Mahi mahi with Aleppo pepper, pesto and lime

Wild-caught mahi mahi crowned with basil pesto, both from Costco Wholesale.

Editor's note: Today, I discuss home cooking using ingredients from Costco Wholesale, and ShopRite's Super Can-Can Sale.

By VICTOR E. SASSON
Editor

Wild-caught mahi mahi fillets are a welcome addition to the fresh-fish case at Costco Wholesale in Hackensack.

In recent years, shoppers who wanted wild fish could choose among haddock, cod and flounder, as well as sockeye, coho and king salmon from May to October.

The mahi mahi was a snap to prepare: 

I cut the three fillets into serving pieces and added fresh lime juice and a pinch of Aleppo pepper.

They went into a 375-degree oven. Thin pieces were done in 12 minutes, thicker ones in about 15 minutes.

Once they were out of the oven, I spooned on Kirkland Signature Basil Pesto, which I had removed from the refrigerator while the fish was cooking.

The ready to use pesto also makes a great sandwich spread or sauce for whole wheat pasta, such as the thick ribbons of Garofalo Pappardelle I enjoyed on New Year's Eve (they took 3 minutes longer than the 8-minute cooking time on the package).

A wedge of leftover smoked wild salmon frittata plated with slices of a Korean seaweed-and-rice roll, stewed tofu and a baked sweet potato from Costco Wholesale, and reheated in the microwave.

Leftover mahi mahi with Aleppo pepper, pesto and lime plated with a sweet potato.

Smoked wild salmon

The higher price isn't the only thing new about Kirkland Signature Wild Alaskan Smoked Sockeye Salmon from Costco Wholesale.

The sliced salmon is divided into two half-pound packages, as before, but now a plastic tray with a recycling symbol is used instead of glossy black cardboard.

The price jumped to $18.89 from $15.59 a month ago.

A baked sweet potato from Costco Wholesale stuffed with Jamaican ackee and salt fish, and served with two organic eggs.

The yolks are delicious eaten with the sweet potato.

At the Super Can-Can Sale in the Paramus ShopRite, 3-ounce Right Guard deodorant sticks were placed in a convenient standalone basket, but at 3 for $5 with a store card, they were more expensive than similar 3-ounce Right Guard sticks on a low shelf that were on sale for $1.49 each.

New items at Costco and a surprising $3 price hike

The parking lot at my Costco Wholesale in Hackensack was a zoo this afternoon, but checkout was no problem. I saw several new items, including 2-pound bags of salted cod fillets from Canada for only $11.99, below.

The salted pollock from Atlantic Pearl is cheaper than salted cod, but many cooks won't settle for it.

By VICTOR E. SASSON
Editor

Today, I left the watch I want to return home and did some food shopping at Costco Wholesale to replace staples, including organic salad, reduced-fat sliced cheese and wild-caught fish fillets.

I saw several new items, and was surprised by a $3-plus price hike for Kirkland Signature Wild Alaskan Smoked Sockeye Salmon.

The sliced, preservative-free salmon is ideal for sandwiches, salads, omelets and frittatas.

For a snack, you can eat it rolled up with a slice of cheese, stuffed with spring mix and dipped in Dijon mustard.

On Dec. 3, a 1-pound package was $15.59. But today, I blinked twice at the price on the sign: $18.89.

Even at the higher price, this likely is the cheapest smoked wild salmon available at any store in North Jersey. 

Three new fishes

Two new fish items at the Hackesnack Costco are 2-pound bags of salted codfish from Canada for $11.99, beating the price of $6.99 a pound at the Englewood ShopRite; and fresh, skinless fillets of mahi mahi for only $7.99 a pound.

The mahi mahi, also called dolphin fish, is from Costa Rica. In the past, the Hackensack Costco sold cod, haddock and flounder fillets, as well as fresh wild salmon from May to October. 

The price for the Canadian salted cod also beats salted cod fillets for $8.99 a pound that Costco displayed in shrink-wrapped trays in the refrigerated case among wild and farmed fish.

The salted cod and mahi mahi join fresh Atlantic cod fillets from Iceland as new items.

The Atlantic cod showed up at Costco in the past week, replacing Pacific True Cod, which I hadn't seen for a few months.

Twelve-pound bags of Della Organic Long Grain Brown Rice are $13.99, but there is no indication where the rice is grown. The package says the rice is distributed by a company in Arkansas.

I saw a display of 12-pound bags of Della-brand Organic Long Grain Brown Rice for only $13.99.

We stopped buying the Della brown rice after we found boll weevils in it, and switched to California-grown Lundberg Organic Long Grain Brown Rice, which I buy on Amazon.com at a higher price.

At least a half-dozen shoppers, including me, asked Costco employees for organic milk, but were told the warehouse store had run out of that item.

A Costco frittata made at home with Kirkland Signature Egg Whites, whole Organic Eggs, Wild Alaskan Smoked Sockeye Salmon; shredded and sliced Parmigiano Reggiano Cheese, Jarlsberg Lite Reduced-Fat Sliced Swiss Cheese, and La Costena-brand Green Mexican Salsa.