Here are the simple steps to serving succulent, low-caloric, healthful roast fish (or grilled, if you prefer). Our tip was inspired by these photos from Eataly Chicago.

1. CHOOSE A FISH

Start with one of these varieties, which should cost around $11-12/pound. Plan on one pound per two people.

 
Have your fishmonger remove the guts and scales. See the next section, on how to pick the freshest fish.

Then, choose your aromatics.

But first, some tips on how to select the freshest fish.

Branzino with aromatics, ready to roast. Photo courtesy Eataly | Chicago.

Here’s the scoop, straight from our grandmother:

1. LOOK at the eyes. They should be clear and plumped out, not cloudy and sinking down.

2. CHECK the gills. They should look wet fresh-looking (like pulled from the water), the color red, orange or brown, depending on the fish. If they look dark brown and/or dried out, pick something else.

3. PRESS the flesh gently. If it springs back, the fish is fresh. If it leaves a permanent dent, pick something else.

4. AROMA. A fresh fish aroma is fine; a “fishy” aroma or whiff of ammonia is not.
 
What Are Aromatics?

Aromatics are herbs and vegetables that release delicious aromas and impart deep flavors into the dish.

They provide the flavor foundation in many dishes. Braises, sauces, sautés, soups, stews, stir-fries and stocks are some of the dishes that rely on aromatics.

For roasting fish, you don’t have to use one selection from every category below. We do use them all; but if you want to simplify your purchases, choose just one citrus and one herb.
 
2. PICK SOMETHING FROM THE CITRUS FAMILY

Slice it and insert it into the cavity (slice the grapefruit to fit). Buy an extra to cut into wedges for garnish.

3. PICK SOMETHING FROM THE CELERY FAMILY†

 
4. PICK A FRESH HERB

 
Save some extra sprigs for garnish.
 
†The Apiaceae family of plants is commonly known as the celery, carrot or parsley family—mostly aromatic plants. Others of the more than 3,700 species are anise, caraway, chervil, coriander/cilantro, culantro, cumin, dill, fennel, lovage and parsnip.

 
5. PICK SOMETHING FROM THE ONION FAMILY

 
6. OPTIONAL: USE WHITE WINE

If you have an open bottle with two cups of white wine you want to use up, use a baking dish instead of the baking sheet indicated below. Add the wine before the fish.

 
7. ROAST THE FISH

1. PREHEAT the oven to 400°F. Soak the entire fish in salted water for 10 minutes. Pat it dry. If the fish is particularly thick, cut three half-inch slashes on each side, no more than a half inch deep, to help the heat penetrate. Rub olive oil over the surface. Sprinkle the surface and the cavity with salt and pepper.

2. STUFF the aromatics into the cavity of the fish and transfer it to a rimmed baking sheet. You can cover the sheet with foil or parchment for easier cleanup. If you have leftover aromatics (other than the pieces for garnish), you can place them in the center of the tray and lay the fish on top.

3. ROAST the fish until the fish is just cooked through (we actually prefer ours rare), and a cooking thermometer inserted into the thickest part of the fish reads about 135°F. The skin should be crispy. Cooking time will vary based on the weight and thickness of the fish, but it will be ready to test at 30 minutes.

4. GARNISH with citrus wedges and herb sprigs and serve. While this article may be long, once you’ve done it the first time, roasting whole fish is a snap!

We first learned of Back To The Roots, an environmentally-focused start-up founded in Oakland, California by two Berkeley grads, when they sent us a Mushroom Farm two years ago. It’s a kit to grow mushrooms indoors that utilizes recycled coffee grounds.

The company has since created Water Garden, a device that sits over a fish tank and grows herbs; and Garden In A Can, their own version of herbs-in-a-can.

These are specialty products. But recently, the company launched another product that has a place in every kitchen.

It’s a delicious, whole-grain breakfast cereal, with the curiously generic name of Organic Stoneground Flakes.

They’re not exactly flakes, but shaped like tiny bowls. That adds to their charm; but whatever the shape, we love their flavor and the wholesome nutrition.

Organic Stoneground Flakes are our new favorite cereal!

Just three ingredients: organic wheat, a bit of sugar and a dash of salt.

The U.S.-grown, hard red spring wheat is 100% stoneground, the ancient milling process that preserves all the protein, fiber and flavor of the whole grain.

The cereal is non-GMO and has a whopping 40g of whole grain per serving, almost your daily requirement of 48g; along with 6g protein and 5g fiber. There’s just a pinch of salt, and a small amount of sugar that balances the flavors without tasting sweet.
 
MORE GOOD NEWS

Packaged in an easily recyclable milk carton, the “flakes” are a crunchy snack from the box, a dry cereal to top with milk or yogurt, a crunchy topping for fruit salad, an ingredient for trail mix.

An order of two 11-ounce boxes is $9.99 plus $2 shipping on the company website.

The product’s mission is to “pour it forward”: Every photo posted to Facebook.com/backtotheroots generates a donated box of Stoneground Flakes to an elementary school cafeteria.

WHY YOU NEED WHOLE GRAINS.

