When’s the last time you had seafood twice a week? We often hear people harp on the importance of eating good red meat, poultry, eggs, milk but you never really hear anyone talk about seafood... Yet, omega 3s are one of the most essential nutrients we need - a crucial building block for cell membranes especially in our brain, eyes and reproductive cells - one that our bodies cannot make.
It’s funny how the mainstream narrative has weaponized this to sell us more fish oil pills instead of telling us to include more quality seafood in our diets. The thing is… it’s easy to incorporate more seafood in your diet when it’s part of the culture. This is yet another thing the Italians have mastered. It’s beautiful how you can walk into any restaurant in Italy and order a gorgeous branzino, served with fresh lemon, herbs and generous drizzles of extra virgin olive oil. It’s baked sea bass that melts in your mouth, nourishes you deeply and leaves you feeling amazing.
Contrast this to fish oils - that far too many people are on - which are one of the biggest scams in the supplement industry. More often than not, they’re found to be rancid in the bottle itself and in the instances where they’re not you’re paying more for something that isn’t as bioavailable.
There are various different positions fatty acids can occupy. In whole seafood, EPA and DHA are found in sn-2 position. This is studied to be the most bioavailable position that our bodies can recognize and easily absorb omega 3s. But with fish oil? The processing means the EPA and DHA finds itself more in the sn-1 and sn-3 positions. This means whatever omega 3s that are in fish oil (given that they’re not rancid already) doesn't get as effectively absorbed and used by the body. And you're likely paying more for it than if you were to eat seafood!
Here are some of my favorite seafood options and what / how I usually enjoy them:
Wild Salmon
Omega-3s for Heart Health
Nothing beats a beautiful piece of wild salmon. If you’re making a filet, make sure to always sear the skin down first (gently cut through the skin as well so it doesn’t warp too much) and squeeze fresh lemon after you nail the sear. Just one serving of wild salmon gives you up to 1.6 g of omega-3s for your heart (and your brain and eyes too) and a serving of sockeye covers 71% of your daily vitamin D! Always make sure it’s wild. Farmed salmon is something I make sure to avoid. It’s simply an inferior fish, raised in conditions it was never meant to live in. If you don’t feel like cooking you can always get a piece of wild smoked salmon to include in a breakfast sandwich!
Sardines
Calcium for Stronger Bones
I love sardines. I’ll never stop saying it! We’re used to hearing that we need to drink more milk for stronger bones but nobody talks about how much calcium a simple serving of sardines give you. With it being a small fish, it’s so easy to just snack on the entire thing and bite into their crunchy bones (trust me if you’ve never had sardines before this doesn’t taste as bad as it sounds!). Being a small fish the mercury / heavy metal risk with fish is also extremely negligible (it’s really only a worry with larger fishes like tuna and predatory fish). Enjoy straight out of the tin with a squeeze of lemon and some flaky salt. Elite snack.
Red Snapper
B12 for Healthy Nerves
There’s nothing quite like a whole baked snapper!! Lemon, fresh herbs, niche extra virgin olive oil. That’s all you need. It’s a lean fish but make sure you eat it whole - this means enjoying the belly and even the head (cheek meat is elite). Also gives you a healthy amount of B12. Best enjoyed with friends & family with good white wine.
Tuna
Protein for Lean Muscle
Incredible amount of protein! With 26 g per serving, it’s the most of any fish here. Perfect if you’re in a pinch. I’d much rather have some tuna than reach for a protein shake. You could have it out of the can or even sear a yellowfin steak (rare). Only thing with tuna is I wouldn’t have it as frequently as the other fish on this list due to the mercury risk.
Oysters
Zinc for Immune Support
It’s oyster season! THE food for fertility. Just one serving gives you over 2.5x your daily zinc. Essential as we head into the colder months. A squeeze of lemon is all you really need. Divine. Make oyster sundays a ritual!
If you wanna take things up a notch and impress your friends when you host, consider adding making some oyster toppings:
Mediterranean
- Finely chopped fresh basil
- Garlic powder
- Minced garlic
- Splash of dry white wine or vermouth
- Freshly squeezed lemon juice
Asian
- Coconut aminos
- Chopped green onions
- Finely grated ginger
Lemon Herb
- Freshly squeezed lemon juice
- Finely chopped parsley or cilantro
- Garlic powder
- Drizzle of extra virgin olive oil
Mussels
Manganese for Bone Health
Huge fan of mussels. They’re easy to cook and just one serving gives you over 2.5x your daily manganese, which your body uses to strengthen your bones among other benefits. A big steaming pot with beautiful rustic sourdough on a cold fall night is one of the coziest dinners there is. Elite.
