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Snow Pass Coho is here!

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(photo credit: ssraa.org)

Snow Pass Coho: A summer coho that behaves like a sockeye is here for a limited time. So make sure you don’t miss out on this exceptionally fresh salmon available at all our retail locations or wholesale through your rep.

What makes this fish a must have on your table this summer season? A unique, summer-run strain of fish, Snow Pass Coho are the first Coho available for harvest each season. Summer-run salmon behave differently than their fall-run counterparts; they return to their native streams in early summer, instead of the fall, and mature more slowly in cool, deep waters. This behavior is greatly beneficial to the salmon’s quality. All wild salmon stop feeding when they enter their native freshwater, and build up fats and oils beforehand to sustain them through this period.

Since summer-run salmon return to their fresh waters for a longer period each year than fall-run fish do, they build up a much higher fat and oil content in anticipation of the longer fast. This translates into a fish with enhanced flavour and texture, and a superior fish on your tables. Their red meat, high oil and fat content and superior texture make Snow Pass Coho a highly regarded product among discerning chefs.

(photo credit: ssraa.org)

When the adult Snow Pass Coho return to their fresh waters in the summer, they are quickly harvested. About half of the harvest is taken by commercial gill nets, twenty percent is caught by sport fishermen, and the remaining fish make it to Neck Lake, where 7 Seas Snow Pass Coho is harvested.

When they enter the lake, they inevitably arrive at a holding raceway.

(photo credit: ssraa.org)

When the raceway is full enough, a very unique harvesting process begins. The fish in the full raceway are released into holding totes. The totes are charged with carbon dioxide, which stuns the fish without direct contact, thus ensuring that the fish are free of scars or marks normally attributed to harsh harvesting techniques. After the fish are stunned, they are immediately bled and iced, and sent to Ketchikan for processing. The fish are processed and on their way to our plants in under 48 hours. These ultra-efficient processing techniques bring a whole new meaning to the idea of “fresh fish”.

7 seas is pleased to offer Snow Pass Coho, a fish who’s Neck Lake habitat is carefully controlled for sustainability and environmental well-being. Additionally, in a time when farmed fish is a great debate among consumers, Snow Pass Coho is wild, and Snow Pass harvesting techniques present an attractive alternative to other wild salmon that may be harvested in a more aggressive manner that can be damaging to the fish’s appearance and quality.

Snow Pass Coho run from July to early August, and only one to two hundred thousand fish are available for harvest. At 7 Seas, we are genuinely pleased to include such a superior product to our salmon line.

For more information on the Snow Pass Coho Project please visit here.

Grilled Halibut and Fresh Mango Salsa

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With Halibut in season here is a real easy and really good recipe

What You Need:
Fresh Wild Pacific Halibut fillets – 4 (1/2 Lb each)
Olive oil – 1 tablespoon
For the Salsa:
Plum tomatoes, seeded & diced – 2 cups
Mango, peeled & diced – 1 1/2 cups
Red Onion, diced – 1/2 cup
Fresh cilantro, chopped – 1/2 cup
Garlic, minced – 2 cloves
Fresh lemon juice – 2 tablespoons
Cider vinegar – 1 tablespoon
Salt & Pepper to taste

Cooking Method:

Lightly oil grill grate. Brush fish with Olive oil, season with salt & pepper and place on grill. Cook for 3 – 4 minutes per side, or until fish can be easily flaked with a fork.

Combine tomatoes, mango, red onion, garlic, cilantro, lemon juice, vinegar, salt & pepper. Serve with halibut.

Enjoy!

7seas: Proud sponsor of Chef Alex Chen’s quest for the Bocuse d’Or

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7seas is a proud sponsor of Chef Alex Chen’s quest for the Bocuse d’Or. Chef Alex Chen is the Canadian representative vying for the 2013 Bocuse d’Or. Held every two years, the Bocuse d’Or, “le Concours mondial de la cuisine” or World Cooking Contest is one of if not the most distinguished world chef championships. Named for French chef Paul Bocuse, the event takes place during two days near the end of January in Lyon, France.

