The idea of stewardship takes on many different forms for Michael Gulotta. It could be an exotic-looking lionfish caught far from its native South Pacific and Indian oceans and prepared for diners at one of his New Orleans restaurants. Or the thick-banded body of a sheepshead, a species underutilized by fishermen and unknown to many seafood-lovers.
Or, it could be rolling up your sleeves and helping the city you call home.
Gulotta was training in kitchens abroad when Hurricane Katrina hit. Fresh from the Chef John Folse Culinary Institute in Thibodaux, Louisiana, he had joined the newly opened Restaurant August before his sabbatical, and returned home to help rebuild and assist with the restaurant’s reopening.
When Gulotta comes to Chattanooga this month for the Tennessee Aquarium’s annual Serve and Protect gala, stewardship will take on the form of silver carp, an iridescent fish from eastern Asia that is making steady progress into parts of Middle Tennessee.
“Typically we try to lead our Serve and Protect patrons to ask questions about where their seafood is sourced and to diversify their seafood portfolio to include wise choices that will sustain a population,” says Aquarium Director of External Affairs Thom Benson. “In this case, we’re encouraging people to give silver carp a try, with a goal of eating as many as possible before they become well-established in the Cumberland and Tennessee rivers.”
The silvery species is a threat to local native populations like the Southern Appalachian brook trout and the endangered barrens topminnow. The non-native fish’s presence could even topple area food chains – which is why the Aquarium is fighting so hard to introduce it to ours.
Gulotta has experience preparing silver carp, and finds its “firm flesh and mild flavor lends itself to a multitude of cooking techniques.” Sometimes called “Tennessee tuna,” the Asian transplant has also found favor among those who have tasted it. “Trials in high-end restaurants in Nashville and Chicago have been successful with patrons relishing the taste of silver carp,” Benson says.
“[The Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency] is working on a plan to establish a viable fishery for silver carp that would help support a commercial fishery and consumer demand.”
Chefs like Gulotta are a key ingredient in creating that demand. Named one of the nation’s Top 30 Chefs to Watch by Plate Magazine, a Best New Chef by Food & Wine magazine, and Chef of the Year by New Orleans Magazine, he works to bring awareness to underutilized fish and take invasive species from the local pool to diners’ plates.
“We try to build trust with our regular clientele, educate our staff so that they can convey our passion for serving these invasive species, and make the dishes so delicious that word will spread on its own,” he says.
More about Serve & Protect
Serve and Protect features a live cooking show and seated dinner highlighting sustainably caught seafood. Perennial host chef Tamie Cook, Alton Brown’s former culinary director, is joined by visiting chefs for each year’s interactive event.
This year in addition to Gulotta, who comes from New Orleans’ highly lauded MOPHO and Maypop restaurants, Cook will be joined by Ricky Moore, an award-winning chef and proprietor of Saltbox Seafood Joint in Durham, North Carolina. A previous competitor on Food Network’s “Iron Chef America,” Moore has also been featured in Saveur, Travel & Leisure, Southern Living, The New Yorker, Garden & Gun, Vogue and USA Today.
“The community at large needs to know about all the other species that are available for consumption in addition to the seafood that they may be culturally conditioned to consume,” says Moore.
His forthcoming “Saltbox Seafood Joint Cookbook” offers 60 recipes for his hallmark coastal dishes along with deep dives on cooking methods, species availability and best cuts. Set to be released in October, Moore will have advance copies for purchase (and autographs) at Serve and Protect.
The event is Thursday, Sept. 19, starting with cocktails and appetizers at the IMAX beginning at 5:30 p.m., followed by the cooking show at 6:45. Dinner, to be served at 8 p.m., will take guests to the Aquarium, where they will conclude the evening with a dessert reception in the River Journey exhibit.
For tickets or more information, visit tnaqua.org/serve-and-protect.
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Trout with seared figs, brined fingerlings, lardons and heirloom squash puree
By Ben Park, Flying Squirrel
Serves 2
What you need:
2 pieces of trout (I use Pickett’s Trout Ranch)
2 tablespoons vegetable oil, divided
2 ounces lardons
cup julienned yellow onion
cup thinly sliced celery
cup brined fingerling potatoes (recipe follows)
1 tablespoon chopped garlic
1 teaspoon grain mustard
1 teaspoon brown sugar
1 tablespoon sherry vinegar
1 small handful arugula
3 figs, sliced in half (I love Crabtree Farms)
Salt and pepper to taste
For the brined potatoes:
4 cups water
4 cups cider vinegar
3 ounces salt
3 ounces sugar
4 sprigs dill
cup fingerling potatoes, cut on bias
For the squash puree:
3 heirloom tomatoes, quartered
3 summer squash, large diced
1 Vidalia onion, large diced
1 carrot, large diced
6 cloves garlic
cup olive oil
2 tablespoons salt
1 tablespoon pepper
cup water
What you do:
1. Preheat oven to 400 F. Add all puree ingredients to roasting pan and roast, covered, for 40 minutes, until all is soft.
