Buy Seafood Online Because Freshness Matters

There are lots of great reasons to add seafood to your diet, especially fresh salmon and shellfish like live Dungeness crab, which are high in omega 3 fatty acids, but there are also some great reasons to buy seafood online rather than from the supermarket or your grocer’s freezer. One of the most important reasons to buy from an online seafood market is because the best-tasting seafood is the freshest seafood you can get.

Freshness Matters

When it comes to seafood, freshness matters. Even a few hours can make a difference in the flavor of king salmon or delicious swordfish steaks. Most fishing boats these days are outfitted with cooler compartments to keep the fish they catch fresh on ice until they get to port – but there’s not as much control once the fish or shellfish leaves the dock. Unless you’re on the coast where the fish was caught, your seafood has to travel across the country to get to you. Your supermarket fish made the trip crowded in with hundreds of other fillets, steaks and whole fish, generally in a solidly frozen block. It could have taken as much as a week – or longer – to reach your grocer’s freezer, and in that time, there’s a significant chance that it partially thawed at least once.

When you buy seafood online from a reputable online seafood market, your fish still has to travel to reach you, but that’s where the similarity ends. When you buy king salmon, for example, your order will be picked from today’s catch, packaged in a Styrofoam cooler with ice packs to keep it cool and shipped to you via overnight UPS or FedEx. In other words, you’ll get your king salmon days – if not weeks – sooner than the grocer gets his. Which fresh salmon fillets would you rather eat – those that had a cushy, air-conditioned ride to your front door or the ones that bumped over the rails and roads for as much as a week?

For decades, the only way to really enjoy the freshest abalone, live Dungeness crabs, king salmon and Pacific swordfish was to live on – or travel to – the West Coast. These days, thanks to the Internet and next day delivery services, you can enjoy the fresh taste of Pacific seafood no matter where in the country you live. Don’t settle for albacore, diver scallops and king salmon that’s been dragged all over the country on the open rails. Buy Dungeness crab, swordfish and other Pacific delicacies from a California seafood market that sells online

Fresh Abalone for Sale Online Improves Your Health and Tastes Great

If you’ve never had properly prepared fresh abalone, you’re missing out on a unique, tasty treat from the sea. The edible mollusk, found along the U.S. Pacific coast, as well as off the coast of Mexico and Japan, is a delicacy, but it does have to be prepared properly. While you can buy canned abalone, it’s not always easy to find fresh abalone for sale unless you live on the coast. If you’re not lucky enough to have a fresh seafood market nearby, though, you can sometimes find fresh abalone for sale at an online seafood market on the West Coast.

Availability of Abalone

Abalone season runs from April to July, and again from August to November. During those months, divers with a license can dive for fresh abalone in the waters off the California coast. It is, however, illegal to sell wild-caught abalone in California. All of the abalone for sale at a seafood market is harvested from one of several long-running abalone farms. Farmed abalone from these closed-system California farms top the list of the Monterey Bay Aquarium’s sustainable seafood best choices list.

Preparation

Abalone is a tough, chewy mollusk with a rich, unmistakable flavor. The edible part of the shellfish is the adductor muscle, generally called the foot, that helps it cling to rocks. After removing the abalone from the shell and cleaning away the guts, the skirt and the mantle, the foot must be tenderized to reduce its toughness. The most common way to tenderize abalone is to slice it thinly and pound it with a heavy object. Marinades can also help break down the tough flesh.

Cooking

Abalone can be eaten raw or cooked in a number of ways. In Japan, it is often served raw in thin strips with wasabi and soy sauce. Abalone can also be stewed slowly to tenderize the meat, or cooked very quickly in a stir-fry. It may be served pan-fried, steamed or poached, but one of the most popular ways of eating abalone is in minced and mixed with batter to make abalone fritters.

Abalone meat has a texture that absorbs other flavors well, making marinades a delicious way of adding more flavor, and because its strong flavor stands up so well to other flavors, it can take flavors like ginger, wasabi, citrus and garlic.

