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FOR PISCIVOROUS PEOPLE...
APRIL 2008 |
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Spring is in the air and it's time to prep that grill!
It's been a long cold winter and right about now we could all use a big dose of warm spring weather. I'm hoping that last weeks snow was the last we will see until December! I have seen a couple of snowdrop flowers and crocus shoots so I know spring is coming!
April 2nd marks our 5th year anniversary!
We thank all of our customers, old and new, for your continued support. I especially appreciate all the good feedback and you telling all your friends about our shop. Here's to many more years of providing you with the freshest fish and seafoods we can find! We certainly can't do it without you!
In the world of fish and seafood, this month brings us a couple of new items, namely shad roe, smelt, softshell crabs and wild king salmon. These will become available as the weather warms and we will keep you posted as to their availability.
Passover is late this year and there is still time to order your fish for making your own gefiltefish. We can prep your fish any way you would like or have it ready to go, no muss, no fuss on your part! We make great gefiltefish, stop by for a taste starting the weekend before Passover.
We were invited by The Center For Enriched Living to participate in the their 8th Annual Chefs' Night & More fundraiser at the Marriot Lincolnshire on April 28th. Support a great cause, buy a couple tickets and enjoy an evening of good food and fun.
Stop by the shop every Saturday between 12:00 and 3:00 for free grilling demonstrations and tastes of something different every week!
There is nothing like celebrating spring buy tossing your favorite fish or seafood on the grill and we will be happy to guide you on your way!
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Lake Smelt
Osmerus mordax
As one of the rites of spring, fishing for smelt in Lake Michigan is one of my favorite childhood memories. We used to go to the pier in Wilmette at night, set our nets along side a couple dozen other fisherman and pull in hundreds of smelt. We would clean them and fry them right then and there, as hot and fresh as you could get.
Rainbow smelt were introduced into the Great Lakes from Crystal Lake, Michigan in about 1923. They were stocked there for food for imported Atlantic salmon which failed to survive. Smelt thrived in the Great Lakes and are food for Coho salmon and many other fish. Ours are wild caught from the Canadian side of Lake Erie right now. The season here in Chicago is March 1st to April 31st, with the best fishing in mid April. They are usually caught in nets at night. If your spring ritual doesn't include a cold night of smelt fishing, it should at least include smelt eating. I know they're fried but once in a while it won't hurt you. Plus it's an inexpensive dinner!
Simple smelt recipe:
Buy smelt already cleaned, sprinkle them with a little salt and pepper, dust with flour, dip each one in bowl with a beaten egg, then drop into a bag filled with panko bread crumbs and shake. Fry in hot vegetable oil (375) until browned about 5 minutes. Dip in tartar sauce and chase with a cold beer.
Ah yes, spring is here!
Regular price:$8.00 per pound
Special price:$6.00 per pound
April 1st thru 6th |
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Loch Duart Atlantic Salmon
Salmo salar
Farm raised in Scotland
This is be the best Atlantic salmon that I've ever tasted!
The creamy texture and a high fat content make it an excellent sushi salmon. Thick and juicy fillets are perfect for the grill. This fish is outstanding in every way, one taste and you will agree.
This salmon is artisianally raised in by a small independant farm in Scotland using traditional practices to insure the best quality fish.
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Superior taste, quality and color
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no antibiotics or hormones
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Feed as close to natural as possible
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One year fallowing (rotating) system
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Low density pens
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Voted the best tasting food in Great Britian!
This fish has won all kinds of awards, accolades and is even endorsed by Greenpeace UK!
Salmon is so good for you in so many ways but the bottom line is the taste. Try some Loch Duart Salmon and feel good about your choice.
Regular price:$16.00 per pound
Special price:$14.00 per pound
April 7th thru 13th |
Longfin Squid
Loligo pealeii
Whether you call it calemares (Spain), calimari (Italy), kalamar (Greece), or ika (Japan), a squid by any name is a delicacy on your plate! Grilled, fried or raw, or stewed, squid is a favorite dish in many places and cultures around the world.
They are invertebrates and are in the same family, know as cephlopods, as octopus and cuttlefish. Squid range in size from small, 1 inch to colassol, 40 feet (big ones are hard to keep on the grill!). We sell a frozen squid steak that comes from a jumbo squid, (an in between size), caught in the Gulf of California. Very tasty!
