Tips to Order Seafood Online

Fresh fish and shellfish are a treat any time of year, but the early spring brings out the best and most flavorful fresh halibut, diver scallops, salmon and ahi tuna. If you don’t live near the ocean or have a fresh seafood market right on the water near you, the best way to get the freshest shellfish and fish is to order seafood online from a fresh fish market. These tips can help get the freshest seafood available when you order seafood online.

What To Look for When You Order Seafood Online

When you buy seafood at a local fresh fish market, you have the luxury of examining the available catch before you put down your cash to buy. Unfortunately, unless you live close to the ocean, you’re not going to find much of a variety of fresh fish and seafood online. These are some of the most important factors to consider when you order seafood from a fresh fish market.

Selection

The best seafood market websites offer a large selection of seafood, including fresh fish and shellfish. The selection may include smoked fish and smoked seafood as well as fresh halibut, ahi tuna and diver scallops, frozen fish, cooked shellfish, canned and smoked salmon, smoked seafood and many others. The bigger the selection offered by an online fresh fish market, the better – both for you and for the seafood. You should be able to buy all the seafood and fresh fish you want in one place so you don’t have to shop around and pay multiple shipping charges.

Customer Service

Whether you’re buying from a California fish market or another online fresh fish market, look for the contact information. You should be able to pick up the telephone and call the shop, send them a fax, email them or use a contact form on the website. You should get excellent customer service, including fast responses to any questions, an online Frequently Asked Questions document and a full explanation of the shipping policy and any customer guarantees offered.

Extra Stuff

A truly customer-focused fresh fish market website will also offer a variety of extra services for those who order seafood online. These might include recipes, like scallop recipes and chowder recipes, an online seafood catalog with descriptions and information about the fish and seafood available, preparation tips for smoked salmon and other seafood and condiments, sauces and go-togethers for your online seafood purchase.

Whether you’re looking to buy smoked fish or fresh fish, shellfish or tuna, you’ll find all that you’re looking for when you order seafood online. Look for a seafood market with a clear seafood delivery policy, a great selection and a great reputation within the online community and you can’t go wrong.

How to Cook Fresh Halibut Cheeks

It’s fresh fish season on the sunny California coast. That means it’s time for one of America’s favorite fish – fresh halibut. The Pacific native is a firm-fleshed white fish that is prized for the sweetness and tenderness of its meat. Fresh halibut is among the most versatile of fish choices. It lends itself equally well to broiling, baking, grilling, sautéing, pan-frying and deep-frying – and even works well in sashimi and sushi dishes. If you’re not lucky enough to live near a California fish market, you can still enjoy fresh halibut – as well as diver scallops and a variety of other fresh fish and shellfish – when you order seafood online through one of the many fresh fish markets that offer seafood delivery nationwide.

Halibut is available in many forms, including steaks and fillets, but a particular favorite is halibut cheeks. They are, exactly as the name suggests, the cheeks of the halibut, located on the fishes’ face, above the mouth. The meat is melt-in-your-mouth tender because it involves so few muscles. Fresh halibut cheeks look a great deal like large diver scallops, and are actually quite similar in flavor and texture to them as well. You’ll find them listed on the menu of many of the best seafood restaurants in the country. In fact, they’re so popular on restaurant menus that they can be difficult to find on the retail market. When you find a fish market that offers them for a reasonable price, make a note. There aren’t many places where you can buy fresh halibut cheeks on a regular basis.

Not sure how to cook fresh halibut cheeks? Halibut is already a sweet, delicate fish with a fine flake, but halibut cheeks are even more of all those things. The simplest preparations are the best because they let the fish’ natural flavor shine through. These tips and cooking suggestions will give you some ideas of how to cook and serve this delectable seafood treat.

Sprinkle halibut cheeks with salt, then quickly sauté in a pan coated with olive oil. Remove the halibut to a warm plate. Add a tablespoon of butter to the pan, squeeze in the juice of half a lemon and stir while the butter melts. Spoon the lemon-butter over the halibut and serve with rice pilaf and grilled asparagus.

Brush fresh halibut with butter or olive oil and place in a hinged wire grill basket. Cook about 4 inches above hot coals for 4 to 5 minutes per side. Be careful not to overcook, or the halibut will be dry and tough.

Cut halibut cheeks into bite-size pieces and toss in a glass dish with lime juice, salt and onion. Marinate for an hour in the refrigerator. Discard the liquid and pat the fresh halibut dry, then toss the pieces with chopped fresh tomatoes, diced onions, cilantro and chopped jalapeno or poblano peppers. Serve with rice or blue corn chips.

Don’t miss out on the chance to enjoy fresh halibut in season. It’s so easy to order seafood online that you can enjoy your favorite fresh fish no matter where you life.