Nutrition

Abalone is a good source of omega-3 EPA and omega-3 DHA, as well as omega-6 AA. Three ounces of abalone provides 89 calories, of which 6 calories are from fat, nearly all of it polyunsaturated or monounsaturated. It also provides 14.5 g of protein and 15% of the DV for iron.

If you’re lucky enough to find fresh abalone for sale, it’s a treat that’s not to be missed. Check at your favorite place to buy seafood online for availability of fresh abalone, abalone steaks and abalone skirts.

Prep Tips for Sustainable Seafood from Online Seafood Market Websites

Thanks to the Internet, anyone in the country, anywhere in the country, can now enjoy fresh seafood in season, delivered directly to their door from an online seafood market. Depending on the season, you may be able to buy swordfish steaks, fresh albacore tuna and diver scallops just off the fishing boat. It doesn’t get much fresher than that. You may choose to buy king salmon fillets, or buy Dungeness crab live. Whatever your choice, these preparation tips will help you best enjoy today’s catch of the day at an online seafood market as your dinner tomorrow night.

Fresh Swordfish

Swordfish is among the favorite choices of chefs and foodies around the world. Domestically caught swordfish are on the Monterey Bay Aquarium sustainable seafood list as a Best Choice or Good Alternative (depending on the specific area). The relatively high oil content gives swordfish a velvety texture that’s buttery and flavorful.

Serving Tip: Rub swordfish steaks with thyme leaves, salt and pepper and broil for about 12 minutes. Serve with a squeeze of lemon.

Albacore Tuna

Americans have always considered albacore to be the prime rib of tuna. Albacore  tuna from Canadian and U.S. Pacific waters are among the Best Choices on the sustainable seafood list, so you can enjoy the mild, meaty flavor and firm, moist texture without guilt.

Serving Suggestion: Marinate tuna steaks in soy and wasabi sauce with minced scallions, then pan-sear over high heat and serve with fresh vegetables and rice.

Live Dungeness Crab

Buy Dungeness crab from an online seafood market to ensure that they’re sustainably caught. The West Coast’s favorite crustacean is generally plentiful in season, and the 2013 harvest, which started off looking a bit slim, is shaping up to be one of the most plentiful harvests in years.

Serving Tip: Drop live Dungeness crab into boiling water seasoned with salt and Old Bay seasoning. Cook for about 12 minutes, or until crabs float. Serve with drawn butter or aioli for dipping.

King Salmon

Fresh king salmon caught along the Pacific Coast from California to Alaska is a delectable, buttery fish that practically melts in your mouth. The bright orange flesh is chock full of healthy omega-3s and protein, making it an excellent choice for your menu. Buy king salmon from Alaska, California, Oregon or Washington to ensure that you’re getting sustainably caught fish.

Serving Tip: Keep it simple. Fresh king salmon is delicious with very little accompaniment. Try broiling it – don’t overcook – and serve with basil pesto on the side.

These are just a few of the many delicious and healthy seafood choices you’ll find when you shop for seafood online at a good online seafood market that features fresh Pacific fish and shellfish.

The Best Seafood Online Tips for Raw Seafood Dishes

What do ceviche, sashimi and crudo and capacio have in common? If you watch the cooking shows on the Food Network, you know the answer to this: they’re all dishes that feature fresh, raw seafood (or other meat, in some cases). They’re also best made with the freshest fish possible. Until fairly recently, that meant you were out of luck if you didn’t live close to the ocean. These days, though, you can easily order fresh albacore, live Dungeness crabs, fresh king salmon, diver scallops and from an online seafood market, fresh off the boat. If you’re ready to enjoy the flavors of seafood as they were meant to be tasted, without the intervention of fire and heat, these tips will get you started in the right direction with sushi, sashimi, ceviche, carpacio, crudo and other raw seafood dishes.

Only Serve the Freshest Seafood Raw

Freshness is vital when you’re serving food raw. Buy from an online seafood market that will ship out only products from today’s catch, and ship them out on the same day. Check their packaging and shipping information to make sure that they ship your live crabs, swordfish steaks, king salmon or what have you on ice – and with enough ice to keep your purchase chilled until it reaches your doorstep.

