Fried Mussels with Wild Greens

The primary ingredients to this dish are foraged (Baker Beach for mussels and Temescal for greens), so as long as I can rustle up the other ingredients and a burner, I’ll be sitting pretty post-apocalypse. The wild mussels were foragedand thus, quite “rustic” making it virtually impossible to clean them thoroughly and necessitating cooking and taking them out of the shell before consuming, so I decided to fry them. The below recipe serves 3-4 as an appetizer.

• 1 pound fresh mussels, rinsed and scrubbed as best you can

• 1 cup cornmeal, medium grind

• 1/2 teaspoon paprika

• 1 egg, beaten

• 1/2 teaspoon salt

• 2 tablespoons high heat oil, such as grapeseed or coconut

• 1 lemon wedge (can use a slice from dressing, below)

• Foraged greens, such as dandelion and sow thistle tossed with lemon-olive oil dressing (Combination of juice from 1/2 lemon, 1 tablespoon olive oil, and 1/2 teaspoon of mustard for 1 cup greens) - I like a lot of greens, but whatever is best for your preference of fried mussel:green ratio

Boil mussels in a large pot of water (rolling boil) for about 7 minutes, or until mussels open. remove mussels from shell, drain any excess water, and set aside. Discard any mussels that do not open.

Meanwhile, mix cornmeal with paprika and salt on a plate. Dip mussels in beaten egg a few at a time, then toss in cornmeal mixture to coat. 

Heat oil on medium-high. Once oil is hot, add mussels and brown on each side, about 3-5 minutes total. Remove from oil, place atop wild greens tossed with dressing, drizzle with squeeze of lemon, and sprinkle with paprika.

Serve with aioli, if desired.

Bouillabaisse with wild fennel

My mother wasn't a typical Martha Stewart-like homemaker (sorry, mom), but she did have a few tricks up her sleeve and one of them was bouillabaisse (another was making things magical, but we're not going there right now). I grew up in a fish-loving area of Northern California and, even with a limited budget, we were able to get good, super fresh, seafood regularly. Bouillabaisse was one of those dishes that we requested for birthdays, made for special occasions, and always got excited about because it meant "special". As time moved on, we grew up and had more disposable income, which allow for a crab leg here, better fish there, and even an infamous (gasp) lobster tail on one occasion. These variations taught me about the adaptability of bouillabaisse, which I take with me when I prepare it now, adding shellfish and fin fish as available. The version below also includes a dash of Pastis, the anise-flavored liquor favorite from the south of France. Serves 4-6, preferably with crusty french bread or toasted crostini to mop it up.

• 1 tablespoon olive oil

• A few wild fennel stocks and fronds (can substitute store-bought bulb/fronds)

• 1 medium yellow onion, chopped

• 3 cloves garlic, thinly sliced

• 2 cups fish stock

• 1.5 cups dry white wine

• 1 pound rock cod or other firm white fish

• 1 pound medium to large shrimp (I prefer with the peel)

• 14 ounce can diced tomatoes

• 1 pound fresh clams

• 2 tablespoon pastis, such as Ricard

• 1/2 teaspoon salt

• 1/2 teaspoon coarse ground black pepper

• Chopped parsley for garnish

Dice the fennel stalks to yield ~1/4-1/2 cups. Pluck fronds and set aside for later use.

Heat the oil in a large pot over medium-high heat. Add the fennel stalk, onion, and garlic. Cook, stirring occasionally, until slightly tender, 3 to 4 minutes.

Add the fish stock and wine and bring to a boil. Add the rock cod, shrimp, and tomatoes and cook, covered, for 3 minutes.

Add the clams and cook, covered, until the cod and shrimp are cooked through and the clams have opened, 3 to 5 minutes.

Stir in the pastis, salt, and pepper. Sprinkle with the parsley and garnish with fennel fronds before serving.

Fresh Crab with Wood Sorrel-Cilantro Sauce

Crab season is one of my favorite seasons of the year. I love the fact that we still rely on fishermen and women to brave the seas in order to bring us these delicious crustaceans. Growing up in Humboldt County, my family lived near a crab stand that purported the clever phrase of "ocean strawberries" on their sign and I like to think of them as a cross between this elegant description and giant bugs. 

In our house crab alone was special enough and accompaniments didn't go beyond melted butter and crusty bread. Although I still agree that crab is special enough, I wanted to take advantage of the wild wood sorrel prevalent in my neighborhood by making a vibrant and spicy dipping sauce of wood sorrel, cilantro, serrano, and sesame.  

