Our mantra is that the healthiest fish is the best tasting fish.  The following video explains exactly what makes Verlasso salmon different from other farmed salmon, straight from the mouths of the Verlasso team.

Understanding Farmed Salmon from Verlasso on Vimeo.

Verlasso®, the world’s first provider of harmoniously raised fish, is committed to continuous improvement in its aquaculture practices, working in concert with some of the world’s leading thinkers to sustain people, fish and the planet. Verlasso was recently recognized by Seafood International magazine as a “Best New Food of 2011”, and as a “Top Food Trend of 2012” by Specialty Food magazine.  Verlasso salmon is also available from coast to coast via retailers and restaurants and direct-to-retail partnerships. If you would like more information about Verlasso, contact us at info@verlasso.com, join us on Facebook, follow us on Twitter @VerlassoSalmon, or sign up for the Verlasso e-newsletter. 

“We share Heinen’s vision of providing shoppers with high-quality fish while protecting ocean resources,” said Scott Nichols, director, Verlasso. “We look forward to partnering with Heinen’s to offer Verlasso salmon to Clevelanders.”

Verlasso’s harmonious approach to aquaculture includes:

• Saving 5.5 million pounds of overharvested feeder fish over the course of a year while still raising salmon rich in Omega-3s
• Never using growth hormones or preventative antibiotics
• Attaching a QR-coded gill tag to every fish directing customers to a website with background on the farm, farm manager and more about where their salmon was raised

Heinen’s decided to carry Verlasso based on the extraordinary taste of the fish and the harmoniously raised qualities of Verlasso, which together make it an exceptional and differentiating offering for customers.

“For generations, Heinen’s has sought out growers, ranchers and artisans committed to putting the best food on our customers’ tables, and Verlasso’s commitment to taste and traceability is a great story to tell at our seafood counter,” said Martha Gaul, seafood buyer and merchandiser for Heinen’s. “Verlasso employs practices that put the health of the fish and the environment first, resulting in a lean fish with a buttery texture and delicate taste. Our customers will love grilling, poaching, baking and more with Verlasso.”

To introduce Verlasso to Heinen’s shoppers throughout Cleveland, Heinen’s and Verlasso are collaborating to create in-store experiences. These events, scheduled for May 31 and June 1 at select Heinen’s stores, will include tasting and cooking demonstrations highlighting Verlasso salmon dishes for every season and sharing the approach of Verlasso to raising fish harmoniously.

For more information about Verlasso harmoniously raised salmon at Heinen’s, visit the seafood section of the grocer’s site. Or, visit Verlasso.com, join the conversation on the VerlassoConversations blog, on Facebook, follow us on Twitter @VerlassoSalmon, or sign up for the Verlasso newsletter. Verlasso images are available for use on Flickr.

About Verlasso

Verlasso is committed to continuous improvement in its aquaculture practices, working in concert with some of the world’s leading thinkers to sustain people, fish and the planet. Verlasso harmoniously raised salmon received the SeaWeb Innovation Award in 2012, was recognized by Seafood International magazine as a “Best New Food of 2011,” and as a “Top Food Trend of 2012” by Specialty Food magazine.

Verlasso is a brand and trademark of AquaChile. AquaChile and DuPont formed a collaboration that will blend the collective innovation and aquaculture expertise of the companies to identify how to raise fish sustainably to provide nutritious protein for a growing population.

About Heinen’s

Founded in 1929 by Joe Heinen, Heinen’s has provided Northeast Ohio with unrivalled food and world class customer service. Today, Joe Heinen’s grandsons, twin brothers, Tom and Jeff Heinen carry on the Heinen’s legacy with 17 store locations throughout the greater Cleveland area and a new store in Barrington, Illinois.

Makes 4 servings

• 1 teaspoon whole coriander seed
• 1 teaspoon whole fennel seed
• 1 teaspoon paprika
• 1 tablespoon kosher salt
• 1/8 teaspoon cayenne
• Four 6-ounce fillets of Verlasso salmon
• 1/4 cup unsalted butter
• 1 teaspoon chopped or grated lime zest (from 1 medium lime)
• 1 tablespoon fresh lime juice (from 1 medium lime)
• 2 teaspoons chopped fresh cilantro
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 2 tablespoons olive oil

1. Preheat the grill for 10 minutes to medium high heat. Clean and season grill.
2. Cook the whole coriander and fennel seeds in a small skillet over medium heat for 1 to 2 minutes, just until fragrant. Spoon the seeds from the skillet into a spice grinder and grind to a coarse powder. Place in a small bowl and stir in the paprika, kosher salt, and cayenne pepper.
3. Lightly sprinkle the dry rub evenly over the salmon fillets and marinate 15 minutes at room temperature. Reserve any remaining rub for another use.
4. In a small saucepan melt ¼ cup of butter. Remove from the heat and add lime zest, juice, and cilantro. Season to taste with salt and freshly ground pepper.
5. Gently brush the seasoned salmon fillets with olive oil. Place on the preheated grill, skin side down and grill, without moving, for 4 minutes.
6. Using a fish or grill spatula, gently turn the fillets over and baste with lime/cilantro butter. Continue grilling, another 4 minutes. Fillets will be a beautiful medium rare. Cook a minute or two longer on both sides if you like your salmon well done. Remove the fillets from grill, baste again with the flavored butter, and serve warm.

