Wild Alaskan Seafood: Cook it Frozen!
When the Alaskan Seafood Marketing Institute (ASMI) contacted me about trying their straight-from-freezer-to-oven cooking technique, I (of course) jumped at the chance. Fish, especially salmon, is very popular on our dinner table; my two young daughters devour it which makes it an especially appealing choice.
They sent me two kinds of fish, salmon and cod. Both types cooked VERY well using their unique cooking method, so much so that I plan on keeping frozen fish on hand from now on. Why bother thawing if you don’t have to, right? Both times I cooked the fish were nights that I really didn’t feel like cooking anything (yes, these nights do happen!!). I was tired and sort of dreading figuring out what to cook when I remembered the frozen fish just waiting to be popped into the oven.
The salmon was the hands down favorite. The texture was so much better than that of farmed salmon and the color was gorgeous. All I did was add a simple rub to it and voila! Dinner was on the table in fifteen minutes flat. None of us could tell that it had been cooked from a frozen state.
Just last night I made the cod. I opted for just salt and pepper since I’d made a Cherry and Chipotle Salsa earlier in the day (recipe posted tomorrow!) and thought it would make a great accompaniment. And it did…it was soooo good!
If you’d like to learn more about this easy technique, or just get some awesome recipes, please check out the Cook It Frozen website. I’ve also posted the recipe below for the gorgeous picture above!
Happy Cooking!
Alaska Halibut with Pancetta Salad
Prep Time: 20 Cook Time: 15
Servings: 4
Preheat broiler/oven to high. Arrange peppers on a rack, cut side down. Broil about 4 to 6 inches from the heat source until the skins begin to blacken and char. Place peppers in a large zip-top or paper bag; set aside.
Whisk dressing ingredients together to combine. Season with salt and pepper to taste; set aside.
Sauté the pancetta or bacon in a heavy non-stick skillet until brown and crispy. Drain on paper towel. Drain off all but 2 tablespoons drippings.
Rinse any ice glaze from frozen Alaska Halibut under cold water; pat dry with paper towel. Heat skillet over medium-high heat. Brush both sides of halibut with oil. Place halibut in heated skillet and cook, uncovered, about 3 to 4 minutes, until browned. Shake pan occasionally to keep fish from sticking.
Turn halibut over and season with salt and pepper. Cover pan tightly and reduce heat to medium. Cook an additional 6 to 8 minutes for frozen halibut or 3 to 4 minutes for fresh/thawed fish. Cook just until fish is opaque throughout.
Portion spinach onto four dinner plates. Peel the peppers, then cut them into strips. Sprinkle onto the salads, along with the onion, pancetta, and arugula or watercress.
Serve the halibut with the salads, drizzling dressing over all.
Cook’s tip: Choose a variety of peppers for color and flavor, or use roasted peppers in olive oil for ease of preparation.
Nutrients per serving: 564 calories, 40.5g total fat, 8g saturated fat, 64% calories from fat, 69mg cholesterol, 41g protein, 9g carbohydrate, 3g fiber, 787mg sodium, 120mg calcium and 800mg omega-3 fatty acids.
Photo by Steve Lee
- 2 bell peppers, halved and seeded
- 3/4 cup pancetta, cubed OR thick-sliced bacon, cut in 1-inch pieces
- 2 Tablespoons olive oil
- 4 Alaska Halibut steaks or fillets (4 to 6 oz each)
- 5 to 6 oz. baby spinach
- 1/2 red onion, thinly sliced
- 1 cup arugula or watercress
Dressing:
- 1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil
- 3 Tablespoons fresh lemon juice
- 1 teaspoon grated lemon zest
- 1 to 2 teaspoons wholegrain or Dijon mustard
- 2 teaspoons chopped fresh thyme
- Salt and pepper, to taste
Thanks for the frozen to skillet tip! I rarely cook fish as I am not sure when it is done. This looks like a fantastic recipe~
Hi,
I have never pan fried fish from frozen but I have regularly poached salmon from frozen for my daughter.
It's easy by placing an inch or so of water in the bottom of a regular saucepan then adding the fish and covering with a lid. Poaching this way is a very quick way of making my little one something healthy!
The pic above looks good though so I'll try the pan fry from frozen next time.
Just to let you know, I tried this tonight and the cooking process works well. Thanks for the advice :-)
This is my heaven! Fish that can be cooked straight from the freezer. I have tried a few methods before but none have really worked because they are either over cooked or lose the flavour. I know what I will be cooking tonight! Oh and the Cherry and Chipotle Salsa sounds delicious! :)