6 Surprising Seafood Facts You Probably Didn’t Know
You’ll see a lot of seafood when you visit the Alabama Gulf Coast, but how much do you actually know about these fishy dishes? Check out the 10 surprising and sometimes strange seafood facts below, and impress your friends and family with your new wealth of seafood information.
- Mahi Mahi used to be called dolphinfish.
They got this name not because they are related to dolphins, but because they have a tendency to swim alongside boats, the same way dolphins do. To avoid confusion, they are now more commonly known as Mahi Mahi, which is Hawaiian and literally translates to “strong-strong”. - Female blue crabs mate only once in their lives.
Their mating occurs when they are molting and in the soft shell stage. Even though they only mate once, they can spawn (release fertilized eggs) multiple times. - Crabs live in some of the most diverse environments of any sea creatures.
They can be found around volcanic vents thousands of feet below sea level and even under the ice in Antarctica. - Some schools contain millions of fish.
Fish join schools to swim more efficiently, help protect themselves from predators, and improve foraging. They are able to stay in a large group by using a sensory structure called the lateral line, which picks up vibrations in the water. The next time a friend wonders how fish stay synchronized, you can share these seafood facts. - Ahi tuna can weigh up to 300 pounds.
In rare cases, they can be even larger. The largest ahi (otherwise known as yellowfin) tuna recognized by the International Game Fish Association was over 388 pounds. - The flounder is an ambush predator.
The flat flounder buries itself in the sand of the ocean floor and lies in wait until its potential prey comes within reach.
INGREDIENTS
- 3 lemons divided use
- 1/2 cup Old Bay seasoning plus more for garnish
- 8 cloves garlic smashed
- 1 onion peeled and cut into 6 pieces
- 1 pound small Yukon gold potatoes halved
- 4 ears corn on the cob cut into 3-4 inch pieces
- 3 lobster tails
- 1 pound clams scrubbed
- 1 pound crab legs pre-cooked
- 1 pound smoked sausage cut into 1 inch pieces, kielbasa or andouille are preferred
- 1 pound shrimp peeled and deveined (leave tails on)
- 3 tablespoons butter
- 2 tablespoons chopped parsley
INSTRUCTIONS
- Cut 2 of the lemons into quarters. Slice the remaining lemon into wedges and reserve the wedges for garnish.
- Fill a large pot with 14-16 cups of water. Place the 2 quartered lemons in the water along with the Old Bay seasoning, garlic and onion. Bring to a boil.
- Add the potatoes to the pot and cook for 8 minutes.
- Add the lobster tails and cook for 5 minutes.
- Add the clams, crab, and corn, and cook for 5 minutes.
- Add the shrimp and sausage and cook for 2-3 minutes.
- Drain the seafood mixture from the pot, reserving 1 cup of the broth.
- Melt the butter in a small bowl and whisk it into the reserved broth. Pour the broth over the seafood mixture.
- Garnish with chopped parsley and lemon wedges. Sprinkle with additional Old Bay seasoning to taste, then serve immediately.
ENJOY!
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