• Fish with an abundance of natural oils—like King or Silver Salmon, Sablefish, and Mackerel—are least likely to stick. To retain the moisture in leaner wild fish and seafood such as our Sockeye, Scallops, Halibut, and Albacore Tuna, brush it lightly with with Olive or Macadamia Nut oil before cooking.

Continue reading on the Vital Choice Blog ...

Today’s recipe comes to us from Ashley Baqeuro – author of The Quick and Dirty Cook blog.

 

We love the recipes and photos on her blog, so we asked Ashley to allow us to publish some, and she kindly agreed.

 

Here’s how Ashley describes her approach and philosophy:

 

“Because I’m often pressed for time I tend to cook in a rather quick and dirty manner. I create my own recipes and frequently amend recipes to make them quicker and easier to cook. This is a cooking blog for normal people … those that have busy lives and need fast, flexible recipes.”

 

“The key to my food philosophy is moderation, moderation, moderation. I believe that you should try to eat a whole-real foods diet ... like all other things, knowledge is key and knowing where your food comes from and how it is produced is no exception.”

 

Ashley Baquero, author of "The Quick and Dirty Cook" blog

And here’s how Ashley describes today’s recipe:

 

“As I’ve mentioned before, I order most of my seafood from Vital Choice.

1. Prepare your mussels – I buy mine from Vital Choice, and they are pre-cleaned and par-cooked, so I only need to rinse them. If you buy fresh mussels from your fishmonger, clean your mussels by putting in a large pot of water with about a cup of flour, soak for 30 minutes so the mussels will disgorge any sand. Drain, remove the beard with your fingers and scrub if necessary. Discard any that aren’t tightly shut.
2. Prepare your salmon by sprinkling with your favorite herbal seasoning and salt.
3. In a large saucepan, heat about 2 Tbsp of olive oil and cook your shallot until tender, about 3-5 minutes.
4. In another pan, heat olive oil, add the salmon, and sauté on medium for 3 to 4 minutes per side while you begin the mussels. Once done, remove from heat and cover to keep warm. Do not overcook the portions, which are done as soon as they are almost cooked through (still a bit dark pink in the very center), as they will continue to cook internally after being removed from the heat.
5. Add the wine and cream to the large saucepan with the cooked shallot. Stir and season with salt and pepper. Squeeze one half of your lemon into the pan and stir. Simmer for a few minutes and then taste. Adjust based on your preferences – if you want a stronger wine taste, add a tbsp or two more; if you want a creamier taste, just add more cream.
6. Next, add the mussels, stir well and cover the pot.
7. If you’re cooking pre-cooked mussels like those from Vital Choice, you only need to cook for about 3-5 minutes. Do not overcook – just enough to plump the meat. (If you’re cooking fresh mussels, cook on medium for about 8 minutes.) Halfway through, give the pot a shake with the lid on so no mussels burn.
8. All the mussels should open (discard those that do not open). Scoop mussels and broth into bowls and top with your salmon. Garnish with fresh parsley.