Summer fish. Yes, fish is seasonal. Striper as it's known in the Northeast is enjoyed through the summer months. We know that asparagus is a Spring treat, apples are a Fall fruit, and tomatoes are best in late Summer. But many people have forgotten that fish are also seasonal foods.
Striper with Herb Butter
Sprinkle a striper fillet with salt, pepper and a little cayenne. Drizzle with olive oil. Roast in fairly hot oven 375 for about 30 minutes. Fish fillets will vary in size and thickness, as will oven temperatures. If you pull gently at the fish with the tines of a fork and the flesh will flake when it's done.
Toward the end of the roasting time, spread herb butter over the fish.
Fines Herbes
Associated with French and Mediterranean cuisine, the combination of parsley, chives, tarragon and chervil. These Spring and Summer herbs have a multitude of uses. Fines Herbes (“feen (z) airb” ) are key component in Sauce Bernaise.
Used fresh added at end of cooking, as the delicate compounds that give the blend its flavor will diminish with cooking. Other uses include:
- Mix with soft butter (or a combination of butter and olive oil) to make a simple fragrant sauce for grilled chicken.
- Mix with mayonnaise for poached chicken salad.
- Mix with oil, vinegar and shallot for a classic vinaigrette.
Seasonality in Fish
This is a tricky question. Many fish are, in fact, seasonal and we have lost touch with this because of our efficiency at commercial fishing. Our insatiable appetites for whatever we want, whenever we want it has been fed by an industry only too happy to oblige.
There's a growing awareness of seasonality in our foods. We're learning about the benefits of incorporating more local, seasonal foods in our diets. Supporting local economies, reducing the carbon footprint of food shipping costs and enjoying healthy homegrown foods are all rules many people now try to live by. One thing that gets forgotten is that it's not only our produce that's seasonal but our proteins, too, change with the seasons.
The notion that we should eat whatever we want, whenever we want has begun to feel like an outdated way of thinking. As with many things, greed is not good. With food the whatever we want, whenever we want approach is not only passé -- it's unhealthy. Casson Trenor, Time Magazine's Environmental Hero of 2009, notes that with respect to sushi, an easy guide to seasonality is choose from the specials.
"A good rule of thumb is to order off the specials board rather than the laminated menu when possible – any items on a year-round menu are unlikely to be sourced on a basis of seasonal awareness. It was our demand that certain intrinsically seasonal products be available to us year-round that gave rise to environmental missteps like conventional salmon farming."
Alaska's fisheries are well-managed and a model for many other areas and fisheries. They respect seasonality of the fish, which sounds sort of passive. Far from passive, Alaska fisheries managers actively monitor and manage the health of the fisheries. The state's constitution drafted in 1959 mandates fish be actively managed as a sustainable resource. This enables the delicate balancing of the needs of the fishermen (and appetites of consumers) along with the health of the fisheries.
Resources on Seasonality of Seafood
A survey of a range of resources turned up the following guides to seasonal, sustainable seafood.
- The Institute for Fisheries Resources developed a Local and Seasonal Seafood Guide.
- West Coast, East Coast and Gulf Guides
Jacqueline Church - Award-winning writer, speaker, teacher on topics at the intersection of gourmet and sustainable food issues.
Join the Conversation