Fishies

Maybe because it’s February and I'm a bit tired of beef stew. Or maybe because I had some cooking back on Boston’s scenic North Shore this week (Valentine’s Day, of course). But I’ve cooked quite a bit of seafood this week. And while there are all kinds of great places to buy seafood along the coast, my favorite, for almost 20 years (gasp!!) is Rowand Fisheries, in Beverly, MA. They’re right on the waterfront , at the base of the Beverly-Salem bridge. Sure, you can get good seafood at Whole Foods and other places. But Rowands goes way beyond good.

For the Valentine’s Romantic Dinner for Two, I made a variation of scallops piccata, as well as a fresh crab appetizer. The scallops were so flavorful that all I used with them were olive oil, dry vermouth, and capers. It was easy: I heated the pan over a medium-high heat, added the olive oil, and added the scallops. After a couple of minutes, when the scallops were browned on the bottom, I flipped them over, added the vermouth and capers, and finished cooking them for a few more minutes, I served them with rice pilaf and roasted vegetables. It was a simple, and elegant meal.

The next night was even simpler. The entrée was organically-fed salmon, from Rowands. All I did was put a light schmear (coating?) of olive oil on the fish. Added a bit of salt and pepper. And broiled it. Oh my. It was spectacular.

So, wherever you are, jump in your car and get to Rowands. It’s open seven days per week. And tell them I sent you. You’ll love their fish.