Start with the Easy Stuff

Those wafer-thin slices of diver scallops are gorgeous – but they’re not for the inexperienced. Start with a more forgiving fish, like albacore tuna or king salmon, and choose a dish that doesn’t rely so much on precision knifework. Ceviche and tartare are user-friendly raw seafood dishes. Just dice and toss with condiments. Save the sashimi fans for when you’ve had a bit of practice slicing raw albacore and fresh king salmon.

Chill Out

Warm fish is hard to slice. It gets mushy and tears easily. Keep your fish in the refrigerator on ice until you’re ready to start slicing – preferably on the bottom shelf where it’s nice and cold. The colder the fish, the easier it will be to get a thin, even slice for sashimi or crudo.

Sharpen Your Knives

Razor-sharp. Honed to the perfect edge sharp. You’ll need it that sharp if you’re going to cut thin slices from delicate-fleshed fish, diver scallops or abalone.

Don’t Buy King Salmon – Or Any Other Sushi Fish – Pre-sliced

You can often buy fish pre-sliced for sashimi at Asian markets. Don’t. The more surface area is exposed, the more quickly the fish’s flavor will decay. If you’re looking for baby steps, find an online seafood market that sells pre-trimmed albacore or buy king salmon ready for slicing.

Always Work with Dry Scallops

If you’re doing a scallop ceviche, crudo or other raw scallop dish, always work with dry scallops – that is, diver scallops that have not had water added to keep them fresh longer. You can usually find diver scallops dry at fish market that sells seafood online.

Order Seafood Online and Other Summer Fresh Seafood Tips

It’s summer, the best time of the year to enjoy seafood, especially if you live along the coast. From swordfish steaks to fresh albacore, from abalone to Dungeness crab, this is the time that the ocean is literally brimming with the most delectable treats of all. If you’re not lucky enough to live near the docks, you can still enjoy the sea’s bounty. There are plenty of online seafood markets that let you order from an online seafood market so you have a ready source of the freshest fish, shellfish and ocean treats. That’s just one of the quick summer seafood tips we’ve got to share with you. Here are five more great summer seafood tips to help you enjoy all that the ocean has available for your grill or sashimi bar.

Make Sure It’s Fresh

When you order seafood online, it will arrive in an insulated cooler, packed with ice packs to keep it properly chilled throughout its trip to your door. As soon as you receive it, give it the smell test. Any seafood you buy should smell like the ocean. If it has any off smell, for example, if it smells too fishy or has an iodine-like smell to it, contact the online seafood market and let them know. Most are dedicated to ensuring that their customers only receive the freshest swordfish steaks, Dungeness crabs, diver scallops and other seafood. Most will find a way to make it right.

Keep It Fresh

If you’re not going to immediately start marinating or cooking your fresh king salmon or other fish, put it – in its original wrapping – on a bed of ice in the lower part of your refrigerator to keep it chilled and fresh for another day. If it will be longer than that before you’re ready to cook your fish, wrap aluminum foil around the original wrapper and freeze it.

Start Skin Side Up, Then Flip

Swordfish steaks, fresh albacore, king salmon and other fish filets and steaks are delicious grilled, but there’s a trick to sealing in the juices and keeping the fish in one piece. Oil the grill with vegetable oil and let it get smoking hot. Place your filets skin side up on the grill for just about 4 minutes. Carefully slide a spatula underneath the fish and turn it skin side down to finish cooking. The char will sear the fish and seal in the juices, and the skin will keep the fish together as it finishes grilling.

Dry It Off

Yes, it may have come from the ocean, but if you’re grilling fresh seafood, you’ll want to dry it off before you put it on the grate. Use paper towels and lightly pat the flesh all over to sop up any water or moisture on the fish so that it will brown over the heat.

Take full advantage of the ocean’s bounty this summer, no matter where you happen to live. Order seafood online and get ready to do some serious grilling.

