Fish Farming Could Take Over Nature’s Job

Jim Ruos is seafood director for Atlantic Food Services, a giant wholesale distributor of produce on the Eastern seaboard. “I’m that necessary evil, the middleman,” he jokes.

His business handles more than half a million pounds of fish each month, averaging 50 different species each day. “We are at the cutting edge of technology,” Ruos says. “My boss is part fishmonger, part computer nerd, but business still depends on nature.”

Yet with the development of fish farming, nature will have less and less influence. Already more than 50 percent of Ruos’s turnover is in raised fish, mainly catfish, rainbow trout, striped bass, tilapia and salmon, which he calls “the chicken of the sea.” These will soon be joined by turbot, sea bream and sturgeon, a meaty fish which is excellent smoked.

Among shellfish, 80 percent of shrimp are already farm-raised, mainly in Asia. Ruos says we’ll be seeing more of the tiger shrimp (blue when raw), which cook much more quickly than other varieties.

Ruos is open-minded about the quality of farmed fish. “The advantages are consistency and safety, but the flavor of a farmed fish can be very different,” he says.

He is fanatical about quality. “So much depends on handling,” Ruos says. “We follow two principles: keep it cold, and keep it moving to market. Freezing is not necessarily bad. Today’s flash-freezing technology is light years ahead of 10 years ago.”

Care of fish before cooking is also important. “Your best investment is a cooler to carry the fish home,” says Ruos. Whole fish should be stored in crushed ice with a draining rack at the bottom to remove water. (Seal cut fillets or steaks in a plastic bag before packing in ice, so water cannot leach out the juices.) Shellfish, by contrast, are killed by excessive cold, so should be simply refrigerated, wrapped in damp newspaper.

“Make friends with your fishmonger, as he knows where the catch comes from,” Ruos adds. “Ask questions about what is in season. Rather than choosing ready-cut fillets, buy a whole fish, have it cut the way you want and keep the bones for stock.

“Your eyes and nose are the gateway to quality. Fresh fish has bright, full eyes, vivid gills, a clean belly (the site of most bacteria) that is pink, not brown. Fresh fish will smell of the sea.”

When comparing prices of whole fish, remember that yield varies enormously. A salmon, for instance, is about 70 percent edible flesh, but grouper has a huge head and heavy bones so that the meat can be as low as 40 percent of total weight.

Ruos loves to hot-smoke fish at home and uses a small stovetop smoker (regular grills will work, too). To test when the fish is done, he uses the 10-minute per inch rule: Measure fish at its thickest point and allow 10 minutes’ cooking time per inch. A thick fillet of about -inch, therefore, takes 6 to 8 minutes to smoke.

For flavor, take your pick of oak, hickory, apple or your favorite wood sawdust. Remoulade sauce and green salad are good accompaniments.

Hot Smoked Salmon Fillet

1-1/2 pounds skinless salmon fillet

6 tablespoons brown sugar, packed

3 tablespoons kosher salt

Wood sawdust or chips (depending on grill)

Run your thumb along center of salmon fillet towards tail to feel for pin bones. If not already removed, pull them out with tweezers. Cut fillet into 4 equal pieces. Mix brown sugar and salt and use to coat salmon. Cover and refrigerate 3 to 4 hours (sugar and salt will dissolve in salmon juices).

Rinse salmon and pat dry with paper towel. Sprinkle 2 tablespoons sawdust over bottom of stovetop smoker and set drip tray on top. Rub smoker rack with oiled paper towel and place on top of drip tray. Arrange salmon fillets on rack so they do not touch each other. Set smoker on burner over medium heat. When you see first wisps of smoke, close top of smoker tightly. Cook 8 to 10 minutes.

Remove from heat and leave smoker 3 to 5 minutes before opening so smoke subsides. Test salmon with fork; it should just flake easily. Serve warm or at room temperature.

Yield: 4 servings.

Note: Smoking is equally easy on the barbecue. Soak a handful of wood chips (sawdust is too fine) for 30 minutes. Meanwhile, light the barbecue. Prepare fish as directed above and set it on grill rack. Drain wood chips and sprinkle them over hot coals. Add grill rack with fish and cover barbecue with lid of foil. Smoke 8 to 10 minutes. Fillets should just flake easily when tested with fork.

Remoulade Sauce

During recent classes at The Greenbrier resort in West Virginia, Ruos served this sauce with his smoked salmon. Don’t be deterred by the long list of ingredients, as it all gets chopped together in the food processor.

2 stalks celery, cut in pieces

3 green onions, cut in pieces

1/4 cup parsley sprigs

1 clove garlic

1 anchovy fillet, drained, optional

1/2 cup mayonnaise

2 tablespoons Dijon mustard

2 tablespoons prepared horseradish

2 tablespoons ketchup

2 teaspoons lemon juice

2 teaspoons white wine vinegar

1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce

Few drops Tabasco sauce

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon paprika

Place celery, green onions, parsley, garlic and anchovy in food processor. Process until finely chopped. Add mayonnaise, mustard, horseradish, ketchup, lemon juice, vinegar, Worcestershire, Tabasco, salt and paprika. Puree until smooth. Taste, adding more Tabasco if you like. Cover and chill at least 1 hour (flavor improves after 24 hours.)

Yield: 1-1/2 cups.

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