Wednesday, August 13, 2008

Oceanaire Seafood Room at Dallas Galleria has wild Alaskan coho salmon

By Pegasus News wire

The Oceanaire Seafood Room is serving up daily fresh catches of wild Coho salmon from Alaska's pristine coastal waters. The upscale seafood restaurant group is partnering with local fishermen across Alaska and the Pacific Northwest to procure the freshest Coho salmon every day for their valued guests.

Coho, also known as silver salmon, is a very desirable fish due to its high content of healthy fatty acids, strong color retention, and superb taste. While less well known than king salmon, Coho is considered an overlooked jewel by seafood aficionados. This year's Coho salmon harvest from Alaska is particularly strong, with a projected catch of 4.4 million fish, almost 20% larger than last season. This is in contrast to king salmon, which remains in tight supply."We featured Coho salmon last summer for the first time, and it proved to be a huge hit with both our guests and culinary team" says Executive Chef Chad Kelley of The Oceanaire Seafood Room at the Westin Galleria. "Many people were familiar with king or sockeye salmon, but did not know a lot about Coho. That changed after they tasted it. Coho has a delicious taste profile and many of our guests said it was one of the best tasting salmon they ever had. They've been asking about it since then."

In addition to its excellent taste, Coho salmon - like all salmon species - is also an excellent source of healthy nutrients. Salmon is high in proteins, vitamin E, and in Omega-3 fatty acids. Omega 3's can help reduce cholesterol and blood pressure levels and strengthen the immune system. The American Heart Association's guidelines recommend consuming at least two servings per week of fish, such as salmon or halibut, with high Omega-3 content for its positive effects on the cardiovascular system.

The Oceanaire Seafood Room has long-standing partnerships in the local Alaskan community, both directly with the Alaskan fisheries and with the well-respected Alaska Seafood Marketing Institute (ASMI). Since 2002, The Oceanaire has often sent its Chefs to Alaska to participate and witness the various fisheries with local fishermen - including harvesting Alaskan King Crab with the Time Bandit as seen on The Discovery Channel's popular TV show Deadliest Catch. "We are very excited about the opportunity for The Oceanaire's guests to try Alaska coho salmon this year" says Claudia Hogue, Foodservice Marketing Director with the Alaska Seafood Marketing Institute. "Many diners may not be aware that Alaska is home to five different species of wild salmon, all of which have their own unique flavor profile, color, and texture."

The season for Coho salmon begins in July and typically lasts into September. They are found in the coastal waters of Alaska along Point Hope on the Chukchi Sea and in the 2,300 mile Yukon River that flows through Alaska and British Columbia in Canada. Wild Alaskan salmon, such as Coho, are perfectly bred in nature to develop a lean firm body that is marbled with fat. Salmon are hatched in freshwater rivers and streams and swim out to the saltwater ocean for several years, where they thrive in the cold, deep waters. They instinctively return hundreds or even thousands of miles to their native rivers, swimming upstream in icy waters, relying on their stored fat and protein during the long journey. Coho salmon are also considered a premier sport fish and are known as spectacular fighters and as the most acrobatic of the Pacific Coast salmon.

"We are excited to bring Coho salmon back to our menus this summer. It is a wonderful fish to prepare because it is so rich and meaty and lends itself well to a variety of special preparations" says Chef Chad Kelley. "Fresh Coho salmon is delicate and has a distinct, slightly sweeter flavor than other salmon. We love the opportunity to showcase our expertise and creativity at The Oceanaire with a special fish like Coho."

Source: Oceanaire

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Comments

Billusa99 Anonymous

I've been eating Coho for years. They really are "spectacular fighters and the most acrobatic of the Pacific Coast salmon." If you've ever tried to deal with one doing a triple-back-flip-right-jab, as you try to put it in the saute pan, you'd know what I mean.

1 year, 2 months ago ( Link to this comment | Suggest removal )