The concept of “Community Supported” is everywhere these days. The one that is most familiar is Community Supported Agriculture, or CSA, where individuals can buy a share of weekly or monthly goods straight from a farm. Slowly that concept has trickled through the alphabet, with Community Supported Brewing, Community Supported Chocolate , Community Supported Dairy and even Community Supported Energy exists.
But my favorite has become Community Supported Fishery, in particular Sitka Salmon Shares. Boasting to have the highest-quality wild salmon, halibut and black cod from the icy waters of Southeast Alaska, having tasted my first delivery of halibut, they are not lying!
Nora Skeele, Deckhand F/V Sunfish, with Halibut
By purchasing a share, your money goes straight to supporting communities of independent, small boat fishing families.
Marsh Skeele, Captain F/V Loon & Director of Fisheries, with King Salmon
Sitka Salmon Shares is based out of Galesburg, IL, and what sets Sitka apart is not only the exceptional quality of their fish, but the level of care they give their product from the moment it’s hooked until it literally ends up cooked on your plate.
Sara Ohlin, Captain F/V Sultan, with King Salmon
You know not only the type of fish but also who caught it; imagine getting delicious Salmon from this guy, instantly tastes 10-20% better, right?
Not only will you know what’s coming and from whom, but Sitka also provides recipes and cooking tips for the seafood that is en route. This removes all of the fear of what to do with the product. I wish someone had done that for me the first time I got Kohlrabi in a CSA box!
To that point, they provided a lovely suggestion with last month’s halibut, to poach the fish in olive oil. Having never attempted this process, but armed with a recent windfall of EVOO, I set out determined to conquer this new challenge.
Long story short, it was easier than I thought, and the best way I have EVER tasted halibut. (So far we have grilled, seared and poached).
Sitka Salmon Shares services the Midwest exclusively, however just go to Local Catch see what you can find in your area.
Olive Oil Poached Halibut with Sun-dried Tomato Pesto and Mustard Greens
Next up this month is Black Cod or Sablefish as some call it, and I’m looking for suggestions. Let me know in the comments if you’ve ever worked with this amazing protein, as I am always looking for tips!
