An H Mart in need of renovation makes small changes

Wild-caught sardines at H Mart in Little Ferry were from the United States. At Whole Foods Market in Paramus, Portuguese sardines go for $9.99 a pound.

On Sunday, H Mart slashed the price of bok choy, and sold seven bunches of scallions for only $1.

Editor's note: Today, I discuss the H Mart in Little Ferry, and a frittata made almost wholly from ingredients purchased at Costco Wholesale, including smoked wild Alaskan sockeye salmon.

By VICTOR E. SASSON
Editor

The H Mart in Little Ferry is part of a Korean supermarket chain with four other newer or brighter stores in Bergen County.

Fresh fish, a wide selection of Asian greens and low prices are among the lures.

The supermarket occupies a huge building near the Little Ferry Circle that is half-empty, and the parking lot is prone to flooding.

H Mart has opened stores in Fort Lee, and renovated its aging supermarket in Englewood, but the Little Ferry store only recently began making changes.

The store has a more open look after many high shelves were removed, and the sushi department was eliminated.

I once looked into the dingy lunchroom, but never actually sat down and ordered anything, and I'm not sure if it is even operating now.

On Sunday, I went there to buy fresh fish, and was torn between small, wild-caught whiting at $3.99 a pound and plump porgies at only $2.99 a pound.

We seasoned and breaded whole whiting from H Mart in Little Ferry.

Delicious fried

I bought eight whiting, which we fried. 

Whiting have a minimum of bones and sweet, flaky flesh that invite you to eat them with your hands -- think of them as chicken of the sea. 

I also picked up 2 pounds of Mini Sweet Peppers from Mexico for $1.99, and a 5-pound box of Israeli clementines for $7.99 ($2 off), more than I usually like to pay.

I weighed the fruit and cardboard box, and they totaled nearly 6.5 pounds. At home, we found them to be among the sweetest we've had.

It looks like clementines are destined to become a year-round fruit.

My other purchases were seven bunches of scallions for $1, and two packages of prepared Korean food, Stewed Tofu ($3.99) and Stewed Alaskan Pollock ($6.99). 

This H Mart also has low prices on California-grown rice, usually $8.99 for a 15-pound bag, and on Sunday, an employee made an announcement that the drought would be causing a price spike.

H Mart, 260 Bergen Turnpike, Little Ferry; 201-814-0400. 

Web site: www.hmart.com

Easy Costco frittata

The first step to a delicious frittata with smoked wild salmon is an egg mixture of whole eggs and egg whites; a little low-fat milk, shredded cheese and chopped garlic, all from Costco Wholesale. Pour the mixture into a hot, well-oiled 10-inch non-stick pan.

As the bottom sets over medium-high heat, add slices of smoked wild salmon and reduced fat Swiss cheese, both from Costco. With plenty of sodium in the fish and cheese, there is no need to add salt.

Before finishing the frittata under the broiler, I added a couple of pinches of Aleppo pepper and after I removed it from the oven, spooned on a little Genova Pesto from Trader Joe's, which isn't the equal of Kirkland Signature Basil Pesto from Costco.

A wedge of smoked wild-salmon frittata with Stewed Tofu and Stewed Pollock from H Mart in Little Ferry.

A baked sweet potato and frittata make a great breakfast.

A tablespoon of Kirkland Signature Basil Pesto in a bowl of Harry's Organic Vegetable Minestrone, a hearty soup from Costco.

Pesto is a terrific garnish for a baked sweet potato.