Crispy skinned Snow Pass, Alaska Coho Salmon with goat cheese potato puree and tomato confit - Chef Sean Langlais San Diego, CA
We helped put Coho Salmon on the map!
The Oceanaire Seafood Room is serving up daily fresh catches of wild Coho salmon from Alaska’s pristine coastal waters. Our chefs are partnering with local fishermen across Alaska and the Pacific Northwest to procure the freshest Coho salmon every day.
Coho are also known as silver salmon, they are a very desirable fish due to its high content of healthy fatty acids, strong color retention, and superb taste. Obviously less well known than king salmon, but if you ask me Coho is considered an overlooked jewel by seafood aficionados and is gaining popularity. This year’s Coho salmon harvest from Alaska is particularly strong in contrast to king salmon, which remains in tight supply.
In addition to its excellent taste, Coho salmon – like all salmon species – is also an excellent source of healthy nutrients. Salmon is high in proteins, vitamin E, and in Omega-3 fatty acids. Omega 3’s can help reduce cholesterol and blood pressure levels and strengthen the immune system. The American Heart Association’s guidelines recommend consuming at least two servings per week of fish, such as salmon or halibut, with high Omega-3 content for its positive effects on the cardiovascular system.
The season for Coho salmon begins in July and typically lasts into September. In other words…RIGHT NOW!
Wild Alaskan salmon, such as Coho, are perfectly bred in nature to develop a lean firm body that is marbled with fat. Salmon are hatched in freshwater rivers and streams and swim out to the saltwater ocean for several years, where they thrive in the cold, deep waters. They instinctively return hundreds or even thousands of miles to their native rivers, swimming upstream in icy waters, relying on their stored fat and protein during the long journey.
We are just lucky and very excited to bring Coho salmon back to our menus this summer. It is a wonderful fish to prepare because it is so rich and meaty and lends itself well to a variety of special preparations. Fresh Coho salmon is delicate and has a distinct, slightly sweeter flavor than other salmon. We absolutely love the opportunity to showcase our expertise and creativity at The Oceanaire with a special fish like Coho, a fish with a lotta MOJO! GO COHO!
| Chinese Style Tea-Steamed Coho Salmon with Scallions, Ginger, and Black Beans | |
| This is a brightly flavored dish made in the traditional Chinese way-condensed steam mingles with the savory flavorings to make a light sauce. Almost all Chinese and Japanese recipes for steamed fish suggest cutting deep slashes along the sides of the fish to help the steam penetrate. I’ve found that the heat penetrates well anyway, so I usually don’t bother. | |
| Ingredients | Amount |
| Coho Salmon Fillets, Four 10 oz. Fillets | 4 ea. |
| Preserved Black Beans | 2 Tbsp. |
| Dark Soy Sauce | 4 Tbsp. |
| Chinese Rice Wine or Spanish Dry Sherry | 1/4 Cup |
| Japanese Dark Sesame Oil | 1 Tbsp |
| Sugar | 1/2 Tbsp. |
| Fresh Ginger, Peeled | 3-inch piece |
| Scallions, including green, cut into 1-inch lengths | 4 each |
| Chinese Black Tea, bag cut open and tea leaves reserved | 2 Bag |
| Recipe Preparation | |
| 1. Rinse the black beans in a strainer for about 1 minute under cold running water and chop coarsely. | |
| 2. Combine the beans with the soy sauce, rice wine, sesame oil and sugar in a small bowl. | |
| 3. Slice the ginger into 1/8th inch thick rounds and then into fine julienne. | |
| 4. Place the Coho Salmon on a plate or pie tin with a deep enough rim to hold the soy sauce mixture and any juices released by the fish. | |
| 5. Pour on the soy sauce mixture and sprinkle the fish with the ginger, scallions and tea. | |
| 6. Bring a quart of water to a rolling boil in the base of the steamer, set the plate in the top and cover tightly. Steam for 8 minutes per inch of thickness. | |
| 8. Check doneness with a paring knife along the thickest part of the fillet, the fish should flake easily. | |
| 7. Turn off the heat, remove the lid and let the steam dissipate for a minute before reaching in and pulling out the plate. Be careful not to tilt the plate and spill the sauce. Make sure the fish is cooked to your liking. | |
| 8. Spoon the sauce, ginger and scallions over the fish and serve immediately with steamed white rice. | |
| Serves 4 | |