“the mussel is a fallen angel spreading its wings”
Scallops
Taurine for Fertility Support
Scallops are one of the richest sources of taurine you can eat with roughly 700 mg in a 3 oz serving. Your heart, muscles and eyes rely on taurine, and in clinical trials it gently lowered blood pressure.
If you’ve never made them, here’s a quick recipe you can follow:
Ingredients (per person):
- 1/2 lb scallops (7-8 pieces)
- Olive oil
- 2-3 tbsp butter
- 1/2 cup white wine
- Sprigs of fresh rosemary, basil
- 3-4 tbsps of parsley, finely chopped
- Salt and pepper to taste
- Minced garlic
- Lemon juice
Equipment:
- Pan
- Tongs or spatula
Method:
1. Make sure your scallops are at room temperature and patted dry with paper towels. Season liberally with salt and pepper.
2. Heat olive oil in the skillet over medium-high heat. Once hot, add the scallops, and make sure they're not touching.
3. Cook the scallops for about 1-2 minutes on one side until a golden crust forms, then flip and sear the other side for another 1-2 minutes. Remove scallops from the pan and set aside on a warm plate.
4. Reduce the heat to medium and add the butter to the same skillet. Add minced garlic and sauté until fragrant.
5. Pour in the white wine to deglaze the pan, and scrape up the fond from the pan.
6. Throw in the fresh rosemary and basil. Allow the sauce to simmer and reduce.
7. Put the scallops back in the pan, and spoon the garlic butter and wine sauce over them. Cook for a minute.
8. Squeeze fresh lemon juice on the scallops, and sprinkle chopped parsley.
Shrimp
Astaxanthin for Antioxidant Protection
Ever wondered why shrimp turn red when you cook them? It’s because of astaxanthin - an antioxidant locked inside a protein that looks grey-blue, and heat breaks that protein apart so the red comes out. A serving holds ~1.2-1.9 mg of it, along with 21 g of protein and 76% of your selenium for 100 calories. Protip: most of the pigment sits in the head and shell! Save the shells and make more stocks & stews this fall / winter.
Roe
Choline for Brain & Memory
This is one easy way to elevate your morning scrambled eggs and give you an extra hit of choline! Call it brain maxxing if you will.
Cod Liver
Vitamin D for Bones & Immunity
We’ve always been against cod liver oil for the same reason as fish oil (they’re usually rancid) but cod liver itself is amazing!! Especially so for this time of year and as it gets colder. They’re such an incredible source of Vitamin D - an ounce gives you 140% of your daily vitamin D and helps fight against Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD) which tends to plague people in the colder months of the year. Spread a spoonful of cod liver on toasted sourdough with fresh lemon and cracked black pepper!
Wakame
Iodine for Thyroid Health
These are one of the best side dishes you can get in a Japanese restaurant. A lot of us are iodine deficient and just a few grams either served alone or in your miso soup will do you (and your thyroid) a world of good!
So, take this post as a sign to start eating more seafood. Procure niche sardine cans. Grill some shrimp. Shuck oysters (raw). Bake branzino. Throw some smoked wild salmon in your breakfast sandwich. Have some clams in your pasta. Get some cod liver. Crack open a lobster claw. Sprinkle some roe over your scrambled eggs. Have some wakame on the side. Use any excuse to sear some scallops. Have more seafood!! Your brain, eyes and body will thank you for it :)
What are some of your favorite seafood recipes?
Snack Matrix
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It’s a Beautiful Analog World
❋ Soup Sunday by Ella Henry
“I actually prefer a soup that has textures and bite vs a pureed soup. Like I can’t really eat a pureed soup without a grilled cheese on the side to dip it in it just feels wrong. So obviously last week I paired my soup with an apple dijon grilled cheese, and even though this week I am making a textured soup I am still serving it with cheesy bread, idk I can’t eat a soup without a vehicle to dip it in on the side. It’s a must. Soup should always be served with a toasty piece of bread&butter&sometimes cheese.” — Ella Henry
❋ Halloween Biscuit Box by Sophie Bamford
“As ever with my mid-year biscuit boxes I’m using twists on my existing recipes to demonstrate that these recipes can be tweaked and used year-round, not just at Christmas. Honestly, I had so much fun with these boxes, I could have added even more items but there’s only so many biscuits a girl can make but feel free to expand upon them, there’s no such thing as too many biscuits. As ever I try and lean into flavours that naturally fit my theme. I’ve linked all of the recipes I used for this box and updated them where necessary.” — Sophie Bamford
❋ Kabocha & Sage Basque Cheesecake by Cèilidh [Paid Post]
“Basque cheesecake refers to a very specific style of crustless cheesecake from the Basque region of Spain. These cheesecakes are baked at high temperatures to achieve both the signature deep brown caramelized top yet impossibly silky center. During baking, the cheesecake will puff up, similarly to a soufflé, but collapse during the cooling process. Because there is no crust component, I consider these cheesecakes to be incredibly beginner-friendly, but impressive and refined, nonetheless.
