Great seafood and going organic to avoid GMOs

Two organic brown eggs served over organic quinoa prepared in an electric cooker with organic diced tomatoes and organic chicken stock, all from Costco Wholesale. In the absence of a labeling law in the United States, going organic is the only sure way to avoid genetically modified foods and the safety issues they raise.

Wild-caught Pacific halibut is the most expensive fresh fish sold at Costco Wholesale in Hackensack, but it's a breeze to prepare and the taste is worth every penny.

By Victor E. Sasson
Editor

I've seen fresh, wild-caught halibut in the cold case at Costco Wholesale in Hackensack for at least a couple of years, but the price has always stopped me -- until last week.

At $16.99 a pound, the fillets are only $2 or $3 more a pound than the Copper River sockeye salmon that I enjoyed this year.

When I got it home, I didn't have to do much more than slice the 1.16-pound skinless fillet into four serving pieces, place them on parchment paper in a large pan, squeeze lime juice over them and add a few pinches of Aleppo pepper.

Then, I put them in a 375-degree oven for about 10 minutes, took out the pan and spooned refrigerated Kirkland Signature Basil Pesto on each fillet.

My snowy fillet flaked beautifully and tasted wonderful. I served the fish with boiled sweet potatoes mashed with extra-virgin olive oil and seasoning.

A halibut snack reheated in the microwave for 1 minute.

Here is more about halibut from the Environmental Defense Fund:

"Halibut are flatfish (like flounders and soles) and can grow up to 7 feet long and weigh 800 pounds. They have both eyes on the same side of their head, which enables them to better see predators and prey as they lay camouflaged on the sea bottom."

EDF gives its "Best-eco" rating to Pacific halibut (sold at Costco), notes it contains a "moderate" amount of mercury and advises adults to limit their consumption to about 4 times a month.

A takeout dinner of calamari stuffed with shrimp and crab meat; spaghetti with red-clam sauce and whole shrimp; crab cake, broccoli and beets was only $5.99 after 4 p.m. at Jerry's Gourmet & More, 410 S. Dean St., Englewood.

A serving of jumbo shrimp with vegetables; dry sauteed string beans and brown rice delivered by Zen Kitchen, 1443 Teaneck Road, Teaneck.

Avoiding GMOs

The European Union has a law calling for labeling of food containing genetically modified organisms (GMOs), but the United States doesn't.

Going organic is the only sure way to avoid GMOs, but in the United States there are some organic and non-organic foods that carry a label from the NON GMO Project.

The NON GMO Project Verified label appears on Tru Roots Organic Quinoa, right, and  non-organic Lundberg Wild Blend Rice.

Click on the following link: nongmoproject.org

The European Union's Web site is: GMO Compass

Related articles

• Costco: Shifting More and More to Organic
• Costco return policy is only as good as employees
• Target Introduces GMO-Free Food Line

Why you can't trust food labels

This Trader Joe's label lulls you into a false sense of security.

Editor's note: Food labels can be deceiving, even at Trader Joe's. Today, I also discuss  food from Costco Wholesale, and seeking healthy dishes when dining out on Mexican and dining in on Chinese.

For years, I've been relying on Trader Joe's markets in Paramus and elsewhere for naturally raised bacon and hot dogs for family members who eat meat.

Both bacon and hot dogs are free of such harmful preservatives as nitrates and nitrites, which have been linked to cancer.

But the package of Trader Joe's Jumbo Uncured Beef Franks I bought there recently says nothing about how the beef was raised (see photo).

In my freezer, I have a package of W-brand bacon I bought at Trader Joe's that carries the words "pork raised without antibiotics." 

No similar phrase appears on the jumbo franks package, and now, I'm not sure the regular Trader Joe's franks are made with antibiotic-free beef, either.

This ambiguity is why Consumers Union -- the political and action arm of Consumer Reports magazine -- is calling on the California-based Trader Joe's to sell only meat and poultry free of animal antibiotics.

Ancient Grains granola and fruit make a great breakfast.

Highly rated marinara

A couple of days after I read an evaluation of pasta sauces in Consumer Reports' August 2012 issue, I found Victoria Marinara Sauce at Costco Wholesale in Hackensack.

