Seafood Recipes
Learn New Ways to Cook San Diego-Landed Seafood
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Photo by Oriana Poindexter
Sablefish Sinigang
Sinigang is a highly regional dish throughout the Philippines, with the protein and veggies varying depending on what is found locally. The binding factor being the tart, tamarind-based broth in which all the ingredients are stewed. Sinigang also has its various regional takes throughout the US. This recipe uses rich, soft sablefish, high in omega-3 fatty acids. Its richness is an excellent balance for the sour tamarind.
California Halibut Chowder
Nothing beats the cold like a steaming bowl of halibut chowder. There are at least a few cold days a year in San Diego, so warm your bones with this recipe!
California halibut, aka "flatties," live along the West Coast, spanning from Mexico all the way up to Washington. The meat has a firm, dense feel, with large flakes and great bounce to the bite. It's also the quintessential "lean" fish - very high protein-to-fat ratio! Slightly tongue-in-cheek, but perhaps this justifies the luscious addition of bacon and cream - it’s all about balance.
Rock Crab Rangoon Dip
The delicate meat of locally caught San Diego rock crabs blends with cream cheese and classic Asian seasonings to make a crowd-pleasing party dip. This warm, indulgent spread captures the beloved American Chinese flavors of crab rangoon - serve it hot with toasted bread or fried wonton chips.
Mediterranean-style Baked Whole Fish
The recipe suits any whole fish you can get your hands on - check out the many rockfish species available in San Diego, or shortspine thornyhead and ocean whitefish.
Wavy Turban Snail Coctel de Caracol
The wavy turban snail, also called the wavy top snail, is occasionally available for purchase at San Diego fishermen's markets, thanks to commercial divers who will occasionally bring wavy turbans to sell at their tables.
Kellet’s Whelk Scungilli Salad
Scungilli Salad is an Italian-American dish that you won’t find in the Old World. Born from Italian-American immigrant communities established on the East Coast in the early 20th century, it is a traditional dish at the table during The Feast of the Seven Fishes, a cherished Christmas Eve tradition among Italian-American families. Use Kellet’s Whelk, a tasty and brightly-colored sea snail harvested by San Diego commercial fishers, for a West Coast twist!
Wavy Turban Snail Green Curry
The wavy turban snail, also called the wavy top snail, is occasionally available for purchase at San Diego fishermen's markets, thanks to commercial divers who will occasionally bring wavy turbans to sell at their tables. If you've been tidepooling in Southern California, you may have come across the shell of one of these animals. But did you know that the snail itself has fed ancestors of native peoples of our coastline for thousands of years? We would love to know the original methods of preparation. Try this unique local seafood in a Thai-inspired green curry!
Rock Crab Nasi Goreng
Nasi Goreng, or “fried rice,” is a super popular dish in Indonesia, and for good reason! It's packed with flavor thanks to a mix of spices, chilies, and kecap manis (a sweet soy sauce). People love it because it’s so versatile—you can put just about anything you want in it. Including...San Diego's locally caught rock crabs! If you're feeling fancy, try serving it in the crab shell—it makes for a perfect, reusable bowl.
Ca Bơn Chiến Nước Mắm (Vietnamese-Style Fried Sanddabs)
Pacific Sanddabs are excellent fried because of a large surface-area-to-volume ratio - these little flounders cook evenly and crisp up perfectly, especially in this classic Vietnamese preparation that takes just a few steps to prepare. Nước Mắm is a staple in Vietnamese households, and we’ll wager that every kind of local fish in available here in San Diego is better when paired with its sweet, sour, salty, savory and spicy flavor profile. So make extra!
Sablefish (Black Cod) Moqueca Baiana
Anyone looking for a way to eat more fish for their health Moqueca Baiana is a Brazilian stew featuring fish simmered in coconut milk, tomatoes, onions, garlic, and cilantro, and characterized by the use of ingredients of African origin: peppers, coconut milk, and palm oil (dendê), the latter giving the dish its signature bold color. Making it with locally-caught sablefish puts a San Diego twist on a beloved Brazilian dish.
Spiny Lobster Pumpkin Bisque
Spiny lobster season is synonymous with fall. Lobster bisque is a natural choice for anyone looking to make the most of the season - and a pumpkin twist to this traditionally tomato-based bisque makes it twice as festive for the fall.
Preparing Fresh Sea Cucumber - Step 1
Sea cucumber are usually only available in-store as a dried product, which is rehydrated for cooking. But you can learn to take a fresh sea cucumber and prepare it for cooking with this simple series of steps, developed and shared with us by a San Diego commercial sea cucumber diver, who eats them as part of his regular diet.
Sea Cucumber Stir Fry
Sea cucumber is a local commercial fishery that many San Diegans may be unaware of, but the sea cucumber is widely appreciated in many cultural cuisines. This stir-fry recipe is simple and accessible for anyone interested in trying the nutritious and versatile sea cucumber for the first time!
Spicy Fish Handroll
Buying a whole fish for sashimi? Don’t let anything go to waste! After saving the beautiful fillets for your sashimi or sushi nigiri, take any trim/scrap pieces, and use a spoon to scrape off the remaining meat from the bones, or behind the head—to make a super easy filling for hand rolls.
Pacific Mackerel Rice (inspired by Emily Mariko)
Coming home after a long day creates a craving for something delicious, easy, and mixed together in a big, comforting bowl. This dish, Pacific Mackerel Rice, feels less like 'cooking' and more like 'assembling' - especially when it's made with your leftovers, as originally intended by Emily Mariko, the TikTok lifestyle influencer who inspired this recipe, after her leftover salmon rice bowl rocked the internet. Our take on this wonderfully simple preparation features a fish available year-round in San Diego from local commercial fishing families.