The End of the Year is Approaching!!

Christmas and New Years' is coming quickly. We do tend to get a little bit busy, so please call your oyster orders in ahead of time!! We have had a lot of requests for conch lately, so we have both fresh and frozen on hand for your convenience. Don't forget that we have gift certificates here, so drop by and pick up a few for stocking stuffers. We look forward to seeing you in here soon.

Sexy Fish - Striped Bass

Our Sexy Fish this week is the State Fish of South Carolina - the Striped Bass. The striped bass has a large mouth, with jaws extending backward to below the eye. It has two prominent spines on the gill covers. The first of its two well-developed and separated dorsil fins possesses a series of sharp, stiffened spines. The anal fin, with its three sharp spines, is about as long as the posterior dorsal fin. They have a blueish to dark olive upper body, and a silvery lower streamlined body, marked with longitudinal dark stripes running from behind the gills to the base of the tail, and can reach 6.5 feet in length and 125 pounds although fish larger than 50 pounds are rare. These fish can live longer than 40 years!

Roasted Striped Bass

Serves 6

Ingredients

2 tablespoons olive oil
1 cup chopped yellow onions
2 ounces pancetta or bacon diced
1 tablespoon chopped garlic
28 ounce can plum tomatoes, drained and diced
1 teaspoon saffron threads
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/2 cup cooking wine (or dry white wine)
1 teaspoon saffron threads
1/4 Pernod (optional)
1 (2 to 3 pound) striped bass fillet, skin removed
1 pound large shrimp, peeled and deveined
24 mussels, cleaned and debearded
2 tablespoons chopped parsley

Directions
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.

Heat the oil in a medium saute pan and saute the onion and pancetta (or bacon) over medium-low heat for 10 minutes, or until the onion is translucent. Add the garlic and cook for 1 more minute. Add the tomatoes, saffron, salt, pepper, wine, and Pernod (if using) and simmer over medium heat for 5 minutes.

Meanwhile, lay the fish in a 10 x 14 inch baking dish and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Add the shrimp and mussels to the dish. Pour the sauce over the seafood and bake uncovered for 20 to 30 minutes, until the fish and shrimp are cooked through and the mussels are open. Sprinkle with parsley and serve.