We’re always looking for salmon recipes to try at home.  If you have a salmon recipe that you love, let us know in the comments below.

Verlasso®, the world’s first provider of harmoniously raised fish, is committed to continuous improvement in its aquaculture practices, working in concert with some of the world’s leading thinkers to sustain people, fish and the planet. Verlasso was recently recognized by Seafood International magazine as a “Best New Food of 2011”, and as a “Top Food Trend of 2012” by Specialty Food magazine.  Verlasso salmon is also available from coast to coast via retailers and restaurants and direct-to-retail partnerships. If you would like more information about Verlasso, contact us at info@verlasso.com, join us on Facebook, follow us on Twitter @VerlassoSalmon, or sign up for the Verlasso e-newsletter. 

There is an urgent need to figure out how we will increase our food supply.  Our increasing population will challenge the carrying capacity of the planet and we must learn how to expand food production without expanding agriculture’s environmental footprint.  A major session that addressed future food production was titled: How do we sustainably produce enough protein to feed the world.  I was a panelist discussing how aquaculture will be scaled up to meet future seafood demands. 

The most important thing agreed by all was that the future of aquaculture cannot depend on capturing wild fish to feed farmed fish.  This dependency ties aquaculture too closely to already overly stressed wild fish harvests.  That tie must be broken if we are to expand total fish availability.

Wild fish provide the fish oil and fish meal that are ingredients in farmed fish diets.  Traditional salmon farming, in particular, is highly dependent on wild-caught fish for fish oil that contains the omega-3s salmon require.  This results in the capture of 4 pounds of wild fish to grow 1 pound of salmon.  Reducing the dependency on captured wild fish to feed salmon is central to Verlasso’s mission and, at Verlasso, we have reduced that dependency by 75%.  That’s not where we will end; our goal is continuous improvement.  Over time, we will reduce our dependency even further to do our part to preserve wild fish. The future must be built on replenishing not depleting.

Another key question for aquaculture is the future sources of protein to feed farmed fish. Currently fish meal is one source but, just as with fish oil, we need alternatives. One of the more interesting possibilities came from an unexpected source, namely the energy industry. The emerging biofuels industry is searching for alternative ways to make our fuels. Making them with microorganisms such as algae is one way being explored.

The portion of an algal cell that is fuel, however, is small.  That leaves the question of what to do with the rest of the algae once the fuel component is gathered.  One thing is certain; it must not become waste. This is where aquaculture comes in.  The left over algae are rich in protein and could serve as a protein source for fish diets.  This seems to be an elegant solution to two problems. 

Our expanding population will create new demands for protein.  Aquaculture has an important role to play to meet the expanding demand for high-quality protein.  If we focus on replenishing and not depleting the oceans, we will play our part. The future of aquaculture must be about expanding seafood supply while eliminating the depletion of precious ocean resources.

Verlasso®, the world’s first provider of harmoniously raised fish, is committed to continuous improvement in its aquaculture practices, working in concert with some of the world’s leading thinkers to sustain people, fish and the planet. Verlasso was recently recognized by Seafood International magazine as a “Best New Food of 2011”, and as a “Top Food Trend of 2012” by Specialty Food magazine.  Verlasso salmon is also available from coast to coast via retailers and restaurants and direct-to-retail partnerships. If you would like more information about Verlasso, contact us at info@verlasso.com, join us on Facebook, follow us on Twitter @VerlassoSalmon, or sign up for the Verlasso e-newsletter. 

Ten lucky winners will receive a Verlasso Gourmet Gift Package complete with a Verlasso tote bag, apron, cedar plank, and bamboo serving utensils. 

Register now for your chance to win:  http://on.fb.me/17Xxnrl

You can taste the difference that Verlasso’s thoughtful approach to raising salmon makes. Try it at home and see for yourself.  You’ll love the taste and the fact that you’re protecting our oceans by choosing a salmon that’s raised in harmony with nature.

