At The Farmers' Market: Dry Dock Fish

Edwin Goei

​Our own Das Ubergeek (or as you know him, Dave Lieberman) is a fixture at our area farmers' markets. He brings us his wonderful weekly feature "At The Farmer's Market"; but this week, it's my turn. That's not to say that Dave didn't have a hand in it. It was the Ubergeek himself who recommended I try Dry Dock Fish at the weekly Saturday UCI Farmers' Market after I asked him if he saw wild salmon at 99 Ranch after his post.

And when the Ubergeek says so, it will be good. But seafood at a farmer's market, you ask? Well why not? All a purveyor needs is plenty of ice and some good product.

Sure enough, I found wild king salmon there (along with other creatures aquatic). My specimen wasn't Alaskan, but from New Zealand -- thick, longitudinal fillets buried in chipped ice and packaged in plastic bags. The price? $12.95 per pound, which is on par with Whole Foods.

Edwin Goei

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They'll bag it up for you and pack it with a satchel of ice, which will last for about three hours if you have a particularly long trip home. My suggestion is to bring your own cooler with ice, just in case.

I sliced my haul into steaks, steamed them over a bed of sliced lemons and ate them with ponzu sauce, a dab of mayo, lemon, and sea salt, which is how Cafe Hiro used to do them.

Edwin Goei

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In addition to the Saturday UCI Farmers' Market, Dry Dock Fish is everywhere these days. Check here to see the appearances at markets all around the county.