Three Delicious Ways to Prepare Fresh Swordfish Steaks

If you’re looking for a healthy, delicious protein to serve your family, you can’t do much better than fresh swordfish steaks. With no carbs at all and a whopping 43 g of protein in a 6 oz. serving, it’s ideal for anyone following a high-protein, low-carb diet. The bulk of the calories in fresh swordfish steaks derives from fat, but most of the fat is of the healthy omega-3 and unsaturated variety. Most of the remaining calories come from protein, including essential amino acids that are difficult to get elsewhere. The essential amino and fatty acids in swordfish can help reduce inflammation and lower your risk of heart disease, arthritis and some cancers. Omega-3 fatty acids are also essential to nerve health and vision. Add in selenium, vitamin B12, vitamin D and calcium, and you’ve got a chemical composition that’s great for your health.

Fresh swordfish steaks are a strongly flavored fish with firm flesh. There’s nothing delicate about swordfish, neither in flavor nor in texture, making them the perfect foil for other strong flavors. You can pair it with sauces and rubs that you’d never use with the sweet, delicate meat of Dungeness crab or diver scallops. Swordfish from the seafood market is delicious in any recipe you’d use with fresh albacore tuna or fresh salmon, or you can try some of these delicious ways to prepare swordfish at home.

Orange Ginger Grilled Swordfish

Marinate swordfish steaks with fresh orange juice, garlic, ginger, rosemary and black pepper in the refrigerator for about three hours. Remove the fish and discard the marinade. Brush a grill lightly with olive oil and grill the swordfish over hot coals for about 4 minutes on each side.

Poached Swordfish Steaks with Orange Ginger Sauce

Marinate the swordfish as above, but instead of discarding the marinade, add about half as much water to it. Bring the diluted marinade to a simmer in a skillet. Add the swordfish steaks to simmering liquid and poach them for six to eight minutes. Serve the swordfish on a bed of rice or couscous and spoon the sauce over it.

Moroccan Spice Rubbed Swordfish Steaks

Combine a tablespoon each of coriander, cumin, chopped chile and brown sugar. Add a teaspoon of salt and ½ teaspoon each of cinnamon, ground fennel seed and ground black pepper. Brush swordfish with olive oil and coat with spice rub, rubbing it gently into the flesh. Set aside in a covered dish in the refrigerator for at least an hour. Heat a cast iron pan under the broiler for at least 15 minutes. Arrange the swordfish steaks in the hot pan and place them under the broiler for 7 minutes on one side. Turn and broil for 4 to 5 minutes on the other side. Serve with a light couscous salad and fresh ambrosia of oranges, mint and honey.

One note about buying swordfish steaks and other seafood. Seafood is always at its most delicious when it’s fresh. If you don’t live close to a seafood market where you can buy swordfish fresh, you can look for an online seafood market where you can buy swordfish steaks and have them delivered to directly to your door.

Time to Buy Dungeness Crab. Here’s How to Select It, Prepare It and Enjoy It

Have you had your Dungeness crab fix yet this year? Dungeness crab is a West Coast tradition that’s making its way across the country thanks to the ease of buying fresh and live Dungeness crab through an online seafood market. The taste Pacific crustaceans are easy to prepare, easy to cook and deserve a place on your kitchen table. Here’s what you should know when you buy Dungeness crab.

Dungeness Crab Season

The Dungeness crab season is a long one, running from November through the end of July in California this year, so you’ve still got plenty of time to buy live Dungeness crab before the season runs out. And since crab season got a late start further north this year, you’ll have even more time to enjoy Dungeness from Oregon and Washington waters.

Sustainable Seafood

Multiple watchdog groups have rated Dungeness crab as a best choice sustainable seafood. They’re plentiful with no risk of depleting the crab population. Since the crabs are caught in pots rather than by trawling, there’s also little risk of catching up more delicate or endangered species in the nets. The sustainable seafood rating means you can enjoy your Dungeness crab guilt-free.