Verlasso®, the world’s first provider of harmoniously raised fish, is committed to continuous improvement in its aquaculture practices, working in concert with some of the world’s leading thinkers to sustain people, fish and the planet. Verlasso was recently recognized by Seafood International magazine as a “Best New Food of 2011”, and as a “Top Food Trend of 2012” by Specialty Food magazine.  Verlasso salmon is also available from coast to coast via retailers and restaurants and direct-to-retail partnerships. If you would like more information about Verlasso, contact us at info@verlasso.com, join us on Facebook, or follow us on Twitter @VerlassoSalmon.

Salmon with Pesto recipe via What’s Gaby Cooking
This pan seared salmon is one of Gaby Dalkin’s favorite dishes and while salmon is delicious without many bells and whistles, this pesto mixture is the cherry on top of a healthy and delicious dish.

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Salsa Roasted Salmon via Recipe Girl
Lori at Recipe Girl isn’t a huge “fish” eater, but when it comes to salmon she loves that it’s easy to prepare at home without “making the kitchen smell like a Fisherman’s Wharf”. Even if you’re not a huge “fish” eater, we’re sure this Salsa Roasted Salmon recipe can reel your taste buds in. 

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Buttered Crouton Salad with Avocado and Smoked Salmon  by Joy the Baker
As joy puts it, “It’s a lovely day when I can successfully keep my giant kitten away from my smoked salmon.” We couldn’t agree more, but we can’t blame cats for their exceptional taste. We would be tempted to steal a bite of this salad too!

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Salmon Teriyaki by Rasa Malaysia
It’s no secret that teriyaki is a noted Japanese cooking style and we agree with Bee’s statements that some ready-made teriyaki sauces are “laden with too much sugar, too salty, or the balance of the flavor is completely off”. That’s why we were tickled to find a recipe for home-made teriyaki sauce, which perfectly complements pan-seared salmon. 

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Corn Chip-Crusted Southwestern Salmon Cakes with Creamy Lemon Chili Sauce by Averie Cooks
Have some Fritos lying around? Then these salmon cakes are for you! As a cook, experimenting with new ingredients is always enjoyable and we applaud Averie for testing the waters. “For the record, you cannot taste the Fritos.” – Averie 

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OVERVIEW

• Salmon Meat - Flavored with Konbu seaweed then seared.  The meat is raw and cooks to medium rare when soup is poured over.
• Hizu (Ice Head Bone) - This is a jelly texture bone in the salmon head.  It does not have a distinct flavor, but it has a distinct texture. In Japan, they pickle this bone with vegetables and serve as a favorite appetizer during the New Year’s season. Chef Yuh marinates the Hizu bone with balsamic vinegar and truffle oil instead of traditional vinaigrette.
• Salmon Roe  - Marinated with sake, mirin, and soy sauce with slices of Key Lime
• Soup for Risotto – The stock is made with konbu seaweed, scallion, ginger, salmon bone, and chicken breast, and cooked for about four hours.
• Garnish - Chopped Shiso leafs, sesame seeds, fresh grated wasabi, and shredded nori serve as the garnish for this dish.

INGREDIENTS

• Verlasso Salmon - Head Jelly Bone, Salmon Roe
• Shiso Leaf
• Konbu Sea Weed
• Lime
• Sesame
• Soy Sauce
• Mirin
• Olive Oil
• Balsamic Vinegar
• Stock/soup for risotto (chicken bone, sake, konbu seaweed, scallion, ginger, salmon bone)

PREPARATION

• Prepare the soup for the risotto and cook for about four hours.
• Marinate Verlasso salmon with konbu seaweed and sear.
• Marinate salmon roe with soy based sauce and slices of key lime.
• Make a broth with sake, chicken bone, salmon bone, ginger and konbu seaweed.
• Salt head jelly bone then poach it for a minute.  Place into ice water, then marinate with vinaigrette.
• Make sesame soy sauce by mixing broth sesame seed, soy sauce and dashi together into the blender.
• Steam rice and place in bowl.
• Place sliced salmon and jelly bone over rice.
• Pour hot broth onto bowl.
• Pour spoon of salmon roe, little bit of sesame soy sauce, and lime zest into bowl.
• Put shredded nori and shiso leaf in bowl.

 We had the chance to connect with Chef Yuh to learn more about his views on sustainability and Verlasso salmon. For a complete Q&A with Chef Yah, click here. 

Why did you accept The Verlasso® Salmon Chef Challenge?
I just wanted to participate in an exciting event and see how people evaluated my dishes.

What did you create for the Challenge and what inspired the dish?
I created New Style Sakechazuke (Japanese Style Totally Salmon Rizotto).  In Japan, there is a dish called “Sakecyazuke.” This is very popular casual food - put grilled salmon over Rice with Nori, Wasabi, and some Rice crackers. Then pour hot green tea from the top and make it like risotto.

I transformed “Sakecyazuke” into an “Earth day” Version.  When I think what a chef can do for the earth and the environment, the easiest thing is to use as much of the material as possible and waste as little as possible.  That was the concept of my dish for this event.