The sauce is rated "Excellent," just below the top-rated sauce from Giada De Laurentiis (Target).

The Victoria sauce has fewer calories and less sugar than the one from De Laurentiis, and the 40-ounce jar sold at Costco for $4.25 works out to about 12 cents per ounce.

There is more than enough sauce for a full pound of pasta, and you can boost its already good flavor with a can of anchovies and their oil, red pepper flakes and dried Italian herbs.

My teenage son raved about the Trader Joe's Organic Whole Wheat Penne I served him with the enhanced Victoria Marinara. 

I had penne with Victoria Marinara Sauce for breakfast today.

'Ancient' breakfast

When is the last time you ate spelt, khorasan wheat and amaranth?

Those are some of ingredients in Nature's Path Organic Ancient Grains Granola with Almonds from Costco's Kirkland Signature ($6.99 for a pair of 17.6-ounce bags).

I filled a bowl with the granola, added blueberries and strawberries, and poured on lactose-free milk for a filling breakfast.

The blueberries are from Michigan, and they're sweet. They were $6.49 for a 2-pound package. A pint of blueberries weighs 12 ounces.

A 2-pound package of California strawberries was $3.49 at Costco.

I made a salad from Costco fruit, added mint from the garden and lime juice, and served it with Parmigiano Reggiano Cheese from Italy, also from Costco.

I added banana to the fruit salad this morning, using skin as a cutting board.

Snack time

I bought a 3-pound package of California raw almonds at Costco for $10.99 and roasted them at 275 degrees for 1 hour for a salt-free snack I have several times a day. 

My son prefers Kirkland Signature Trail Mix: peanuts, M&M's Candies, raisins, almonds and cashews (a 4-pound package is $12.59).

Whole fried fish at Las Maravillas de Tulcingo in Englewood.

Can you find the fresh pineapple in these tacos al pastor?

Dining out on Mexican

Last weekend, I took my son out for dinner at our favorite Mexican restaurant in Englewood, and it seems to have slipped just a bit in food preparation (84 W. Palisade Ave., Englewood; 201-568-1980).

For him, I ordered tacos al pastor -- marinated pork with fresh pineapple, cilantro and onion ($7).

For me, I ordered the whole tilapia, which was deep fried and served with yellow rice, beans and corn tortillas ($13).

I also ordered a large Tulcingo Salad -- fresh cactus, cheese, avocado, radish and cilantro -- with a spicy green salsa as a dressing ($7).

Tulcingo Salad comes in small and large sizes.

Fresh carrot juice is served with a wedge of lime.

Ordering the large salad was a waste, because my son refused to try any of it. I took the leftovers home and ate them the next day.

He liked his tacos al pastor, but I thought they should have had more fresh pineapple.

My whole fish was smaller than the last time I ordered it, and tasted as if it had been fried in the same oil used for chicken.

I've been eating a lot of fried fish and calamari lately, and plan to ask restaurants with those items on the menu if they can prepare the seafood on a grill or under the broiler. 

Dining in on Chinese

Last night, we ordered takeout delivered from Zen Kitchen in Teaneck (201-837-7322 and myzenkitchen.com).

My son's plate: General Tso's Chicken, House Fried Rice and Shrimp.

My second plate of Jumbo Shrimp with Mixed Vegetables over brown rice.

When I called, I asked the woman taking the order if the cook could put less sugar in my son's General Tso's Chicken, but was told the sauce was pre-mixed ($10.50).

I was able to get my Jumbo Shrimp with Mixed Vegetables prepared in fresh garlic, instead of the ubiquitous brown sauce ($14.75).

Related posts

• Putting Trader Joe's on the spot
• Animal antibiotics blamed in 'health crisis'

They're kosher, but are they any good?

In a kosher restaurant, no dish mixes meat and dairy.

After another good breakfast at The Golden Grill in Teaneck, I took a stroll and discovered a neighborhood of ethnic restaurants with a surprising diversity.

Most of the restaurants in the township's West Englewood section are found on Queen Anne Road and West Englewood Avenue -- all within several blocks.