[1] Forget the pasta: This “mac and cheese”
substitutes better-for-you cauliflower (photos #1 and #3 © Castello Cheese).

[2] Turn cauliflower into “mac and cheese” (photo © GoodEggs.com).

[3] Havarti is also delicious on a cheese board for a snack, or with fresh and dried fruits and nuts for dessert.

Chef Michael Symon has a solution for mac and cheese lovers who want to cut back on the pasta: Substitute cauliflower for the pasta. For some time now, cauliflower “mashed potatoes” have been a favorite substitute for mashed potatoes: lower in calories, higher in nutrition.

In this recipe, Chef Symon does a vegetable-for-starch switch with macaroni.

His recipe has the creamy cheesiness of mac and cheese (Chef Symon uses used Castello Creamy Havarti), the crunchiness of the bread crumbs, extra cruciferous* vegetables in your diet and and delicious comfort food with reduced calories.

Havarti is a traditional Danish cheese type that has an official EU Protected Geographical Indication status. This means that only cheeses produced in Denmark, that conform to all specific production techniques, can be called Havarti.

Make this yummy mac and cheese tonight!

If you can’t find Havarti, substitute your favorite semi-hard cheese, such as Gruyère.
 
 
RECIPE: CAULIFLOWER MAC & CHEESE

Ingredients For 4-6 Servings

 
Preparation

1. BRING a large pot of water to a boil and add a tablespoon of salt. Add the florets to the water and cook until tender but still crisp, about 5 minutes. Drain well and pat between several layers of paper towels to dry. Set aside.

2. PREHEAT the broiler to high. While the cauliflower is cooking, heat a 2-quart Dutch oven† over medium heat. Add the cream, salt, pepper, and hot sauce to the pot and bring it to simmer. (Chef Symon used 1 teaspoon of salt and 1 teaspoon of hot sauce, but adjust the seasonings to your liking.) Reduce the cream by 1/3, about 3 minutes.

3. WHISK in the mascarpone and Havarti and stir to incorporate. When the cheese is melted and incorporated, keep the sauce at a simmer. The sauce will be slightly thickened at this point.

4. ADD the cauliflower and chives, stirring well to coat the cauliflower. Pour into an ovenproof dish; then top with the bread crumbs, sprinkling them in an even layer. Place the dish under the broiler for 2-3 minutes, until golden brown and bubbly. Remove from the broiler and let set for 5 minutes before serving.

*The highly nutritious, anti-carcinogen Brassicaceae family of vegetables is also called the cruciferous family from cruciferae, New Latin for “cross-bearing.” Their flowers consist of four petals in the shape of a cross. The family include arugula, bok choy, broccoli, Brussels sprouts, cabbage, cauliflower, collard greens, horseradish, kale, kohlrabi, mizuna, mustard, radish, rapeseed/canola, rapini (broccoli rabe), rutabaga, tatsoi and turnips. Eat up!

†Also called a French oven, a Dutch oven is a thick-walled cooking pot with a tight-fitting lid. It is usually made of cast iron. In France it is called a cocotte, the French word for casserole.

The semisoft, rindless cheese with small eyes is popular as a table cheese and a sandwich cheese. Now, get to know it as a recipe cheese.

We actually know who created havarti: Hanne Nielsen, who operated an experimental farm called Havarthigaard, north of Copenhagen, in the latter half of the 19th century. She kept it close, though; havarti was not introduced commercially until around 1920.

With its buttery aroma and flavor, the cheese was a hit. As it ages, it becomes saltier and nutty, with a slightly crumbly texture.

Havarti pairs well with beer, Chardonnay, Sauvignon Blanc and light-bodied Pinot Noir.

If you like havarti, also try Danish tilsit, also known as tilsit havarti. It’s a more intensely flavorful version of havarti, but milder than German tilsit.

We recommend that you avoid a product called cream havarti, which may sound tempting but isn’t. It’s made from ultrapasteurized milk to raise yields. The process produces more cheese, but alters the taste and texture.
 
FLAVORED HAVARTI

Havarti blends beautifully with other flavors. As a result, there’s a wealth of flavored havartis: basil, caraway, chive, coconut, cranberry, dill, garlic jalapeño and red pepper, among others.

Beyond the cheese plate, how should you serve havarti? For starters, use it instead of other cheeses in your favorite recipes.

WAYS TO USE HAVARTI

Yours free on Tuesday, May 12th. Photo
courtesy Häagen-Dazs.

Tuesday, May 12th is Free Cone Day at participating Häagen-Dazs shops, from 4-8 pm local time.

It’s a standard* size sugar cone or cake cone or small cup with your choice of ice cream, frozen yogurt or sorbet in a cup, sugar cone or cake cone.

Here’s your chance to try two of H-D’s new artisan flavors (also available at the grocer’s):

 
HÄAGEN-DAZS NEW ARTISAN COLLECTION

With flavors developed by American food artisans, the new collection includes:

And a smart idea from H-D: Guests who want to purchase items may bypass the line of people who are waiting for free scoops.
 
*H-D calls it “kiddie size.”