Where to Buy Dungeness Crab

If you live in the San Francisco Bay area, you probably don’t need any help finding Dungeness crabs to buy. Most local folks have their favorite spots to buy live Dungeness crabs – the preference of most fans of the taste shelled creatures. Sometimes, as the season winds down, it’s harder to find live Dungeness, and you may have to settle for cooked whole crabs or picked Dungeness meat.

If you’re not lucky enough to live within easy driving distance of a fresh fish market, look for an online seafood market with a physical location on the bay or the docks for the freshest seafood possible. You can usually buy just about any type of seafood online that’s typically in stock, and have it shipped directly to your door.

How to Prepare Live Dungeness Crab

The best way to cook live Dungeness crab is to boil them whole. Fill a big pot with salted water and bring it to a boil. You can add spices or seasoning to the water before adding the crabs, if you like – a lot of folks swear by Old Bay seasonings, but others have favorite crab boil spice mixes they prefer. When the water is at a rolling boil, drop the crabs in one by one. Cover the pot and let it boil for about 15 minutes, or until the crabs float. Wait about two minutes longer, then remove the crabs from the water with a pair of tongs.

How Much Should I Buy?

Most experts recommend figuring on two to three crabs per person. The typical Dungeness weighs about 2 pounds, but you’ll only get about ½ pound of the buttery, creamy meat out of that.

Buy Dungeness crab for your next cookout, and chill a nice bottle of German Reisling, a Chardonnay or an edgy white California wine and enjoy.

Let an Online Seafood Market Cater Your Graduation Barbecue

School’s out forever! Alice Cooper’s blaring and you’ve got the grill fired up to celebrate your graduation. Skip the boring hot dogs, burgers and chicken wings at your graduation party and serve up food that will really set your barbecue apart from the rest. Check out the ocean’s bounty to spark your cookout menu. Not anywhere near an ocean? Don’t worry. You can buy swordfish steaks, fresh albacore, diver scallops and just about anything else the sea has to offer from an online seafood market. Check out these suggestions for making your graduation barbecue totally sea-licious.

Swordfish Kabobs

Just because you buy swordfish steaks doesn’t mean you have to grill fresh swordfish that way. Cut the swordfish into 1-inch chunks, marinate the cubes in lime, garlic and cilantro, then thread them onto skewers with onion wedges, mushrooms and pineapple chunks. Brush with lime-garlic marinade during grilling and serve with a piquant fruit salsa on the side. Totally yummy!

Skewered Salmon

Skewers are always a great hit at barbecues. They’re easy to cook and even easier to eat. But the chicken, beef and pork on skewers with tomatoes, peppers and onions is just more of the same-old-same-old. Spark up your graduation party menu with barbecued king salmon and fruit skewers. Just buy king salmon in season at an online seafood market. You can usually get salmon steaks and salmon filets, but if you poke around a bit, you may find a place to buy seafood online that offers cut up salmon chunks. Mix together lime juice, olive oil, honey, minced garlic and finely minced chives. Toss fresh king salmon chunks with the marinade and thread them onto a skewer with chunks of mango, fresh peach, pineapple and pepper. Grill over hot coals until the salmon is just translucent.

Grilled Diver Scallops on Rosemary Skewers

Skewers can do more than hold your food together. Grill diver scallops on rosemary sprigs for flavor that infuses the delicate flesh from the inside out. Just strip the leaves off the bottom six inches of each rosemary sprig, but leave the tops leafy. Put the sprigs in water for about 20 minutes to soak. Meanwhile, chop the rosemary leaves, and mix with olive oil, salt and pepper. Combine the marinade with the scallops and let them chill in the refrigerator for about half an hour. Thread three diver scallops onto two rosemary skewers held close together. Grill over medium-high coals for 2 to 3 minutes on each side and serve on a bed of rice.

Note: make sure you get dry scallops when you order. If you don’t, your scallops will end up shrunken and dry on the grill.

Your graduation day is something special, and your celebration barbecue should be, too. Make your cookout one that stands out. Order fresh seafood from an online seafood market and grill with the freshest summer produce you can find.