More about Chef Chen:

A culinary professional with a decade of experience at some of the finest hotel properties in North America, Chef Chen was responsible for all dining operations at The Beverly Hills Hotel, a Mobil Five Star, AAA Five Diamond property, which includes the world renowned and legendary Polo Lounge. He led a culinary team consisting of sixty cooks and nine sous chefs, his responsibilities also included menu creation, menu implementation, and kitchen operations for The Cabana Café, The Fountain Coffee Room, Bar NINETEEN12, In-Room Dining, Special Events, and Off-Site Catering.

Chef Chen joined The Beverly Hills Hotel as Executive Sous Chef in 2005. Prior to his arrival at the hotel, Chef Chen was appointed Senior Sous Chef at the Four Seasons Hotel Chicago, also a Mobil Five Star, AAA Five Diamond property. Before this assignment, he served at the Four Seasons Hotel Toronto, starting in 2001 as Chef de Cuisine in Studio Café, the extremely successful restaurant of the Four Season’s flagship property.

Chef Chen built his strong culinary foundation by studying culinary arts at Vancouver Community College in British Columbia, Canada, graduating with distinction and certification in 1999. Throughout his culinary career, Chef Chen has participated in numerous culinary competitions where he consistently placed first, a testament to his culinary talent.

Chef Chen is back in his hometown of Vancouver, BC and is dedicating the majority of his time to training for the Bocuse d’Or. He is also working with Moxie’s Classic Grill as a culinary architect. When he is not cooking or training, Chef Chen spends his time with his 3 1/2 year old daughter, Isabelle, his 1 yr old son, Ethan and his wife, Liz.

Growing up with a very large family, gatherings and special occasion are often celebrated through food. Eating well is a part of the Chinese culture. His mom, grandma and aunties are all very good home cooks. The kitchen is where where Chef Chen finds his peace, freedom to create and satisfaction for “hunger”. Robert Sulatycky will always be the most important figure who has shaped his career. He was the one Chef Chen apprenticed under and he introduced him to the world of Bocuse d’Or. He also loves cook books by Alain Ducasse, Thomas Keller and Joël Robouchon as they feature recipes which are classic yet modern.

His culinary style is a balance of both classic and modern techniques infused with big bold flavor. He has respect for the past while staying both current and modern. Depending on the season or the occasion, Chef Chen loves cooking most protein on the bones, whether it is a whole fish, leg of lamb, pork ribs or chicken. He also enjoys recreating childhood dishes by his mother or just whatever is in season at the market.

Follow Chef Alex Chen’s journey by following him on Twitter: @chefalexchen or Facebook: Facebook.com/pages/Chef-Alex-Chen/117317528295394. We will also update our followers on Chef Alex’s journey every few weeks leading up to the January 2013 competition.

BC Chum Salmon Fisheries to be MSC Certified in 2012

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BC Chum is to be added to the province of British Columbia’s MSC certified fisheries list in 2012. BC Sockeye Salmon (2010) and BC Pink Salmon (2011) fisheries are already MSC certified.

What is MSC certification and why is it important? From the British Columbia Ministry of Agriculture. “The Marine Stewardship Council is an international non-profit organization that recognizes, via a scientifically-based certification and ecolabelling program, well managed wild-capture fisheries. Of the numerous approaches to fisheries eco-certification, MSC is the only one that is fully consistent with the United Nations’ Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) guidelines for ecolabelling, and is considered the international “gold standard” for fisheries sustainability.”

For more on the The Marine Stewardship Council visit their site here.

For more on BC Fisheries that have achieved Marine Stewardship Council (MSC) Certification visit British Columbia Ministry of Agriculture’s site here.

Fresh Stikine Spring Salmon – Trace It!

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A fresh shipment of Stikine Spring Salmon is here. Trace this fish to where it was caught by using Trace It on our home page and entering code SS71C2144(code is case sensitive). Get about information the fish, who caught it, the area it was caught in, and the fishing method used.

The Stikines, the first Spring salmon of the year, are great for the BBQ. Consider this great fish for your entertaining menu. Food service customers please place orders with your rep. Retail customers, visit a 7seas retail location nearest you.

