Related Images
Fred Thompson
Meaty and sturdy, striped bass goes well with lentils.
Meaty and sturdy, striped bass goes well with lentils.
My past columns in February have caused me some grief.
When I try to do a cozy dinner for two to celebrate Valentine's Day, I get slammed with email about using garlic and onions. Hey, that's the way I cook! And if both parties eat the garlic and onions, well, what difference does it make? Have garlic and onions ever really stopped true passion?
Or when I try to go into a Mardi Gras pot of food, the expats from New Orleans take me to task, all claiming to have better variations. Gosh, it's almost like writing a column on pimento cheese, which is the mother of all columns to provoke a flurry of angry mail.
OK, here's the new take: Lent, and something very close to my heart (pun intended), National Heart Association Month. I have a very intimate relationship with statins and cardiologists, having had a heart attack in my late 30s. Lent, of course, is when people of many faiths give up some worldly pleasure until Easter.
Lent has historically been about giving up meat. More seafood is sold in the 40 days between Fat Tuesday and Easter than at any other 40-day period during the year. You'll see the Gorton's fisherman time and again on TV. So, cool, we eat a lot of fish during those days, but if we think, then cook, and then eat, the seafood we prepare can be more than a substitute for a plate of red meat, but a path toward heart healthy eating.
The caveat? It's got to taste darn good.
Lots of folks are still afraid to cook fish at home unless it comes out of a box from the frozen food aisle. Seafood is really easy to prepare, and we have better choices than ever. Remember these keys: Don't cook fish till it flakes; by that time, it's overcooked and dry. Make 8 minutes per inch of thickness your rule instead of the 10-minute per inch guide you hear so often. Know that several types of fish such as salmon and tuna are much tastier when cooked rare or medium. Find a fishmonger you like and can trust. Follow those guides and you are almost home free.
Oily and deep cold water fish are generally better for your heart, but all fish are good for you because of the protein structure and lack of fat. Be prudent about the fish you eat. Some such as blue fin tuna are being overfished worldwide, causing concern about the species' ability to survive in the future. Mix up the types so you don't get bored. If your family is not fish-friendly, start with farm-raised catfish or tilapia. Both are mild and will absorb the flavors around them. And, especially, eat what's in season.
With that in mind, this is wild striped bass's moment. Called rockfish by our neighbors to the north, they tend to move out of the Chesapeake Bay in December and January to the warmer waters off North Carolina's coast. You may need to be patient, because this winter's warmth has slowed the fish's exit from the bay, but a good cold snap will get them off our coast.
WSBs are a sturdy, meaty fish that can hold up to an assortment of flavors. I like to serve another good-for-you food, lentils, with the bass. You can leave out the pancetta (Italian bacon) or cut it in half.