Lent observers have variety of fish options

When Boston Fish reopened last March after rebuilding from the Flood of 2008, customers were lined up at the front door.

“We were in the throes of Lent,” says Sue Zoll, co-owner of the restaurant and market at 804 Fifth St. SE, Cedar Rapids.

Traditionally, Catholics and other Christians abstain from meat on Fridays during Lent - a time of reflection between Ash Wednesday and Easter Sunday - making fish and seafood in high demand. Rather than getting in the rut of eating frozen fish sticks for six weeks, Lent observers have a variety of tasty options.

While frozen seafood is fine, fresh fish is preferred because it has spent the least time from habitat to table, says Kurt Michael Friese, co-owner of Devotay restaurant, 117 N. Linn St., Iowa City. To ensure fish is fresh at markets or grocery stores, buy it on Tuesdays or Friday afternoons when the trucks typically come in, he advises.

“Fresh fish should not stink or be pungent,” Friese says. “The day-to-day eater should develop trust with the guy behind the counter. People who deal with fear of food want to have it explained as simple as possible.”

While some eaters may fear undercooked fish, most species don't need to be cooked well-done, Friese says.

“Some (fish) are better medium-rare, like salmon,” he says. “Overcooked fish becomes dry and mushy.”

Devotay Executive Chef Kevin Butler agrees fish should not be overcooked.

“It is best when it's flaky and spongy,” he says of sable fish he recently included in a bouillabaisse, or fish stew.

He starts the dish by searing (browning) the fish in a pan with herbs and salt and pepper and then deglazes it with white wine and lemon juice.

The pan is put right in the oven to roast until done - about 7 to 10 minutes.

The fish is served with wild rice and a rouille sauce based with fish stock, tomatoes, potatoes, mayonnaise, saffron, garlic, cayenne pepper and “anything else you want to add to it.”

While fish can be dressed with a variety of sauces and sides, try not to mask its taste, Friese says.

“Cuisine is when things taste like themselves,” he says.

At Boston Fish, fried fish sandwiches remain popular as well as shrimp and salmon.

Patagonian toothfish, more commonly known as Chilean sea bass, has taken the culinary world by storm over the past few years. When she first started in the seafood business 17 years ago, Zoll “couldn't give it away,” she says. It became more popular when high-end restaurants started to serve it and food shows started to feature it, she says. However, its popularity may be leading to its demise.

“If you ever want to eat sea bass again, don't eat it now,” Friese says.

The species can't reproduce until it reaches 8 years old and needs time to replenish itself, he explains.

Monterey Bay Aquarium in Monterey, Calif., heads the Seafood Watch program, which informs consumers and retailers of which fish to choose and avoid based on the species' sustainability. According to Seafood Watch, among the best choices in the Central U.S. region, which includes Iowa, are catfish farmed in the United States, farmed mussels and oysters and farmed rainbow trout. Among the species to avoid are red snapper, Asian farmed tilapia and spiny lobster from the Caribbean.

Pocket guides divided by regions are available on the Web site, www.montereybayaquarium.org

While many people like to stay within their comfort zone, especially with food, Friese encourages branching out and trying new things, like seafood.

“The benefits far outweigh the risk of trying something new,” he says. “More than likely, you'll discover something you like.”

BOUILLABAISSE

Serves 63 quarts shrimp or fish stock1/3 cup olive oil1 bay leaf3/4 cup carrot, diced3/4 cup celery, diced4 shallots, cut julienne3 cloves garlic, minced1 pinch saffron3/4 cup white beans, cooked1/2 cup sweet peas3/4 cup dry white wine3/4 pound black cod or other flaky whitefish, chopped18 medium shrimp, peeled and deveined1/2 pound crawfish, cleaned1 pound mussels, fresh and cleaned, in shellBring the shrimp or fish stock to a simmer.In a large stock pot, heat the olive oil with the bay leaf until the leaf turns brown. Add the carrots, celery, shallots and garlic to the olive oil and saute until tender. Stir in the saffron.Add the beans and peas. Deglaze with white wine. Add the simmering stock and then the chopped cod. When fish is cooked, add the shrimp, crawfish and mussels. Simmer 1 to 2 minutes more. Serve over the bread.