What sets Stikine Spring salmon apart from other spring salmon? These Springs come from the Stikine River, approximately 610 km long, located in northwest British Columbia. The length of the river is greatly beneficial to the salmon’s quality. All wild salmon stop feeding when they enter their native freshwater, and build up fats and oils beforehand to sustain them through this period.

Stikine salmon build up a much higher fat and oil content in anticipation of the longer fast. This translates into a fish with enhanced flavour and texture, and a superior fish on your tables. Their red meat, high oil and fat content and superior texture make Stikine salmon a highly regarded product among discerning customers.

7 seas is pleased to offer Stikine Spring salmon, a fish who’s habitat is carefully controlled for sustainability and environmental well-being. Additionally, Stikine Spring salmon are wild, and the harvesting techniques present an attractive alternative to other wild salmon that may be harvested in a more aggressive manner that can be damaging to the fish’s appearance and quality. For more on the harvesting and processing please go here.

With controlled harvesting and efficient transportation & distribution channels, Stikine spring salmon can be served in Seattle or Vancouver from live in as little as 48 hours with air freighted product.

Keep an eye out for some recipes coming soon. Also, for more on the Stikine salmon story go here.

Copper River Sockeye is here!

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The first fresh sockeye salmon of the season is here. 7 Seas is now featuring fresh air flown World Famous Copper River Sockeye. Hurry, because it will be gone in a few weeks.

Why all the fuss? What makes this fish world famous? Copper River Sockeye Salmon is caught in the waters of the Copper River Delta near the town of Cordova, Alaska. The river is a long river, forcing the Copper River Salmon to store large amounts of fat in order survive their long journey to the spawning grounds. It is this fat that gives the fish its rich flavour and it is the fat that is high in omega-3 oils making Copper River Sockeye Salmon a healthy addition to any diet.

Food service customers contact your reps for pricing and availability. Retail customers please visit a 7seas retail market nearest you.

In the 7seas Kitchen: Stikine Spring Salmon

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Stikine Spring Salmon was featured in the 7seas Kitchen on Wednesday.

The fish was seared in a pan skin side down seasoned with salt and dill. Chef Ted Kim then placed the fish in the oven to finish the cooking. Real simple. Seasonal vegetables on the side and you are set.

Gary “fillet Jazz” Kushnir & 7seas President George Heras were on hand to enjoy the first of the season Stikine Spring.

Wild BC Spot Prawns: Don’t Miss out!

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Wild BC spot prawn season is upon us! The much anticipated fishing season began on May 3rd, 2012 and is expected to last for a number of weeks. Make sure you don’t miss out! Food service customers please place orders with your rep. Retail customers, visit a 7seas retail location nearest you.

What is it about these spot prawns that make it so popular? These prawns are wild, fresh, local and sustainable.

Wild BC spot prawns are a great catch. Along with GREEN Ocean Wise rating, these prawns as listed as a BEST CHOICE with SeaChoice and Seafood Watch.
The fishery is kept sustainable by enforcing catch and trap limits through monitoring programs, limiting the number of licenses and the number of traps per license, having license holders funding scientific research, and restricting the fishery to trap gear . For more, visit the Wild BC Spot Prawn fishery’s website.

How to prepare? Find 12 great spot prawn recipes from Vancouver’s top chefs here.

Another Spot prawn recipe from our friends at BC Seafood (bcseafood.ca) here.

Fish of the Week: Coho Salmon

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Starting Friday, Coho Salmon will be on special at all of our retail locations. With a promising weather forecast for this weekend make sure you don’t miss out.

Thanks to a tweet from our friends at the Monterey Bay Aquarium Seafood Watch (follow them on twitter @SeafoodWatch) we thought it would be great to promote Coho salmon.

As mentioned, Wild Coho Salmon is versatile, delicious, and sustainable. The meat is leaner than other salmon species, but still has modirate to high levels of Omega 3 fat. Coho salmon is good on the grill or baked in the oven. For sushi connoisseurs Coho is a good choice for sashimi.

Here is a recipe for Roasted Coho Salmon with Lemon Herb Breadcrumbs from Seafood watch. Click here for Recipe