Fresh, wild salmon not always easy to come

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A fresh, wild salmon isn't always easy to come by, especially onthe East Coast.
The wait, however, may be worth it.
In season from about March through September via shipments from theNorthwest, mostly Alaska, wild salmon is being grilled, boiled andsauteed in area restaurants.
According to the seafood connoisseurs at McCormick & Schmick's,an upscale restaurant chain, wild salmon is not an ordinary fishdish.
Karen Mitchell, executive chef at McCormick & Schmick's inCherry Hill, said there are noticeable differences in taste andappearance between wild salmon and farm-raised varieties.
While farm-raised salmon typically sports a light pink or coralcoloring, its brethren caught in the wild yields a much darker huethat's closer to red. And wild salmon has a milder taste than thefarm-raised variety, which is known to be noticeably fishier.
According to McCormick & Schmick's, wild salmon swim free inthe ocean for up to six years before returning to their natalstreams. They feed on indigenous foods, such as shrimp, herring,squid, zooplankton and other marine life. Due to the way wildsalmon is caught, it also has less bruising than the farm-raisedvarieties.
Despite its appeal to many people, wild salmon is not typical ofwhat's offered in American restaurants and stores.
Ninety percent of what's sold in the United States is farmraised, said Mitchell.
Rarer still is wild ivory salmon, a white fish whose meat simplylacks the typical pigmentation. According to Mitchell, an ivorysalmon is caught an average of about one in 100. She said itscoloring is undetectable until it is cut open.
There are five species of wild salmon.
King salmon, also known as Chinook salmon, is the largest, weighingup to 100 pounds. It ranges in color from ivory to deep red and isconsidered to be rich in flavor. King salmon has a high oilcontent, making it good for a variety of cooking methods.
Sockeye salmon also is known as red salmon. It is the mostsought-after variety, according to McCormick & Schmick's,because of its rich flavor and deep red flesh. Weighing up to 7pounds and growing to almost 3 feet in length, Sockeye salmon hasthe highest content of Omega-3 fatty acids, which are known tolower levels of blood fats linked to cardiovascular disease.
Coho salmon, also called silver salmon because of its scalecoloring, weighs up to 15 pounds. It is known for its full flavor,very fine texture and consistent red meat.
Pink salmon is the smallest, but most abundant of the Pacificsalmons, weighing up to 5 pounds. It has a lighter flavor and apink flesh coloring with a milder flavor that makes it ideal forbaking and pairing with sauces.
Keta salmon or Chum salmon weighs up to 10 pounds. It has a firmtexture, a mild, delicate flavor and coloring that ranges from pinkto orange. Keta salmon is good for smoking.
Recently at McCormick & Schmick's, the menu, which changes toaccommodate what fish are available, included a Wild Ivory KingSalmon dish with baby bok choy, jasmine rice and ginger soy sauce,Macadamia Nut Crusted Wild Copper River Sockeye salmon with redpepper orzo, watercress salad and lemon grass vinaigrette, and WildCopper River King Salmon with sauteed spinach, a mixed mushroommedley and lemon-honey truffle sauce.
Blanch Swiss chard in boiling water until tender. Rinse in coldwater. Saute chard in olive oil and set aside. Saute mushrooms andonion in butter until tender and add to Swiss chard. Season andgrill (or bake) salmon. While fish is cooking, return mushrooms andchard to a hot saute pan and add garlic. Add wine and reduce byhalf. Season with salt and pepper. Place vegetable mixture incenter of each serving plate. Lay fillets on vegetables and drizzlea ring of sundried tomato oil around fish. Serves 2.
Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Cut salmon into 4 portions and rinse.Set aside while preparing pesto. Lightly coat baking dish withcooking spray. Pat fish dry with paper towels. Cut each salmonsteak in half, removing as much of the bone, cartilage and skin aspossible. Coat fillets in pesto and roast for approximately 8minutes or until fish flakes.
Meanwhile, cook orzo and spinach according to package directions.Drain pasta well. Squeeze out excess moisture from the spinach,then combine together with pasta. Stir in nutmeg, cheese andpepper, and combine with pasta. Divide into 4 plates. Place salmonportions on top of the pasta. Makes 4 servings.