Five Healthy Ways to Prepare Fresh Halibut

If you were looking for a reason to celebrate, look no further. Fresh halibut is in season, opening a world of wonderful, healthful recipes for one of the world’s most delicious and healthful fishes. The delicate, mild whitefish is a favorite choice for menus in all types of operations, from family dining tables to upscale restaurants. Its slightly sweet flavor and firm texture are among the reasons that many chefs choose fresh halibut as the base for one or more signature dishes. Those characteristics make it easy to prepare halibut in many healthy, delicious ways. Here are five different deliciously healthy ways to prepare fresh halibut.

As an appetizer, consider fresh halibut tartare as a substitute for tuna tartare, or prepare halibut sashimi. The thin, delicate flesh slices easily and holds its shape beautifully.

Brush halibut fillets with a mixture of olive oil and lemon juice infused with fresh dill. Grill over coals or broil under the broiler. Olive oil adds calories, but it’s among the healthiest of fats you can use – and the earthy flavor adds depth to the sweetness of the halibut.

Arrange serving size 1-inch thick portions of fresh halibut in a steamer basket. Lay a thin slice of fresh ginger root on top of each portion. Steam the halibut for 7 minutes. While the fish is cooking, heat soy sauce with fresh minced ginger, garlic and sesame oil. Plate the halibut, spooning the sauce over each portion.

Marinate fresh halibut in olive oil, lemon juice, garlic and pepper for 15 minutes. Coat with a mix of toasted sesame seeds and minced thyme. Roast at 450 F for about 12 minutes. Serve with a salad and lemon wedges.

Marinate fresh halibut cheeks in any citrus and olive oil marinade for 15 minutes. Grill over medium heat on an oiled rack until the fish is opaque in the center. Serve with your favorite salsa.

Nutritional Information for Fresh Halibut:

Calories 115
Protein (g) 22
Total Fat (g) 2.5
Saturated (g) .5
Monounsaturated (g) 1.0
Unsaturated (g) 2.0
Carbohydrate (g) 0
Sodium (mg) 60
Potassium (mg) 460
Cholesterol (mg) 35

As you can see, halibut has a lightweight, healthy nutritional profile, making it an ideal addition to any healthy diet. For best flavor, you can always order seafood, including fresh halibut, and buy seafood online at a California fish market that provides seafood delivery nationwide.

Five Minute Tipsy Scallops Recipe

Scallops are among the most versatile of all seafood. Cooked properly, the tender morsel of mussel meat is buttery soft and sweet, practically melt-in-your-mouth sweet. They both hold their own texture and flavor while absorbing the flavors of sauces and spices with which they are cooked. This year, take full advantage of the plentiful harvest of diver scallops with this delicious and very simple Five Minute Tipsy Scallops recipe.

When choosing the scallops for this recipe, don’t settle for the frozen seafood available at your local fish market. Instead, order seafood online from a California seafood market that offers fresh-caught seafood, such as fresh halibut, diver scallops and Ahi tuna. You’ll be assured of getting only the best, fresh fish and seafood, packed fresh in ice and shipped directly to you, ready to prepare and serve.

Five Minute Tipsy Diver Scallops Recipe

Ingredients:

1/2 lb. Diver Scallops

2 sprigs fresh rosemary

1 tsp. fresh lemon juice

1/2 cup Sauterne or other dry white wine

1 tbsp. butter

3 tbsp. panko breadcrumbs

Rinse and lightly pat the scallops dry. Strip the needles from the rosemary and chop them finely. In a small, non-reactive, non-metal bowl, mix the lemon juice, Sauterne and rosemary together. Place the scallops in the bowl, turning them to coat with the mixture on all sides. Cover and place in the refrigerator for 10 to 15 minutes.

In a flat-bottomed frying pan, melt the butter. Place the scallops, one by one, into the frying pan, searing on both sides for no more than 2 1/2 to 3 minutes. Add the marinating wine, lemon juice and rosemary to the hot pan and let it come to a low simmer.

With the pan still over the heat, sprinkle the breadcrumbs over the scallops and wine sauce. Allow them to sit for 2 to 3 minutes to soak up the sauce before removing the scallops to serving plates.

Serve over a bed of jasmine rice with a side of wilted spinach sautéed in olive oil with onions and raisins.

Enjoy fresh scallops and other fresh fish and shellfish two to three times a week as part of a healthy diet. If you don’t live on or near the seashore, check out the many online fish markets that offer seafood delivery to anywhere in the country, usually within 24 hours of placing your order. You’ll love the fresh taste, and your body will love the healthy fats you get when you choose fresh fish like this light scallops recipe as a protein option.