Why did you choose to compete on behalf of the No Kid Hungry charity?
Simple.  I have two beloved kids.

What was your favorite aspect of cooking with Verlasso salmon?
Unlike Atlantic or Norwegian salmon, Verlasso does not have the unnecessarily fatty flavor. That means Verlasso fits easily into Japanese cuisine, which does not use much strong flavored sauces and herbs and puts more emphasis on the natural flavor of the materials.

Why is sustainable seafood important to you?
I believe 70 percent of all Japanese Cuisine are seafood dishes.  Therefore, it is critical not only for us but also for future chefs to have access to high quality seafood in our kitchen.  To serve great food for our guest as long as possible in future, I think it is ignorant to discuss only what is the best tasting material without discussing how we can maintain the limited ocean resources.  From this point of view, thinking  about sustainable seafood is unavoidable for a chef.

Chef Yuh was kind enough to share his recipefor you to try at home:  Click here for Chef Yuh’s Verlasso Japanese Risotto “Oyako Cyazuke.   

Bon appetit!

Each chef competed on behalf of a local charity and was tasked with creating a creative, delicious Verlasso salmon dish

Dishes were judged by a panel of peers that included Executive Chef Xavier Deshayes of the Ronald Reagan Building and International Trade Center; food and travel writer, Kate Parham; food editor of the Washington City Paper, Jessica Sidman, and food and family blogger, Bree Hester of Baked Bree. Additional chefs from D.C. and select media were on hand to taste each of the four chef created dishes.

The winner of this year’s Earth Day Verlasso Salmon Chef Challenge was Yuh Shimomura, who presented a beautiful and delicious Japanese-inspired Salmon Risotto.  In the spirit of Earth Day, Chef Yuh incorporated many parts of the salmon into his recipe, eliminating waste and maximizing the yield of the fish.

In honor of Chef Yuh’s win, Verlasso has made a donation to No Kids Hungry, a Washington D.C.-based organization dedicated to ending child hunger in America by ensuring all children get the healthy food they need, every day.

Verlasso extends a sincere thank you to all of the chefs, judges, media and attendees who supported the event. 

Verlasso®, the world’s first provider of harmoniously raised fish, is committed to continuous improvement in its aquaculture practices, working in concert with some of the world’s leading thinkers to sustain people, fish and the planet. Verlasso was recently recognized by Seafood International magazine as a “Best New Food of 2011”, and as a “Top Food Trend of 2012” by Specialty Food magazine.  Verlasso salmon is also available from coast to coast via retailers and restaurants and direct-to-retail partnerships. If you would like more information about Verlasso, contact us at info@verlasso.com, join us on Facebook, or follow us on Twitter @VerlassoSalmon.

The experts: The self-proclaimed wine nerds at Mondo Vino in Denver

The credentials: Mondo Vino was founded in 1999 by sommelier Duey Kratzer. The elegant liquor store was one of the first of a new wave of shops and restaurants to revitalize Highland Square in Denver, and it has attracted throngs of customers with an upscale but accessible selection of beer, wine and spirits, and a staff that recognizes faces and is quick with a suggestion.

Wine recommendation:  Castelfeder Schiava (Alto Adige, Italy) $16 A prime example of how beautiful the wines of Alto Adige can be, this Schiava is a tremendous value and has become a staple at Mondo Vino. We often call this wine the wilder, rambunctious little sister of Pinot Noir, having a similar weight/acidity but with more spice, herb, bramble and pretty current notes. Simply gorgeous in the glass, it’s less serious than most Pinot Noir, more fun and absolutely fantastic with heavier fish courses.

Marcel Lapierre, Morgon Cru Beaujolais (Burgundy, France) $28 A leader not only in Beaujolais, but also in the natural wine making world, Marcel Lapierre’s wines are incredible in representing terrior, vintage, and purity of fruit through minimal winemaker intervention. In letting nature take center stage, these wines have the depth and character of the Premier and Grand Cru bottlings further north in Burgundy, but with a price tag that is a fraction thereof. Although 2010 was Marcel’s last vintage (he passed away soon after), his son Hubert has taken the torch and carries the label forward today. The 2011 Lapierre is currently on the shelf, and is nothing short of stunning.

Recommended salmon preparation: Pair the Schiafa with a slow baked filet of salmon, with herbs and Ligurian olive oil, wrapped in speck, served over saffron rice would be a lovely pairing here.  Or, pair the Lapierre with simple preparations. A picnic basket filled with smoked salmon, an assortment of washed rind cheeses, a small baguette and a bottle of Lapierre Morgon will yield a tremendous amount of joy!

Learn more:
www.mondovino.net
Facebook.com/MondoVinoDenver