May 16, 2021, Submitted by Courtney Doyle, Chef & Owner of Clandestine Kitchen
By now you probably know Salty Days Fish Co, located in downtown Hingham. Salty Days has become a household name famous for their amazing sushi, take-home oven-ready meals, lobster rolls, poke bowls, oysters and prepared crab cakes (check out their new offering for summer - the “Clambake To Go”). But, the fresh daily catch in the prominent fish case is just as much the star of the show at Salty Days.
The team at Salty Days is welcoming and friendly and the addition of chef Lisa, a Hingham resident herself, adds the opportunity to chat about suggested preparation, recipes, and creative uses for the curated pantry located inside the store. They source what is needed for the day so they are able to keep the rotation of fish and shellfish at optimum freshness.
We sent CK Culinary Team member and Johnson & Wales culinary graduate, chef Kira Chipman (raised in Hingham and a graduate of Hingham High School), to the shop for a chat with the staff and a little creative freedom to help inspire you to follow in her footsteps and prepare delicious, simple, restaurant-inspired dishes at home using one of the most versatile items in the fish case: fresh cod.
Chef Kira chose cod because, as a seasoned chef familiar with a variety of seafood, Kira appreciates the “blank slate” provided by the sweet, mild, extremely versatile flavor of the fish. It cooks quickly and can be simply prepared in a variety of ways so, it’s perfect for any home cook to easily add to their recipe arsenal. Cod is also low in calories, low in mercury and is a lean protein containing multiple vitamins and minerals so, the nutritional value is an added bonus when considering what to make for dinner.
After selecting her fresh catch from the fish case, chef Kira headed back to the workshop to cook up two unique and delicious recipes highlighting the versatility of cod, and utilizing pesto created from seasonal organic ramps and citrus – perfect for your “stay home date nights” and backyard fiestas. Head to Salty Days to recreate these delicious dishes in your own home – tell them Clandestine Kitchen sent you and channel your own culinary ambitions this week.
Cod with Mushroom Risotto & Spring Ramp Pesto
To prepare risotto:
1 Tbs extra virgin olive oil
1 clove garlic, minced
3 Tbs shallots, minced
1 cup mushrooms, chopped
½ cup fresh corn
1 cup cherry tomatoes, quartered
1 cup Arborio rice
4 cups vegetable stock
¼ cup dry white wine
salt and pepper to taste
In a large sautee pan over medium heat, warm the oil and, once shimmering, add the shallots and garlic. Stir for 2 minutes until garlic is fragrant and shallots begin to soften. Add rice and stir until rice grains are opaque in the center. Deglaze the pan with wine and slowly begin adding vegetable stock, ½ cup at a time, until rice is cooked to al dente and has a creamy consistency, about 20 minutes.
Add mushrooms, corn, tomatoes and salt and pepper to taste.
To prepare cod:
2 pounds fresh cod
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1/2 teaspoon pepper
1 Tbs fresh chives, chopped
1 Tbs fresh parsley, chopped
1 Tbs extra virgin olive oil
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Meanwhile, mix salt, garlic powder, pepper, chives and parsley in a small bowl and coat fish fillets.
In a medium oven-proof pan, heat the oil over medium high heat until shimmering. Add seasoned fish and sear until underside is golden.
Transfer to oven for approximately 15 minutes or until fish reaches an internal temperature of 145 degrees.
To prepare ramp pesto (also used in Fish Taco recipe below):
4 ounces ramps, leaves separated from stem and bulb, chopped
4 ounces parsley, chopped
½ cup olive oil
4 Tbs Pecorino Romano cheese, grated
2 Tbs fresh squeezed lemon juice
salt and pepper to taste
Place all ingredients except oil in the bowl of a food processor fitted with a metal blade. Pulse until ingredients are combined, scraping down the sides as needed. With the machine running, slowly drizzle in the oil until desired consistency is reached. You may need more oil if you prefer your pesto to have a thinner consistency.
To plate:
Place about 1 cup of risotto into a large, shallow bowl and top with fish filet. Using a spoon or small squeeze bottle, surround fish and risotto with a drizzle of pesto. Top with additional pesto if desired.
Fresh Fish Tacos with Citrus Salsa and Ramp Pesto
To prepare cod:
1 pound fresh cod
½ teaspoon chili powder
½ teaspoon cumin
½ teaspoon garlic powder
½ teaspoon smoked paprika
½ teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon black pepper
½ teaspoon onion powder
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Meanwhile, mix all seasoning ingredients in a small bowl and coat fish.
In a medium oven-proof pan, heat the oil over medium high heat until shimmering. Add seasoned fish and sear until underside is golden.
Transfer to oven for approximately 15 minutes or until fish reaches an internal temperature of 145 degrees.
To prepare citrus salsa:
1 grapefruit, peeled and cut into supremes (flesh found between the white pith throughout the fruit)
1 orange, peeled and cut into supremes
½ avocado, peeled, seeded and cubed
½ shallot, diced
½ jalapeno, diced
1/8 teaspoon chili powder
1 teaspoon fresh cilantro, minced
½ lime, juiced
Combine all ingredients in a medium bowl and stir to combine, adding salt to taste.
To plate:
Lightly grill flour or corn tortillas and layer with seasonal greens or cabbage. Place prepared fish and citrus salsa on top. Drizzle with prepared ramp pesto (see ramp pesto recipe above).
Clandestine Kitchen is a healthy meal delivery service on Boston’s south shore. For more information on CK’s fully-prepared meal delivery opportunities, please visit www.clandestinekitchen.com and see a sample menu under “Home Delivery”. CK chefs are committed to helping our community flourish by sourcing local, organic and fresh produce, proteins and products, bringing a farm-to-table menu to your table every week.