The squid we are featuring are wild caught in the Atlantic and are usually landed in places like Rhode Island or Virgina. They are trawl caught but with minimal bycatch and are considered a good sustainable choice. The squid population is abundant and they reproduce quickly.
There are many squid recipes and uses. We get ours as tubes and tenticle and it comes already cleaned. Try some in our Thai marinade and quickly grilled for a salad topping or raw as nigiri for a great appetizer!
Regular price:$9.00
Special price:$7.00
April 14th thru 20th |
Atlantic Swordfish
Xiphias gladius
Swordfish are found worldwide and are highly migratory. They are highly regulated and are are a very sustainable fishery here. The fish that we sell are USA caught from either the Atlantic or Gulf of Mexico. Swordfish are longline caught and can grow up to 1200 pounds. Our fish tend to be a lot smaller! The smaller fish are more tender and have far less of a mercury concern for most people*
Swordfish fillets are sold as "steaks" and are particularly good on the grill. It has a moist and meaty texture with a mild flavor and lends itself well to one of our fresh homemade marinades. This is a good fish for someone wanting a "meatier" fish. We will be sampling swordfish on the grill this Saturday with a variety of marinades, stop by and dicover your favorite. Regular price:$22.00 per pound
Special price:$18.00 per pound
April 21st thru April 27th
*Swordfish can be higher in mercury than other fish though it is not a concern for most people.
Women expecting to be pregnant, pregnant women and very young childern are the only groups of concern. Click on the link below for more information.
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Opah or Hawaiian Moonfish
Lampris gutta
If you've ever been to Hawaii, you probably already know how good opah tastes. If you've never been to Hawaii, some grilled opah is a good way to get a "taste" of the islands right here in Chicago. These fish are big and beautiful ranging from 60 to 200 pounds and is an extremely colorful fish. It has a taste and texture somewhere between swordfish and tuna, with an even higher fat content than salmon. Opah is as good on the grill as it is for sashimi and sushi.
In Hawaii, the opah has historically been an incidental catch of longline gear. Only recently has this species become commercially important. Opah is available year around but is most plentiful April through August, making it a prime choice for spring and summer grilling.
The opah was viewed as a good luck fish by old-time longline fishermen, who would give it away as a gesture of goodwill rather than sell it. Unfortunately, we can't give it away but we will give you a good price!
Regular price:$22.00 per pound
Special price:$20.00 per pound
April 28th thru May 4th | |
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| OUR NEXT CLASSES...
@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@ THE ART OF MAKING SUSHI
Join us in our most popular class! This is a great place for the person eager to learn the details about making their own sushi at home. We will be demonstrating five maki and two nigiri, while you are sampling our homemade miso soup and fresh tuna/avocado salad. After that it's hands on and you will be rolling sushi on your own.
Bring a friend or two, and your appetite because it's all you can eat! Bring a bottle of your favorite beverage (sake maybe) and be prepared for an evening of fun and food!
Tuesday, April 15th
7:30 until 9:30
$75.00 per person. Call ahead for reservations
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By popular request...
"THE BEST OF DIRK'S" CLASS
We have been asked to do a class of our favorite recipes and we thought that sounded like a great idea!
For those of you that might have missed one of these classes, we picked four of our most popular recipes.
Huachinango Enchilado (Red snapper, Cuban style)
Linguine with Black Mussels
Seafood Paella
Smokey Salmon Roulades
We will demonstrate these simple recipes in a fun and informative class. Bring a friend and be prepared to learn, laugh, and have a great meal. Come with a bottle of your favorite wine and your appetite. These classes are becoming know as "underground dinners", sign up and you will find out why!
Tuesday, April 22nd
7:30 until 9:00(ish)
$65.00 per person. Call ahead for reservations.
773.404.3475 |
| Dirk's Fish & Gourmet Shop
2070 N. Clybourn Ave., Chicago Il. 60614
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"WHEN ONLY THE VERY BEST WILL DO"
If you want to try something new or impress that special person, we can get you almost anything you wish from the water; fish or seafood. If you need some special attention or a great recipe, our friendly and knowledgeble staff can provide that too.
If you are looking for something in particular, give us a call and we will do our best to get what you need.
"LIFE'S NOT PERFECT...
BUT YOUR FISH SHOULD BE!"
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