A lot of people and cultures will be coming together to celebrate the holiday season over the next few days and you’re going to see a lot of items and ingredients because of it at the grocery store. We are grocery shopping more fabulously and we are making sure that our freezer has what we want and need to cook multiple meals that we will never grow tired of eating.
While many celebrations, I’m highlighting the
feast of the seven fishes in particular here to add some flair to our freezer. A bounty of seafood, shellfish and fish are on sale right now and it’s the perfect time to utilize these sales for the coming weeks ahead as we move into the new year. I'm thinking lobster & pasta, shrimp for shrimp and grits and crab for crab cakes or crab
guacamole. I've even seen caviar on sale if you want to get a lil fabulous for new year's eve! Remember, you don’t have to participate in the celebration to stock your kitchen efficiently.
Feast of the Seven Fishes - an Italian American Christmas Eve celebration that involves a large seafood dinner. The meal includes 7 or more fishes that are considered traditional.
Whole Foods Seafood Sale -
HERE
Your fish, seafood and shellfish should be odor free, fresh and firm to the touch. Fish eyes should be open and clear, not cloudy and shells should be closed if you are purchasing any type of shellfish (i.e. - clams or mussels) If there are some shells that are open when raw, toss them. No matter what seafood you buy, make sure it is fresh and completely dry before putting it in a quality freezer bag and store in your freezer. You can freeze raw lobster tails but I do not suggest freezing whole raw live lobsters. If you grab some whole raw lobsters, be sure to use or cook them the same day or the next day. Your whole crabs should be raw and alive before cooking, but it is perfectly ok to buy frozen crabs or crab legs for soups and stews.
You can however, save and freeze your raw or cooked shrimp shells to make a perfect seafood stock or broth, just put the shells in a quality freezer bag.
Raw clams and mussels in the shell should be eaten the same day you purchase them or the next day, where as raw shrimp can be frozen with the shell on. And remember, do not unthaw then refreeze items; if you are unthawing it, cook it the same or next day.
Some of My Favorite & Fab Seafood Recipes:
My Quick & Easy Cioppino
HERE Squid Ink Pasta w. Crab & Lemon
HERE Pan Roasted Garlic Butter Head On Shrimp
HERE
Are my grocery tips helping you maneuver the grocery store better? Reply to this email and let me know !