“Many plants, including wood sorrel, contain oxalic acid, which can be toxic in large quantities. Remember to enjoy in moderation.”

Wood sorrel looks like clover, but with yellow flowers on long stems. These are the somewhat fleshy flower stems you may have chewed on as a child walking around town (at least I did) to release their sour juices. The juice or ground leaves can be used as a unique way to provide a lemony kick to sauces or as a bright garnish - a little goes a very long way. Wood sorrel is high in Vitamin C and some use the plant medicinally for liver and digestive issues, but these latter benefits are not confirmed by research. The reason why wood sorrel is so lemony is due to its oxalic acid content, which can be toxic if eaten in large quantities and those with kidney or intestinal problems and pregnant women should avoid it. However, other plants contain oxalic acid as well so the general rule of thumb it to eat wood sorrel in moderation, meaning using some in sauce or as a part of a salad or garnish every once in a while is fine, and consume in combination with a balanced diet. There are also no dangerous look alikes for wood sorrel, making it a great foraged food for newbies! The below recipe serves 4.

• 2-4 fresh crabs (2 for half a crab each, 4 for heavy crab eaters)

• 1/2 cup wood sorrel leaves

• 2 serrano peppers, chopped with seeds removed

• 1 cup cilantro, chopped

• Juice from 1/2 lemon

• 1 tablespoon ponzu (can substitute 1 teaspoon soy sauce + 2 teaspoons water if needed)

• 1 teaspoon yellow miso

• 1-2 tablespoons toasted sesame oil

Cooking and cleaning the crab: Go here for more information and step-by-step photos. 

Get a large pot of water to a rolling boil. There should be enough water to cover the crabs. Throw your crabs in and cook them for ~7-8 minutes per pound. That's 7-8 minutes for the average weight of the crabs, not total weight. So, if I have 2 crabs that weigh 1.5 pounds and 2 pounds respectively, I should cook them for about 12-14 minutes. Round down when possible, as you can always cook the crab more if needed, but crab cooking is pretty forgivable. The crabs will change from a purplish color to a bright orange-red.

Remove crabs and rinse under cool water until cool enough to handle.

“Protip: All crabs available to eat are male, as the female are thrown back in to encourage population growth. ”

Turn the crab upside down. Stick your finger underneath the "apron" (little tail looking thing) and pull it off. Remove the carapace (large back shell) by putting finger in hole where apron was and ripping the back shell from the legs. It's actually pretty easy and fun. 

Rinse off or save the guts (yellow gushy stuff) found in the carapace. The guts can be eaten on rice, in a stew, or on their own if desired. 

Remove the gills (spongy soft jagged things) from either side of the body as well as the mandible (sharp mouthparts in the front). 

Give the body a final rinse - remove the greenish-brown and yellow goop - and break the body in half if desired. Serve at room temperature or cold with wood sorrel sauce (below).

To make the wood sorrel sauce: Simply blend all ingredients except sesame oil in a food processor or immersion blender. Drizzle in sesame oil until desired flavor and consistency is achieved. 

Here's a quick video demonstrating how to clean a Dungeness Crab:

Foraging Mussels

If you haven't been mussel foraging, it's easier than you think - I guarantee it. All that it requires is a little bit of forethought, gloves, and a bucket. The last time I went to Baker Beach in San Francisco and there were tons of mussels clinging to a few rocks and our buckets were filled in no time. Yes, the mussels can be a bit rugged in texture, but believe me, they're worth it! Here's what you need to know and do before you forage mussels in California: 

• Only go during the months from November to April. From May to October mussels are quarantined due to potential paralytic shellfish poisoning - not something you want to mess with.

• Call the California Shellfish Biotoxin Information Line at 1-800-553-4133 to double check that waters are safe at the time that you plan to go (sometimes the quarantine for longer periods depending on weather and water conditions).

• Stop by a drugstore and pick up a one-day fishing permit or purchase one online from the CA Department of Fish and Wildlife and bring it with you, otherwise you are subject to fines.

• Go at low tide: Foraging mussels is best at low tide and mussels can often be found clinging to rocks near the water.

• Mussels can only be pulled by hand, do not use other instruments, such as screwdrivers or crowbars.

• Bring: Thick gloves, as the mussels can be sharp and a bucket, to hold your booty.

• There is a collection limit of 10 pounds (in the shell) per permitted collector per day.

For more information about regulations, visit the CA Department of Fish and Wildlife.