2. Mix all ingredients for the brined potatoes and blanch potatoes until just over al dente, about 15 minutes. Shock potatoes in ice water, then put back in brine until ready to use.
3. Season trout with salt and pepper. Heat saute pan with 1 tablespoon vegetable oil until just before smoking. Add trout and sear both sides for 4 minutes, until skin is golden and crispy. Take off heat and let finish cooking while resting in the pan.
4. While trout is cooking, heat up another saute pan with 1 tablespoon vegetable oil. Add lardons. (I suggest something smoky like Benton’s.) Once the fat starts to become translucent, add onion, celery and brined potatoes.
5. Once onions are soft, add garlic, mustard, sugar, sherry vinegar, remaining 1 tablespoon olive oil and arugula. Toss quickly and remove from heat.
6. Sear figs separately, cut side down. Meanwhile, blend puree ingredients until smooth. Add everything to plate and garnish with heirloom puree.
Pan seared black grouper with corn risotto and chive oil
By Dao Le, Bridgeman’s Chophouse
Serves 1
What you need:
7-ounce black grouper fillet
1 ounce olive oil
Kosher salt and white pepper to taste
3 ounces fresh Tuscan kale
2 ounces roasted red bell pepper
For the risotto:
4 ounces risotto
8 cups chicken stock
2 ounces fresh corn puree
2 ounces mascarpone cheese
teaspoon fresh chives, chopped
For the chive oil:
4 ounces fresh chives, whole
4 ounces olive oil
What you do:
1. Season grouper with salt and pepper. In a hot skillet, add 1 ounce olive oil and cook fish with top side down. Cook until top is golden brown, then put pan in oven to finish, about 8-10 minutes. Remove from oven and allow to rest.
2. Cook risotto with stock slowly until al dente, making sure the risotto is creamy. Add corn puree and mascarpone and fold in until well combined. Add teaspoon chives.
3. Saute kale and roasted red pepper. Add salt and pepper to taste.
4. In a blender, add 4 ounces chives and 4 ounces olive oil and blend well. Strain through a fine mesh strainer or cheesecloth.
5. To plate, start with risotto, top with kale-and-red-pepper mixture and place grouper on top of that. Using a squeeze bottle, add chive oil around the risotto to finish the dish.
Scallop crudo with grapefruit vinaigrette and compressed watermelon
By Charlie Loomis, The FEED Co.
Makes 4 scallops
What you need:
4 scallops
1 jalapeño
1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
1 tablespoon water
1 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon white sugar
1/4 cup pepitas (toasted pumpkin seeds)
For the cilantro oil:
1 bunch cilantro (reserve a few leaves for garnish)
1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
For the grapefruit vinaigrette:
2 ruby grapefruits (reserve the zest for garnish)
2 tablespoons honey
1/4 cup grapeseed oil
Kosher salt to taste
For the compressed watermelon:
2, 6-by-6-inch slices seedless watermelon, compressed (instructions follow)
What you do:
1. Prepare the watermelon. At the restaurant, we use a vacuum sealer to pressurize the watermelon. You can use the following technique at home to accomplish the same finished product: Lightly salt watermelon and place in a zip-top bag. Place on a flat surface and press all air out of the bag. Place something heavy and flat on top of watermelon, distributing even pressure on the watermelon. Place this in the freezer for 1-2 hours. It will be done when the color appears more concentrated and the texture is denser.
2. Make cilantro oil by blanching the cilantro in boiling water for 15 seconds. Immediately shock in cold water. In a blender, add cilantro and pulse. Slowly add the oil. Blend for about 1 minute. Strain oil through a cocktail sieve and set aside.
3. Slice jalapeño into thin rings. Bring apple cider vinegar, water, salt and sugar to a simmer in a small sauce pan. Remove from heat and add jalapeño. Allow to cool to room temperature and then place in refrigerator to cool completely.
4. Place 4 plates in freezer for at least 20 minutes before plating. Meanwhile, make the vinaigrette. Juice one of the grapefruits and cut the segments out of the other for garnish. Whisk together the juice, honey, oil and salt.
