Chef likes food real, flavorful

LEHI — Almost quoting the pirate captain from "Pirates of the Caribbean," Market Street Grill chef Ty Fredrickson says recipes are meant to be "guidelines rather than actual rules."

He starts with fresh fish or live clams, adds a little roasted garlic here and there, leaves out the iodine, deglazes his pans with white wine and creates wonderfully, fresh and flavorful entrees.

"We try to let the food be what it is," said Fredrickson as he shared tips with those enrolled in a cooking class at Thanksgiving Point in Lehi. "We use real stuff, real garlic, real lemon (not a garlic salt, garlic powder or bottled lemon juice)."

Fredrickson suggests buyers ask their butcher or fish-market vendor where, how and when the fish were caught and delivered.

"If they don't know, you might want to shop somewhere else," he said.

Seafood used at the Market Street Grill comes in on a dayboat, is frozen and transported the same day. Anything that arrives in Utah from the ocean not frozen is suspect, he said. "Ask them, is it line-cut? Did it come off a dayboat?"

Clams need to be alive up until they're put in a pot. If they close when tapped or take a few minutes to pop open after hitting the boiling water, they're fresh.

Farm-raised salmon is as good or better than wild salmon, Fredrickson said. "No cat food is made from farm salmon," he said.

Fredrickson said five percent of the world's halibut is consumed in Utah. It's the No. 1, No. 2, and No. 3 top seller at the Market Street Grill, but cooks at home tend to overcook and dry it out after paying top dollar for it, he said.

"Leave the skin on, the flavor's in there," he said. "Cook it in a nonstick pan with no oils, add pepper and salt, cook it five seconds per side to seal in the flavor. Then you can grill it — three minutes each side — but turn it as little as possible. Brush it with olive oil at the end."

Vegetables like asparagus and broccoli look and taste best if they're blanched rather than cooked. (Put it in boiling water for 45 seconds and then immerse in ice water.)

Parsley is cheap and can be used to add flavor, color and garnish to almost any dish.