dijon mustard – 1 teaspoon

Cayenne pepper – a pinch

Honey – 1/2 teaspoon

Salt – to taste

Salad greens (mixture of arugula, frisee, mizuna, etc.) – 4 cups

 

For the salmon:

Sockeye salmon filet – 1 pound, skin on, cut into 4 equal portions

 

Vegetable oil for the grill, or grill pan.

 

Directions:

To prepare the fennel salt, grind the fennel seeds, salt, and pepper together in a spice grinder (a coffee grinder works well though you shouldn’t use it for coffee after this, or  you can use a mortar and pestle as I do).  Set aside.

To prepare the vegetables, in a medium bowl, toss the fennel and onion with the olive oil and 1 teaspoon of the fennel salt. Set aside.

To prepare the salad, in a small bowl combine the yogurt, mustard, cayenne, and honey. Season to taste with salt. Right before serving, lightly coat the greens with 2 Tablespoons of the dressing. Reserve the rest to use as a sauce for the salmon.

To prepape the salmon, remove any pin bones that may still be present. Coat the salmon on all sides with the remaining fennel salt,  and set them aside on a plate in the refrigerator.

Pre-heat and outdoor gas grill, or indoor grill pan to high heat. Oil the grill rack with vegetable oil.

Grill the fennel wedges and onion slices 6 – 8 minutes until they are tender but still crisp. Grill the salmon, skin side up until the grill marks are clearly visible and turn. Sockeye is usually pretty thin, so a 1/2  inch thick piece should cook for 2 to 3 minutes per side. Remove from heat.

Place some of the salad greens on a dinner plate, scatter with the fennel and onions, place the salmon on top, and garnish with bits of the fennel fronds.

Enjoy!