5. Plate with watermelon down first, followed by scallop, oil, and garnish with jalapeño, pepitas and zest. Serve cold.
5-spice silver carp with basil fried rice
By Christa Hare, Solarium
What you need:
2 silver carp fillets
2-3 tablespoons oil, for frying
For the pickled veggies:
1 carrot, shaved or shredded
1 daikon, shaved or shredded
cup shredded red cabbage
cup shredded Napa cabbage
cup water
cup rice vinegar
cup granulated sugar
For the rice:
1 tablespoon canola oil
white onion, diced
1 clove garlic, grated
1 teaspoon ginger, grated
1 teaspoon chili flakes (or to taste)
2 cups water
1 cup white or jasmine rice
4-6 basil leaves
2-3 tablespoons lemon juice
Salt and pepper, to taste
For the spice blend:
2 teaspoons star anise, ground
teaspoon cinnamon, ground
teaspoon cloves, ground
1 teaspoon Szechuan peppercorn, ground
1 teaspoon fennel seeds, ground
2 teaspoons turmeric
What you do:
1. Make the pickled vegetables by combining water, vinegar and sugar in a small pot and bring to a boil. Remove pot from heat and allow to cool. Combine veggies in a bowl and toss with the vinegar mixture.
2. To make the rice, add oil to medium sized pot and saute onion until translucent. Add garlic, ginger and chili flakes and cook until fragrant. Add water and bring to a boil. Add rice and bring back to a boil. Bring down to a simmer and cover to finish cooking, approximately 20-25 minutes. Once rice is done cooking, remove from heat but leave burner on.
3. Meanwhile, make a Chinese 5-spice blend by combining all spices except for turmeric. Measure out 2 teaspoons of the mixture and mix with turmeric.
4. Sprinkle fish with salt, then coat with 5-spice blend – really pack it on there. Heat oil in pan and add fish, cooking 2-3 minutes on each side. (If the fish doesn’t easily release from pan, it isn’t ready to be flipped and needs to cook a little longer.)
5. While fish is cooking, add lemon juice to the rice and return to heat for 2 minutes. Remove from heat and add basil. Serve topped with fish with side of pickled vegetables.
Oysters with charred apple jalapeno mignonette
By Scott Eiselstein, STIR
Makes 6 oysters
What you need:
6 oysters (I use James River from Virginia)
6 tablespoons apple mignonette (recipe follows)
3 teaspoons chopped candied bacon
3 teaspoons lemon oil
For the apple mignonette:
7 ounces Granny Smith apples, peeled and halved
1 ounce shallots, halved
1 fluid ounce whole jalapenos
4 tablespoons granulated sugar
teaspoon salt-and-pepper mixture
fluid ounce canola oil
teaspoon granulated sugar
fennel bulb, fine diced
2 teaspoons apple cider vinegar
6 teaspoons rice wine vinegar
1 teaspoon chopped cilantro
What you do:
1. Prepare the mignonette by placing apples, shallots, jalapenos, 4 tablespoons sugar, salt and pepper in a stainless steel mixing bowl. Toss all ingredients until seasonings have coated the fruit and vegetables.
2. Heat a cast-iron skillet over high heat. Once pan is searing hot, coat it with canola oil. Cook apples coated with teaspoon sugar in pan until charred on one side. Remove from pan and place back into mixing bowl.
3. Place shallots and jalapenos in skillet and char on all sides. Remove from skillet and back place in mixing bowl to cool.
4. Remove skins from jalapenos. Quarter-inch dice apples, jalapenos and shallots. Place back in mixing bowl.
5. Add all other ingredients and mix until incorporated. Top oysters with apple mignonette, candied bacon, lemon oil, and fresh fennel sprigs if desired. Serve and enjoy!
Red drum, shrimp, baby potatoes, charred corn and buttered seafood broth
By Kevin Korman, Whitebird
Serves 4
What you need:
4, 5-ounce red drum fillets
Kosher salt to taste
Black pepper to taste
2 tablespoons canola oil
1 pound baby Yukon potatoes
4 ears corn, charred on grill, cut off cob
8 pieces shrimp (21-25 count), peeled and deveined (reserve the peels for broth; recipe follows)
For the broth:
1 small onion, large diced
1 carrot, large diced
1 celery stalk, large diced
2 cloves garlic, sliced
14-ounce can roasted tomatoes, chopped
cup white wine
Reserved shrimp shells
1 lemon (juice and zest)
2 sprigs parsley
2 sprigs thyme
32 ounces vegetable stock or broth
2 tablespoons Old Bay seasoning
4 tablespoons butter
1 tablespoon chopped herbs (chives, parsley)
What you do:
1. Preheat oven to 350 F. Season fish with salt and pepper.
2. Heat oil over medium-high heat in a saute pan. Place fish skin side down and cook for 3-4 minutes. Flip fish and place in oven to finish cooking for 5 minutes, or until fully cooked. (A little trick for testing if fish is fully cooked is to insert a toothpick into the thickest part of the fish. If it slides in and out with very little resistance, it is fully cooked.)
3. Meanwhile, make the broth by sauteing the vegetables in a large pot in a small amount of oil. Cook over medium heat until soft but no color, approximately 10 minutes.
