Lingcod cheeks are such a rare treat and we’re always excited when Pilar phones in to say they have a load of them ready for our members!
Bruce and Pilar catch your lingcod while trolling — a fishing method in which lines of baited hooks are dragged slowly behind a boat in mid-water. Bruce hand-picks the fish from the hooks and the Pilar carefully hand-cuts out the cheeks, earning her the nick-name Cheeky P. The cheeks are then flash-frozen individually at sea to preserve their catch-day freshness. Halibut cheeks are gaining popularity around the world, and we think that our Ocean Wise-recommended lingcod cheeks are similarly delicious cuts you’ll absolutely love.
Once Bruce and Pilar deliver their lingcod cheeks, our processor packs them into (roughly) 1lb bags and vacuum-seals them to preserve their amazing freshness.
Lingcod are oddly named since they are neither a ling nor a cod but are actually a pacific greenling! About 20% of lingcod contain a beautiful blue-green, emerald tone due to their high chlorophyll diet. We like to call them “lucky lingcod,” so consider it a treat if you receive green lingcod in your order! And rest assured, this colour disappears when the fish is cooked, leaving your dinner a pure, bright white.
Wondering how to enjoy lingcod cheeks? Our good friend Chef Ned Bell was kind enough to share this recipe with us that has been adapted from halibut cheeks to lingcod cheeks!
Lingcod Cheeks with Asparagus, Chickpeas, and Kale Chips
For the Kale Chips:
Pre-heat your oven to 300 degrees F. Tear the kale into bite size pieces, toss in olive oil, season with sea salt and cracked pepper. Place on a baking sheet and bake in the oven until light golden brown and crispy.
For the Sautéed Veggies:
Ingredients:
1 cup diced asparagus
1 cup chickpeas
1/2 cup quartered red radishes
1 tbsp diced shallots
In a medium-sized fry pan, sauté the shallots, chickpeas, diced asparagus and radishes together for a few minutes, until tender but with no extra colour.
For the Lingcod Cheeks:
2-3 cheeks per person
Season the Lingcod cheeks with sea salt and cracked pepper.
In a pan over high heat, sauté the cheeks in olive oil for 1 minute per side.
PS. A little butter thrown in with the oil adds an extra hit of richness to the cheeks!
*Chef Bell gives the cheeks a little napping (spooning the oil/ butter over the fish) while they rest in the pan for a few seconds.
Serve immediately.
To Serve:
Place the veggies on a plate or platter, lay the cheeks on top and arrange the kale chips around.
Keep an eye on your inbox for an order reminder to get your hands on your own lingcod cheeks! Not a member? Sign up today to get in on this season’s catch!
