Lighten Your Spring Meals With Fish From The Rowayton Seafood Market

If you are tired of heavy winter dishes and aren't sure how to make the transition to lighter spring meals, take advantage of fresh seasonal fish at the Rowayton Seafood Market. Full disclosure here, the Market was not a place I realized was open year-round with such long hours. I thought of it as a summer place until a friend clued me in. I’m so glad she did because I had a very fun and interesting experience there. I learned how to fillet a 16 lb fresh Salmon by our local expert and friendly, energetic Fishmonger Scott Bennett, who is also the Manager of this wonderful fish market located in Rowayton, CT. This free-range sixteen-pound salmon was just caught in New Brunswick, Canada. It had a natural beautiful color, since it was not given any coloring or growth hormones; which is extremely important to me when purchasing fish to eat or ordering at a restaurant.  Scott knew all about the background and history of this particular fish (which I find rare when visiting a seafood market). I felt like I was at Salmon University!

So being the "foodie" that I am...I was so excited and actually had to grab my camera and take pictures of how carefully detailed and thorough Scott was in trimming this fish that would soon be a very delicious dinner for my family. After meticulously scaling the salmon, rinsing, then trimming the fat, taking off the fins and removing all the pin bones. Scott cut the fish in even 1& 1/2 inch pieces for me to take home. It was really great to see the fish cut in front of you, cleaned and packaged to go, as well as know when it was caught. Scott provided great suggestions on how to prepare the fish and keep it fresh. He also gave me some ice to pack the fish in my car because I had to run some errands and was worried that it would be a while before taking it home with me. Now that is fantastic service!

Fish and seafood are healthy additions to a well-balanced diet and salmon is one of the most nutritious fish out there. High in protein and low in calories and saturated fat, salmon is also a great source of omega-3 fatty acids--which we know offer a wide range of health benefits. This type of fish is also versatile and lends itself to a variety of recipes and spice combinations. I chose to create an Asian-inspired recipe that I thought my two kids and husband would enjoy.  

A sweet, tangy and salty mixture...Here is my very easy Honey-Soy Pan-Roasted Salmon with Wasabi Garlic Mashed Potatoes recipe:

Honey-Soy Pan-Roasted Salmon

Ingredients (serves 4):

1/4 cup soy sauce (low-sodium, if you prefer)

2 teaspoons of finely grated fresh ginger

2 teaspoons of honey

Pinch of brown sugar

1 1/2 teaspoons of Dijon mustard

2 cloves garlic, chopped

2 teaspoons of extra-virgin olive oil

Four 6-ounce salmon fillets

Sesame seeds and chives for garnish

Directions:

1. Preheat the oven to 350°. In a small saucepan, combine the soy sauce, ginger and garlic and bring to a simmer. Remove from heat and stir in the honey, mustard and brown sugar.         
2.  Heat the olive oil in a large nonstick ovenproof skillet. Season the salmon with pepper and add it to the skillet, skinned side up. Cook over high heat until golden and crusty, 2 to 3 minutes. Turn the salmon and spoon the ginger-soy honey glaze on top. Then transfer the skillet to the oven and bake the salmon for 5 minutes, or until cooked through. Using a slotted spatula, transfer the salmon fillets to plates, sprinkle with sesame seeds and garnish with chives and serve.                             

Wasabi Garlic Mashed Potatoes

Ingredients (serves 4):

3 pounds of russet potatoes, peeled, cut into 2-inch pieces

3 large garlic cloves, chopped

1 teaspoon of wasabi powder

1/4 cup of butter

4 tbsp of olive oil

3/4 cup of milk or light cream

Kosher salt and freshly cracked black pepper to taste

Directions:

Place potatoes in a large pot of cold salted water. Boil until tender, about 20 minutes. Drain. Then return boiled potatoes to the pot and mash. Heat chopped garlic with olive oil in separate pan.

Combine 3/4 cup milk or cream and 1 tablespoon wasabi powder in small bowl. Stir to dissolve powder. Add milk mixture, garlic, butter and olive oil to potatoes. Mix potatoes until fluffy and smooth. Season potatoes to taste with salt and pepper. Cover and keep at room temperature.

This salmon dish was a huge hit with my family. It’s an easy weeknight recipe or an elegant dinner dish to serve your guests on the weekends, too. The fish was so delicious, as well as light and fresh. I had such a great experience at the market that I will definitely be back soon to continue cooking lighter and healthier meals, and to see what else I can learn at the “University”!  Just hoping for warmer weather!

Rowayton Seafood Market is located at 89 Rowayton Avenue in Rowayton, CT. 203.838.7473 ~ Market is Located directly behind The Restaurant At Rowayton Seafood. Open 9am-7pm (seven days a week)

Janine Vairo is the founder of PartyStyle Box. She blogs about party ideas, recipes, and party decor. Visit her website www.partystylebox.com

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