4. Add wine to the broth and reduce by half. Add remaining ingredients, omitting chopped herbs, and simmer for 25 minutes.
5. Strain the broth and discard the solids. Return broth to heat and add potatoes. Cook until tender, approximately 10 minutes.
6. Add shrimp and corn and cook until shrimp are done, approximately 6 minutes. Finish the broth with chopped herbs. To plate, spoon broth and vegetables into bowls and place fish on top.
Jerked cobia with mango pineapple salsa
By Regina Johnson, Back Inn Cafe
Serves 4
What you need:
4, 6-ounce cobia fillets
For the jerk marinade:
2 ounces orange juice
2 ounces apple-cider vinegar
1 ounce soy sauce
1 ounce lime juice
5 tablespoons jerk seasoning (recipe follows)
For the jerk seasoning:
2 teaspoons onion powder
1 tablespoon garlic powder
2 teaspoons cayenne pepper
1 teaspoon smoked paprika
2 teaspoons ground thyme
2 teaspoons dried parsley
teaspoon black pepper
2 teaspoons salt
2 teaspoons sugar
teaspoon ground cinnamon
teaspoon ground nutmeg
1 teaspoon allspice
1 teaspoon ground ginger
For the mango pineapple salsa:
1 mango, peeled, cored and small diced
2 cups pineapple, small diced
1 red bell pepper, small diced
cup red onion, finely diced
cup fresh cilantro, chopped
2 tablespoons lime juice, fresh squeezed
3 tablespoons honey
teaspoon black pepper
1 teaspoon salt
What you do:
1. Preheat oven to 325 F. Combine all the jerk seasoning ingredients and store in a plastic bag or airtight container. Leftover seasoning can be stored for roughly 6 weeks.
2. Combine all the marinade ingredients, then marinate the cobia for approximately 30 minutes.
3. Prepare the salsa by placing first five ingredients in a mixing bowl. Add remaining ingredients and mix well. Place in refrigerator until ready to be served.
4. Remove cobia from marinade and place on lightly greased baking sheet. Bake for approximately 25-30 minutes, depending on thickness of fish. Fish is cooked when it is opaque all the way through and flakes apart easily.
5. Remove from baking sheet and place fish on plate with prepared salsa and serve with your choice of side items. (I suggest coconut rice and roasted butternut squash.)
Seared red snapper with grits, bacon-coconut collard greens and cherry tomato-pepper salad
By Rebecca Barron, St. John’s
Serves 4
What you need:
4, 6-ounce portions red snapper, skin on and scored
Canola oil
2 tablespoons butter
Salt and white pepper
For the bacon-coconut collards:
2-pound bag of cleaned collards
4 ounces small diced bacon
cup diced onion
2 cloves minced garlic
14-ounce can coconut milk
1 cup water
Salt to taste
For the grits:
cup diced onion
1 tablespoon oil
1 cup cream
3 cups chicken stock or water
1 cup stone-ground grits (I use Riverview Farms)
cup Parmesan
2 tablespoons butter
Salt and white pepper to taste
For the cherry tomato-pepper salad:
1 cup cherry tomatoes cut in half
2 sweet peppers, shaved thin on a mandolin
2 radishes, shaved thin on a mandolin
A couple leaves of torn basil
2 tablespoons red wine vinaigrette
Salt and white pepper to taste
What you do:
1. Make the collards by placing a medium size pot over low-medium heat. Sauté bacon, onion and garlic until bacon is crispy. Add greens and sauté for 2 minutes.
2. Add coconut milk and water and simmer for at least 1 hour or until the greens are softened. Season with salt to taste. Cover until ready to use.
3. While greens are cooking, prepare the grits. In a medium size pot over low heat, sauté onion in the oil until translucent. Add cream and stock and bring to a boil.
4. Turn temperature to low and add grits, whisking constantly for about 5 minutes. Let simmer on low for about an hour or until completely hydrated, whisking every 10 minutes or so.
5. Remove grits from heat and add Parmesan, butter, salt and white pepper. Cover until ready to use.
6. Heat a cast-iron skillet to medium heat (a drop of water should sizzle but not smoke). Then add a couple tablespoons of canola oil. Pat fish dry, then rub a little oil on the skin. Season both sides with salt and white pepper.
7. Place fish skin side down in pan and press fillets down flat with a pan to achieve flat, nicely seared skin. Cook on skin side until golden brown, about 3 minutes. Flip with a fish spatula and turn heat to low. Cook about 3 more minutes or until set.
8. Put butter in the pan and turn off the heat, letting fish rest 2 minutes in the butter. Meanwhile, prepare salad by mixing all ingredients together in a bowl. To plate, spoon grits onto plate, then spoon some collards with liquid onto plate. Add fish and top with the salad. Enjoy!! (This is one of my favorite summer fish dishes – rich and filling, and these greens are to die for.)