Liz's Favorite Seafood Meal

In Liz’s Kitchen…

Crescent Harbor out Liz’s window in Sitka, AK

Like many in our Bellingham SeaFeast community, during the summer of 2007, I came home every day smelling like fish. But to be clear, it was fried fish from Chinook’s at Fishermen’s Terminal in Seattle where I was a hostess at this Anthony’s Restaurant in college. I spent every shift among hundreds of photos that decorated Chinook’s walls, and yet I’d never been to Alaska, and I barely understood the history that surrounded me each day. Most importantly, I still experienced seafood primarily at restaurants, prepared by the experts—as most of us do.

Three years later when I moved to Sitka, Alaska those Chinook’s photos became reality. Rather than being framed on the wall, the images of the harbor were 50 feet out my door. It was a new world full of XTRATUFS and filleting your own salmon. Sitka is where my seafood education really began. I finally understood that the photos at Chinook’s of the “big loops” boats made with their nets was called seining; in Sitka that meant herring in the spring and pink salmon in the summer. After I caught my first King in Summer 2011, I was handed a large knife as if I knew what to do with it. So, I learned quickly, because that’s what you do in Alaska.

When I landed in Bristol Bay for my first summer participating in a commercial fishery, I was delightfully out of my element and constantly absorbing information. Pre-season, as salmon began to run and make their way to the BBQs of the boatyard, I was so impressed by the community of salmon people who wanted to teach me about the way to handle and prepare fish. Now, I hope we can pass along a small portion of that you. I know fish can sometimes be expensive and intimidating, but give it a shot with the recipes below.

Salmon Poke Bowls

1 filet of Bristol Bay sockeye, previously frozen, skinned

1 carrot

1 avocado

1 cucumber

1 sheet nori flakes

1/2 cup soy sauce or coconut aminos (soy substitute, less salty, more creamy)

2 teaspoons rice wine vinegar

2 teaspoons sesame oil

2 teaspoons sriracha, or Bullwhip Kelp hot sauce

pinch of sesame seeds

First, mix the marinade with the liquid ingredients above.

Second, put on your rice of choice, white sushi rice never fails.

Then, skin the salmon (give it your best shot! use a spoon to scrape any remaining meat for salmon burgers).

Once the salmon is skinned, slice into bite size cubes and place salmon in marinade. Set aside in fridge while you prep the rest.

Chop the carrots, avocado, and cucumber long ways into bite size slices.

Crush or cut the nori into flakes.

When rice is finished, place it warm into bottom of bowl. Take all other ingredients and place in bowl when ready! Sprinkle sesame seeds.

If I can do it, you can do it. And it is dang delicious.