Cook Arctic Char
If you are living in the cold borders of Alaska and the Pacific Northwest, you might be looking for a delicious fish cuisine aside from eating the same Salmon over and over again.
Arctic char is a quickly reproducing fish that is a healthy, safe alternative to the flavor and texture of Atlantic salmon.
| Ingredients | Steps |
|---|---|
| 2-3 Tablespoons of Olive OIl | 1. Heat Cast Iron Pan |
| 4-5 Oz of Arctic Char Fillets | 2. Place Fillets In Hot Pan |
| Kosher Salt | 3. Season Fillets |
| Black Pepper | 4. Flip Fillet WHen Crispy |
| 4 Lemon Wedges | 5. Add Lemon For Flavor |
Arctic Chars are close cousins to Salmon and Trout. They have a slight salmon-like taste and a lovely pink color, which they got as an effect of their normal diet, including tiny crustaceans such as pink shrimps.
These fish types are raised mostly in onshore ponds, unlike Salmon, which is typically raised in pens by the coastal waters.
They have never been endangered because it quickly reproduces their species largely ignored during Salmon’s early days.
Now that overfishing and unhealthy agricultural practices have turned Salmons into an eco-culinary disaster, Arctic Char has its share of the attention.
A Delicious Alternative To Wild Salmon
As the wild-caught Salmon season is nearing its end, you might wonder what alternatives are best for this type of fish in cold weather.
From its texture, taste, and healthy oils, the Arctic Char is undoubtedly comparable to Wild-caught Salmons, which are naturally and sustainably farmed up fresh from the Arctic Ocean.
According to the Environmental Defense Fund, Arctic char, unlike farmed Atlantic Salmon, is caught in an environmental-friendly process.
These fish species have been economically farmed for less than 20 years, and around 3,000 tons are produced worldwide by the fish farms compared to around 750,000 tons of Arctic Salmons.
Arctic fish species must survive in colder water temperature and have poor saline resistance than either Salmon or Rainbow Trout.
Arctic Chars has a distinctive color, sweet taste, and strong but milder, pink flesh compared to Salmon.
Another good thing about Char is that they are rich in nutrients and an excellent source of Omega-3 heart-healthy fatty acids. A serving of 3.5 ounces of Arctic fish will give you one gram of omega-3 fatty acids and 182 calories.
Choosing The Best Arctic Fish For Cooking
Choosing the best Arctic Char fish doesn’t always to be wild-caught. Farmed Arctic Char is also a good alternative, as it has been sustainably grown and raised.
If farm-raised fish scares you off, remember that the eco-friendly method used to farm Arctic Char is entirely different from farmed Salmon.
Start by inspecting the meat when buying fish fillets, which are expected to be juicy and glittering, without any large gaps as dry-looking skin is a sign of an aging fish.
Also, keep in mind that fresh fish should not contain strong odors and should have a gentle and fresh scent straight from the sea.
Check for preserved skin when purchasing skin-on fillets to ensure that the scales have been cleaned properly. Many times, fish skin is nutritious and tasty, especially when you cooked it until it was crispy.
Storing And Preparing Arctic Char Fish
Arctic char is easy to prepare, and when you cook it at its best, it simply brings a fresh and distinctive flavor. Like any other fish, Arctic
Char should be kept in a cold temperature container and cooked immediately after purchasing.
It is also recommended to put the whole fish or fillets in a bowl with a large strainer to slow down its spoilage.
Also, put a large amount of ice over the fish and refrigerate as the ice holds the fish warm to 32°F, and the water constantly rinses out bacteria and dumps it into the bowl as it melts.
Another tip is to put the fish in a plastic bag and put the bag on ice or refrigerator to keep the temperature similar to 33°F. Spoilage always happens at 40°F twice as quickly as it does at 32°C.
Crisp-Skinned Arctic Char Recipe
You might wonder what recipes suit the best for this wonderful fish. The creamy texture of Arctic Char is perfectly countered by a crisped skin recipe using this fast and easy method.
Salmon or Trout fillets can be prepared as well in the same way as this recipe.
Well-flavored smashed potatoes and peas with lemon and basil are the perfect accompaniment for this seafood.
You can serve this recipe with a sprig of fresh basil for additional flavor and fresh aroma.
To start, prepare 2 to 3 tablespoons of olive oil and 4 to 5 ounces of Arctic Char fillets, leaving the skin on.
For flavorings, prepare a Kosher salt, freshly ground black pepper, and 4 lemon wedges.
Heat the oil in a non-stick pan over medium to low heat. Put the fish fillets and season them with salt and pepper. Cook them with the skin side down and uninterrupted for about 7 minutes.
Keep the fillets cooked from the bottom up as it gives moisture to the meat while the skin gets crisp that it crackles. Once the skin looks crispy before the top of the fish stops frying, it will look opaque.
When this happens, turn it over and cook briefly to finish it off. Serve it with a slice of lime when finished.
Conclusion
If you’ve never tasted an Arctic Char recipe, you need to seek it out yourself and give it a try. From its glowing texture to the deep orange hue of its meat, the fish is undeniably amazing and irresistibly a delicious fish cuisine.
At first taste, you might think it’s salmon when you compare it to Arctic char because the meat is so perfectly golden, but little do people know that the taste is completely different.
Salmon’s flavor brings a much stronger taste, while Arctic Char is much milder and rich, just like a well-caught Trout.
It’s not that it’s just similar to any other fish recipes that we regularly eat. You might want a lot more of this recipe after a taste, and actually, a small portion of it is completely satisfying.
