Make Waves With Trending Seafood<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
Here are three seafood selections \u2013 octopus, bronzino and golden tilefish \u2013 ideal for the start of the year and beyond.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Octopus<\/strong>. Appetizer lovers have been feasting on calamari for years. Now is the time to spread your tentacles and feature another deep-sea delicacy, octopus.<\/p>\n\n\n\n People often confuse calamari and octopus, probably because they are aquatic cousins. With tentacles and a mantle, they look similar and have comparable textures. Calamari is smaller and is a type of squid. Octopus is a larger mollusk with a distinctly different flavour.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Octopus has a tender, meaty texture, is slightly sweet, and has a stronger, seafood-forward taste. It can be boiled, simmered, grilled or braised, and combines nicely with bold flavours like garlic or spicy peppers, as well as savoury flavours from the herb garden.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cI really like to use lots of bright, acidic, spicy and colorful food while cooking,\u201d says Leo Asaro, a Gordon Food Service culinary specialist. \u201cWith a nod to Thai cuisine, I started this grilled octopus dish<\/a> with green curry, while keeping with traditional flavours of bright lemongrass, ginger, coconut, and tons of herbs, such as basil, mint, and cilantro.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n The result is a centre-of-the-plate showstopper \u2013 grilled octopus surrounded by a green curry with jalape\u00f1o and spinach pur\u00e9e, a charred pineapple relish, shallots, tamari and braised Swiss chard. It\u2019s a bowl full of colour, texture and flavour ready to earn a spot on the year-round menu.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Golden tilefish<\/strong>. From the deep waters of the North American continental shelf comes a fish known for its firm, white meat and buttery, sweet crab-like flavour. Similar to grouper, golden tilefish pairs well with flavours of garlic, tomatoes, lemons, rosemary, thyme, or even a mild white wine sauce.<\/p>\n\n\n\n It not only adapts well to flavours, but its versatility extends to preparation. Golden tilefish can be pan-seared, grilled, broiled, baked and even breaded and deep-fried. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Gordon Food Service Culinary Specialist Keith Beane offers a golden tilefish recipe<\/a> with an Asian twist. \u201cI chose this recipe because it is one of my favourite recipes for a mild white fish,\u201d Beane said. \u201cAlso, I really enjoy Asian cuisine and believe it is still an on-trend cuisine that continues to gain popularity.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n Bronzini<\/strong>. This mild, flaky white fish is an Italian import. Some people think of bronzini as the Mediterranean sea bass, because its mild sweetness takes on the flavour of seasonings, whether it\u2019s a chili rub, dill, fennel or tomatoes. Bronzini is often roasted and served whole \u2013 a plate presentation perfect for two \u2013 sprinkled with herbs and garnished with lemon wheels.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cRoasted Bronzini is a great fish to work with,\u201d says Adam Walkover, a Gordon Food Service Culinary Specialist. \u201cIt has such a delicate texture and slightly sweet flavour. The fish really takes on flavour well with very simple ingredient additions and is super easy to work with.\u201d <\/p>\n\n\n\n One great example is our kitchen-tested Roasted Bronzini recipe<\/a>, a pesto-rubbed, butterflied filet served with a tomato medley, beans and a fennel-arugula salad. Bronzini also offers versatility. Because it flakes easily it can be added to pasta, stews, salads and creative bowl builds. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Barramundi<\/strong>. Also known as \u201cAustralian sea bass\u201d or \u201cgiant sea perch,\u201d this fish has a meaty texture and buttery flavour. Its steak-like firmness makes it very versatile. It can be ceviche-cured, pan-roasted, spiced and seared, or even given a pecan crust for frying. Try this Crispy Barramundi With Banh Mi Vegetables And Charred Lemongrass Ginger Aioli<\/a> from Gordon Food Service Culinary Specialist Rachel Mazur.<\/p>\n\n\n\n With these trend-forward seafood options to help out, the world is your seafood oyster. But don\u2019t overlook other menu inspirations \u2013 wild Alaska pollock, barramundi and crab \u2013 that go beyond the traditional fish basket.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Wild Alaskan<\/strong> Pollock<\/strong>. Another mild, flaky white fish, pollock is a great alternative to red meat. Known as one of the world\u2019s most flexible fish, pollock<\/a> comes in many cuts and portions ideal for fish entr\u00e9es, salads and fish baskets. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Crab<\/strong>. The flavour of crab covers a lot of menu territory, from salads and soups to appetizers<\/a> and entr\u00e9es<\/a>. A warm farro and crab salad makes a light, protein-packed meal, while creamy crab and artichoke soup answer the call for hearty indulgence. For an appetizer, place a ramekin of crab and pimiento cheese alongside toasted baguettes for sharing. As an entr\u00e9e, there are always crab cakes, but why stop there? Crab can be an anytime star, from crab omelets\/benedicts to crab fettuccine or crab rellenos.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Salmon<\/strong>. Sear it, roast it, grill it, smoke it, salmon is a tender, flaky and flavourful favourite. Adding salmon elevates the menu, plus it\u2019s one of the most versatile seafood dishes available. Add salmon to a Caesar salad. Serve it smoked with capers and crackers as an appetizer. Sprinkle it with dill and slices of Meyer lemons and grill or pan-sear it as a centre-of-the-plate star. Try this Grilled Salmon Chimichurri <\/a>recipe, featuring global flavour inspiration. It\u2019s topped with chimichurri, the go-to Argentinian condiment, and is served with sides of horseradish mashed potatoes and roasted rainbow carrots.<\/p>\n\n\n\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/gfs.ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/02\/Grilled-Octopus-Blog-Image-1024x731.png\")
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<\/a><\/figure>\n\n\n\nLongtime Seafood Faves Maintain Appeal<\/h3>\n\n\n\n