And most are kosher, catering to a large number of Orthodox Jews and offering barbecue, pizza, sushi and Iranian or Mediterranean fare. They are supplemented by a kosher bagel shop, delicatessens and cafes.

Non-kosher places

But you'll also find non-kosher Chinese and soul-food takeout places, and the Golden Grill, which serves breakfast and lunch. 

And Patisserie St. Michele, a French bakery on Queen Anne Road, is not to be missed.

Restaurant row

Arrayed along one side of West Englewood Avenue are Chopstix Glatt Kosher Chinese Takeout, Dougie's BBQ, Rabica Mediterranean Cafe, Royal Grill (Mediterranean & Persian Cuisine) and Sushi Metsuyan.

Dougie's serves pasture-fed Black Angus beef raised without antibiotics and growth hormones. Rabica's menu lists salads, pasta and fish, with an appetizer and entree costing $20 to $30.

The newest place on Queen Anne Road is Schnitzel+, a restaurant with a bright, modern orange-and-white interior that specializes in Israeli-style breaded chicken cutlets.

$16 family pizza

Sammy's New York Pizzeria has family-size pies starting at $16, and offers  gluten-free dough. 

Non-kosher options include Zen Kitchen, the Chinese takeout shop we've been using for more than five years, and Mom & Pop's Southern Kitchen on State Street.

At The Golden Grill, a breakfast of two eggs, fried whiting or a large fishcake made from canned salmon, home fries and a small glass of juice is $6.50.

Kosher dos and donts

If you plan to visit a kosher restaurant, keep in mind they usually are more expensive than their non-kosher counterparts. They also close on Friday afternoons or evenings, in observance of the Jewish Sabbath, and reopen on Saturday nights.

They also close the night before Jewish holidays.

If you love seafood, don't expect to find lobster or other shellfish, squid or shrimp, all of which are not "kosher."

And you cannot bring a bottle to a kosher BYO unless the wine is kosher.

Are they any good?

When I still ate meat, I might have tried the naturally raised beef at Dougie's BBQ, but now I have no interest in paying more for kosher food that is about the same quality as non-kosher food, especially because I couldn't find a wide range of seafood when dining out.

Please use Google for addresses and phone numbers.

Here are a few Web sites: 

Schnitzel+ 

Chinese, Japanese and Thai food 

Home of the 24-ounce burger 

This Chinese takeout finishes on top

Image by neilfein via Flickr

The best Chinese takeout in Teaneck isn't on Cedar Lane, above.

Every North Jersey town, big and small, seems to have a storefront that churns out Chinese takeout food from one of those huge menus, the ones that are bigger than place mats.

But only Teaneck's West Englewood section has Zen Kitchen, where the quality of ingredients and the preparation clearly are a cut above the rest. It delivers to Teaneck and 11 other towns.

Besides Chinese food, Zen offers Japanese and Thai items; sushi, and seafood and vegetable rolls, but I've been disappointed occasionally when I've strayed from the Chinese items.

On Friday night, I ordered a small, barbecued spare ribs for my wife and son ($7.75), Jumbo Shrimp in Black Bean Sauce ($11.95), House Special Fried Rice ($8.50), Dry Sauteed String Beans ($7.95) and Bean Curd with Vegetables, Country Style ($7.95).

All the vegetables retained their crunch. Triangles of tofu were fried, and the ubiquitous brown sauce was kept to a minimum. The shrimp were plump and delicious, and, again, there was just enough black bean sauce.

In the more than five years we've been ordering from Zen Kitchen, I've tried whole fish, steamed or fried; and I've enjoyed its soy chicken and beef dishes, which are especially tasty to a non-meat eater.

For breakfast this morning, I heated leftover vegetables in the microwave, topped them with an egg-white omelet and went to town.

Zen Kitchen charges $1.50 for delivery to Teaneck, Bergenfield, New Milford, Englewood, Tenafly, Loenia, Hackensack, Paramus, Bogota, Ridgefield Park, Maywood and Cresskill.

The front of the current menu carries coupons, including 15% off orders over $30. 

Zen Kitchen, 1443 Queen Anne Road, Teaneck; 201-837-7322. 

Open seven days to 10:30 or 11:30 p.m. 

Credit card minimum is $8.