We got the following email the other day which prompted a reply on a subject that’s got a lot of responsible chefs scratching our heads.  Here’s the Q and A so  you can think about your own tradeoffs.  We’ll keep updating you as we find more info to help us meet the challenge to our fisheries.

Q. “We enjoyed a wonderful meal at your restaurant this past Thursday, particularly enjoying the salmon. One member of my party had the Halibut, as you ran out of the salmon….. The waiter mentioned that the Halibut came from the Atlantic (from Maine I believe). I have since read that the Monterey Bay Aquarium Seafood Watch suggests that wild caught Atlantic Halibut be “Avoided” due to over-fishing. Is Craigie aware of this suggestion? 

A. We’re definitely aware of the suggestion and the Monterey Seafood Watch. Unfortunately acting on  these advisories is not always so black and white.  The timing of this question is ironic as I just participated in a meeting with the Chef’s Collaborative on this very subject and I’ll be sitting on  a panel at their conference in Boston this fall that will touch on this and related topics (and I’ll be doing a few demos as well!).  Unfortunately there is no perfect scale we can use for fish in the local vs. sustainable argument to help us decide what to do. Just consider these options:  Small Day-boat, line-caught fish from Maine vs. Day-boat dragger fish from Gloucester vs. organically farm-raised hiramasa from Australia that flies around the world..You can see that the tradeoff isn’t obvious or easy..

Certainly the halibut population is a worthy consideration, but so is the sustainability of the local fisheries and the fishermen whose livelihood rely on a catch that is exponentially restricted now compared to just a few short years ago.  We avoid gill-netted and dragger fish, and focus on local and sustainable.  I think Monterey’s advisory can be a great guide, especially for consumers who often rely on supermarkets that might be buying from larger, long trip boats with greater by-catch issues.  

All in all it’s more than challenging, but to sum up Craigie’s bottom line – we’re proud to serve the halibut we cook at the restaurant. 

Tony Maws

If you love the bone marrow at Craigie On Main, you can reproduce it at home without too much trouble.

Method:

·        3# cleaned and soaked marrow bones (have your butcher cut the bones 3” long and in half lengthwise.  Soak  the bones in multiple changes of salted, cold water over the course of 2-3 days until the bones are removed of all blood).

·        Kosher salt and pepper

·        1 grill, such as a Webber

·        hardwood charcoal (NOT charcoal briquettes)

·        1 ea 12” aluminum pan

·        coarse sea salt (like fleur de sel)

·        grilled country toast

Light the fire 20 minutes in advance, piling all the charcoal in one corner of the grill.

Place aluminum pan next to coals on opposite side of the grill.

Season marrow bones with kosher salt and freshly cracked black pepper.

Place bone-side down on the opposite side of the grill, above the aluminum pan.

Cover the grill with all vents open.

Roast bones until cooked all the way through (a cake tester or knife will enter the marrow with no resistence and is hot in the center).

Serve with crusty toast and/or place a little on top of a beef entree