This cheesecake, like the other recipes in this series, is heavily inspired by seasonal offerings, hence the kabocha and sage. Kabocha is my favorite of all the fall squashes, with a beautiful orange hue, and silky, rich texture. If you are also a kabocha fan (or are open to conversion), please check out my Kabocha Squash Soup!I’ve topped this cheesecake with a torched sugar crust, similarly to that of crème brûlée. This is entirely optional and by no means a must-do to enjoy this cheesecake! This crackled sugar crust just gives each bite a little something special for the holidays.
I have had so much fun sharing this series and am so excited to share the rest of the desserts! As always, please never hesitate to reach out with questions, comments, concerns, and photos of your creations! Happy cooking and happy fall!” — Cèilidh ꩜
❋ Bliss in a muffin by Paris Starn
“On some fall days, I would leave before the sun rose. I remember being cold, sleepy, a little bit nervous, and a lot bit lonely. After the two-subway, hour-long commute, I would be a bit more awake, heading over to the student’s lounge. Shortly before first period, a heavenly scent would waft from the cafeteria: piping hot chocolate chip muffins.
Cracking it open during first-period English, the steam would billow out, perfuming the whole room (or at least my desk). They were incredible: soft and fluffy with gooey chocolate chips. They made that morning, and every fall morning, feel a bit less cold and a lot more comforting.” — Paris Starn
❋ Bone broth recipe that mimics the fountain of youth, nourishes the interstitium, and tastes incredible by Vitally Melanie
“After rounds of recipe tweaking, I present to you one of my staple chicken broths. Some will argue it’s a bone broth, some will say it’s a meat stock. Either way, its LOADED with gelatin, medicinal herbs, hyaluronic acid, minerals, glycine, and of course, flavor :)
You’ve seen me talk about “eating your skincare”. This is the perfect recipe for that. My method includes using a leftover chicken carcass from a whole roasted chicken (along with other collagen rich chicken parts), however I will also share my chicken broth recipe that doesn’t include this step in a recipe article to come.
You can also experiment with 2x the amount of chicken feet and neck bones listed below and follow the same recipe if you are feeling ambitious, but don’t want to roast a whole chicken prior.
However, I do highly encourage using leftover carcasses, because the flavor is incredible.
It’s packed with gelatin, aka our edible age reverser.” — Vitally Melanie
❋ Creamy Mushroom Salmon in Just 15 Minutes by andrew gruel
“If I had to pick one salmon dish to sell out at my restaurant, this would be it.
Simply seared salmon. A rich mushroom cream sauce. A little Parmesan. Nothing complicated, just a few ingredients doing exactly what they’re supposed to do.
This is the kind of plate that could run you $40 to $45 at a restaurant. At home, you can make it for roughly $8 to $9 per serving, depending on where you buy your ingredients, in about 15 minutes.
The sauce tastes like you put a lot more work into it. That’s the beauty of this dish.” — andrew gruel
❋ Kitchen Project #215: Pie Crust 101 by Nicola Lamb
“Greetings and welcome to pie season!
As I’m writing this, it’s 87°F / 30°C here in the middle of a New Orleans afternoon, which by our standards means autumn has officially arrived (under 90°F in the daytime, what a treat!). Nicola has kindly invited me to a dream assignment: a multi-part series on American pie. We’ll begin here by talking all things pie crust, before moving on to a soon-to-be revealed American pie flavor exploration.
This is a bit embarrassing to admit in this particular newsletter, but I’ve always been an Anglophile. I blame my reading habits: I leapfrogged from the sundrenched world of Brian Jacques’ Redwall novels to a fervent obsession with the mysteries of Sir Arthur Conan Doyle and Dorothy Sayers. I’d never had a cream tea, pub lunch, or British-style pie, but they felt familiar to me, like old friends.” — Nicola Lamb
Rebuild your IG Algorithm (more fun links):
❋ 4 must try affogatos in Italy
❋ The amazing colors of vintage Pan Am
❋ Tarte Tatin but make it fancy
❋ Three grand soups (shoutout Andra Sitoianu)
Have an amazing week ahead!
— Rocky
❋ All our digital issues are free to peruse. Explore our latest:
❋ Winter 25/26 Coffee Table Book (Print)
❋ Explore the full WARKITCHEN archive here.
❋ Join WARKITCHEN book club here.
❋ Got an article or recipe in mind? We’d love to hear more! Please send your pitch to rocky@warkitchen.net.