Cooking Channel: Fresh Local Sardines at San Diego Restaurant, July 26 at 7:30 pm
Sea Rocket Bistro Blasts Off into Cooking Channel Stratosphere
Fresh local sardines will be the subject of an episode of Hook, Line and Dinner, Tuesday, July 26 at 7:30 pm. 
By Brandon Hernández | Posted July 25, 2011A San Diego eatery is going to be featured on a food-related TV program and, for once, it's not Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives. That non triple-D eatery is North Park's Sea Rocket Bistro, which has gained a good deal of attention of late after bidding its former chef adieu earlier this year to bring on new exec chef and partner Chad White.But it's not a back-of-house shake-up that got the attention of the Cooking Channel. Fresh local sardines will be the subject of an episode of the programHook, Line and Dinner that will air this Tuesday, July 26 at 7:30 pm. Sea Rocket offers three sardine preparations - grilled whole as part of a salad with asparagus, watercress, a pickled ranch egg and Sauce Vierge; served with with mustard aioli and pickled veg; and stuffed into street tacos during happy hour.Read the rest of the story here.
Sardines: Canned or fresh, it’s all good
by Michael Bauer Earlier this week, I was writing the introduction to this week’s Food&Wine newsletter which focuses on seasonal recipes. The topic was sardines, which drew out some long-buried memories.Only a few years ago sardines were rare on menus, but now they’re coming into the spotlight as more people become aware of seasonality and sustainable seafood practices. The emergence of this strong-tasting fish on restaurant menus seems to parallel the growing cocktail culture. Sardines make great snacks with a stiff drink, which is why you’ll find them in the snack section on many menus.Even though I only eat fresh these days, whenever I see the word “sardines” I first think of the canned variety. Growing up, tinned sardines and soda crackers were a lunch-time staple.At least 20 years ago I dined with two food and wine legends in an East Bay restaurant — Gerald Asher, who was the longtime wine writer for Gourmet; and Elizabeth David, one of the most respected British cookbook authors. During that dinner we got into a discussion of sardines; both of them loved the canned variety. I was surprised to learn that they also both “aged” the tins for a time. From there the discussion turned to how long is ideal.It’s been decades since I’ve had the canned product, but remembering this conversation I think I’ll go out and try them. Maybe they will be my new lunchtime staple a year or so down the line, once they’ve properly mellowed in their cans.For now I’ll stick to fresh sardines. The 10 places below show how versatile this fish really is. If you want to try the Spoonbar or Gitane dishes at home, click here for the recipes.Read the rest of the article here.
Why Sardines Should Be at the Top of Your Grocery List
Note - California's sardine fishery reopens September 15.
By Owen Burke
The truth about sardines is that they are probably one of the healthiest finfish you can eat from the sea. They are hardly ever farm-raised, which means that they swim and eat as they please and are rich in vitamin D3, your Omega-3′s and purines. Large apex predators like tuna and swordfish and salmon are known to accumulate excessive levels of heavy metals, while sardines may contain up to 8 million times less mercury than even salmon. Do you ever wonder why it is that, especially in the United States, many people avoid eating sardines? Aside from the fact that they are usually associated with a tin can on a grocery shelf, sardines, or pilchards, are quite oily and bony. The sardine is, however, a very healthy option. Sardines feed on photosynthetic plankton, so as lighter consumers, they acquire very minuscule concentrations of heavy metals than most larger, more commercially sought predators do. Because of their diet, sardines are rich in omega-3 oils, protein, good cholesterol, selenium, and calcium and fluoride if you eat the soft bones.Often sold at around $2.00 USD a pound, they are certainly cheap enough for most of us, too.There are about 21 different species of sardines, all belonging to the Clupeidae family, but they can all be prepared the same way. The best way to have sardines is fresh, of course, and this will thoroughly reduce the “fishy” smell left behind. If your fish aren’t scaled, do so carefully with a knife, removing the entrails afterwards. As with most fish, the best marinade is simply olive oil, lemon and parsley. If you toss them on the grill afterwards, you’ll add a nice charred flavor to the fish, while also keeping the smell out of the house.Read the rest of the story here.