DEVOTAY MUSSELS IN WHITE WINE

This recipe is scaled to be an appetizer for one, but can be doubled to be an entree.1 tablespoon olive oil12 to 14 medium-sized mussels, in the shell, washed and de-bearded*1 clove garlic, sliced paper thin2 tablespoons roasted red bell peppers, thin julienne1 tablespoon flat parsley, chiffonade2 tablespoons La Quercia prosciutto, julienne1/4 cup dry white wine1 tablespoon butterFresh cracked black pepper to tasteIn a medium-sized saute pan with a tight fitting lid, heat the oil over a medium-high flame and add the mussels, garlic, peppers, parsley and prosciutto. Toss to thoroughly coat, then cover and cook about 2 minutes, stirring at least once. Add the white wine and cook a minute or two more, until the shells have opened and the mussels are tender. Remove the mussels, leaving the rest of the liquid in the pan. Bring to a simmer, then add the butter, swirling to melt. When the butter is melted, toss the liquid with the mussels and serve immediately.*De-bearding means to remove the hairlike “beard” that often remains poking through the seam of the shell. It's what the mussel uses to attach itself to a rock or boat or rope. It's harmless, but distasteful. To remove it, simply pinch it between your thumb and the flat side of a pairing knife and pull firmly. A dry rag also works well to get a grip.

BOUILLABAISSE

Serves 6

3 quarts shrimp or fish stock

1/3 cup olive oil

1 bay leaf

3/4 cup carrot, diced

3/4 cup celery, diced

4 shallots, cut julienne

3 cloves garlic, minced

1 pinch saffron

3/4 cup white beans, cooked

1/2 cup sweet peas

3/4 cup dry white wine

3/4 pound black cod or other flaky whitefish, chopped

18 medium shrimp, peeled and deveined

1/2 pound crawfish, cleaned

1 pound mussels, fresh and cleaned, in shell

Bring the shrimp or fish stock to a simmer.

In a large stock pot, heat the olive oil with the bay leaf until the leaf turns brown. Add the carrots, celery, shallots and garlic to the olive oil and saute until tender. Stir in the saffron.

Add the beans and peas. Deglaze with white wine. Add the simmering stock and then the chopped cod. When fish is cooked, add the shrimp, crawfish and mussels. Simmer 1 to 2 minutes more. Serve over the bread.

DEVOTAY MUSSELS IN WHITE WINE

This recipe is scaled to be an appetizer for one, but can be doubled to be an entree.

1 tablespoon olive oil

12 to 14 medium-sized mussels, in the shell, washed and de-bearded*

1 clove garlic, sliced paper thin

2 tablespoons roasted red bell peppers, thin julienne

1 tablespoon flat parsley, chiffonade

2 tablespoons La Quercia prosciutto, julienne

1/4 cup dry white wine

1 tablespoon butter

Fresh cracked black pepper to taste

In a medium-sized saute pan with a tight fitting lid, heat the oil over a medium-high flame and add the mussels, garlic, peppers, parsley and prosciutto. Toss to thoroughly coat, then cover and cook about 2 minutes, stirring at least once. Add the white wine and cook a minute or two more, until the shells have opened and the mussels are tender. Remove the mussels, leaving the rest of the liquid in the pan. Bring to a simmer, then add the butter, swirling to melt. When the butter is melted, toss the liquid with the mussels and serve immediately.

*De-bearding means to remove the hairlike “beard” that often remains poking through the seam of the shell. It's what the mussel uses to attach itself to a rock or boat or rope. It's harmless, but distasteful. To remove it, simply pinch it between your thumb and the flat side of a pairing knife and pull firmly. A dry rag also works well to get a grip.

From Kurt Michael Friese, Devotay restaurant, Iowa City