25/03/2015: Chefs want you to eat small fish. Here's how to do it

Cauliflower with anchovies

Last week, the Huffington Post says, a group of world-renowned chefs got together in Spain to discuss an incredibly important environmental issue: The overfishing of our oceans. Their solution? Eat small fish.

   
Around the globe, industrial fishing poses a serious threat to large fish like tuna and swordfish. Some scientists believe that if practices continue as is, the large fish population could become all but non-existent within 50 years. Numbers have already diminished significantly. A 2013 study showed that Pacific bluefin tuna, for example, has seen a population decline of 96 percent from unfished levels.
  
Addressing this pressing problem doesn't have to feel like a sacrifice, as chefs such as Ferran Adria and Grant Achatz suggested at the summit, which was organized by ocean advocacy group Oceana. Eating small fish, or 'forage fish,' like anchovies, sardines, herring and mackerel, will not only help curb the overfishing of popular large fish, but it can be totally delicious.
 

Many people simply haven't had enough exposure to these kinds of small fish, and what exposure they may have had might be misleading. Anchovies and sardines are potent, to be sure, but their bad rap isn't fair. They can pack a serious umami punch and bring a wonderful, rich quality to your dishes. If you aren't accustomed to or a fan of their strong flavor, you could start by using small quantities or by using anchovy paste, which has been called "a secret ingredient in the cook's arsenal."

Read more, and find 22 fantastic recipes HERE.

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