Grilled Sardines with Lemon and Olive Oil
Note - California's sardine fishery reopens September 15.Uuber-easy is the name of the game with this classic Mediterranean recipe.Grilled sardines are a completely different beast than the oil-packed, canned ones, and they come to life with just a bit of lemon juice and olive oil. We used our robust Italian Blend Olive Oil, since its spice and aroma hold up well to the grill, and finished off with only citrus and seasonings, this summer dinner is done in under 10. Serve it up with a side of olive tapenade, garlic bread, and cheeses for a lovely platter.
Ingredients
- 8 medium sardines, cleaned, head and tail intact
- 2 tablespoons Italian Blend Olive Oil, plus more for serving
- Sea salt and black pepper, to taste
- 16 rounds thinly sliced lemon
- 4 lemons, halved, for serving
- Black olives, for servingRead the rest of the directions here.
Thinking calamari? Smoke it
What you might find interesting about this calamari recipe from Michael Sargent is the grill.
There are a growing number of people who are buying the Big Green Egg for their backyard grilling and becoming fanatical about its qualities. Sargent often gives cooking demonstrations using the Big Green Egg at Foster's Grill Store on Eastern Avenue.
Calamari is the Italian name for squid, and the squid is a mollusk that is related to cuttlefish and octopus. They range in size from an inch or so up to 80 feet, but the most common size for eating is less than 12 inches. The meat is white and firm with a mild, sweet and what some describe as a nutty flavor. Although you can eat the tentacles, the main body is the prime section of meat. It can be stuffed whole, cut into flat pieces, or sliced crosswise into perfect rings. Here only the main body part is used.
This is a simple recipe that takes no time to prep or cook. The thin slices look wonderful as they curl atop a bed of spring mix greens. And the flavor of the delicate calamari comes through without being overpowered by the usual ingredients or preparations, drowning the creature in bread crumbs and hot oil, or smothering it in peppers.
Click here for the Grilled Calamari recipe.
Here's how to finesse those fishy sardines
Sophie Brickman
Northern California's sardine season opened July 1, but not all of us have spent the last week flocking to our local fishmonger to buy sardines by the pound.Why not?Most people would say it's because sardines taste, well, fishy.But there are plenty of ways to temper that strong flavor. And there are plenty of reasons to eat them: They're local, sustainable and oh-so-good for you.Pacific sardines sit toward the bottom of the food chain, are low in mercury levels, reproduce prolifically and are called a "best choice" by the Monterey Bay Aquarium's Seafood Watch.They are a good source of vitamins A and D and are particularly rich in omega-3 fatty acids, consumption of which has been shown to have numerous health benefits, including reducing cardiovascular and neurological diseases.Basically, they're the super-fish of the month. But there's that fishy factorRead more here.
A sustainable superfood from the sea
Editor's note - This article focuses on Portuguese sardines, but here in California, our sardines are also available in season. And they are on the Monterey Bay Aquarium's "Super Green List."
Sardines ready for the grillIf your experience with sardines is limited to what you get from a can, then you are in for a special treat with Portuguese sardines.Good, grilled sardines are a shock for most people who have only had them canned. Even Oprah includes sardines as one of the 25 superfoods to include in your diet. According to her, "Wild-caught sardines are low in mercury and high in vitamin D; a 3-ounce serving has as much calcium as a cup of milk. Even better, they're one of the Monterey Bay Aquarium's top picks for sustainability."Executive Chef Billy Brandolini of Ceia Kitchen & Bar in Newburyport shows us his way of brining and grilling sardines a la Portuguese style. Grilled sardines are also eaten all over Southern Europe along the Mediterranean coast. In Portugal, sardines are very popular, especially in the summer at outdoor celebrations and festivals, when the sardines are fattest. To the Portuguese, the little fish are like hot dogs and hamburgers, available from outdoor vendors and served at private food gatherings.Get the recipe here.
Can squid ink pasta really stop cancer & tumor cells from growing?
Check out the various black foods at Sacramento's Whole Foods Market. New studies reveal that foods containing black squid ink fight cancer and tumor cells by preventing the growth of new blood vessels which causes tumor and cancer cells to grow.Sacramento's new food trend is to eat black foods, especially squid ink pasta with black beans one day and black rice with blueberries the next. If you look at Sacramento's various natural food markets, stores are carrying more black foods such as black rice (also known as 'forbidden' rice) and squid ink pasta. See, Squid Ink Pasta: Cooking Terms: RecipeTips.com.Read the rest of the post here.