My Top No-Cook Fish Dishes for the In-Between Times

I revel in the togetherness and celebrations of December, the planning and feasting and clamor of family and friends at a shared table, and even the sink full of dishes that somehow takes care of itself when there’s a house-full of contented guests. But I equally cherish the in-between times where I can enjoy a low-key moment in my own kitchen. Between holidays. Between travels. Between gatherings. The lovely liminal, I call it.

As a small culinary breather to help refresh me for the next feast, I like having a no-cook, nourishing option to prepare as an easy lunch or light dinner, either for myself or to share with Arron (WAC founder + CEO) and our kids. To that end, I've hand-picked a few recipes from the WAC recipe library that lean into ready-to-eat offerings like Alaskan crab and smoked fish. 

These no-stress options aren’t just great for when you want to “take the night off.” For those of you who dine solo, you might appreciate how these recipe picks have a festive air without saddling you with a casserole dish full of leftovers that dooms you to dinner deja vu for the next week. And for those of you who have almost no downtime in these in-between times, the following recipes happen to have serious party potential, should you find yourself hosting on a whim or suddenly needing to contribute “a little something” to the table:

• Hot Smoked Salmon Flatbread with Herby Yogurt: One of the speediest recipes in our collection, owing to its simplicity. Try sprinkling on a handful of pomegranate arils to give the (store-bought) flatbread a little seasonal flair.

• A Seacuterie Board: It’s not the first time I’ve suggested a seacuterie board, and it’s certainly not the last. But if this has been on your culinary bucket list, now is your moment to shine. There’s currently a Limited Time Box available that features every smoked offering we have on our roster, giving you all the wild-caught goodies you need to make a salty little snack plate for yourself (or an all-out holiday spread).

• Red King Crab Legs & Claws: Is this a recipe? No, it’s just crab! But this option is a shortcut to effortless epicurean bliss, whether you’re steaming up a single leg segment as a treat or preparing a platter to share (perhaps to serve with this no-cook dipping sauce). Plus, red king crab’s gargantuan proportions make it the most decadent, dramatic Member Special that we have on deck right now. Seems like the perfect stocking stuffer, no?

• Spot Prawn Cocktail: This one requires some very gentle cooking — simply pour boiling water over peeled spot prawns, and allow them to steep ‘til perfectly plump and cooked through. This poaching process results in the best shrimp cocktail (yes, spot prawns are shrimp!) you’ve ever had in your life. I’m going to go out on a limb and call this one a meal, as it’s not out of the realm of possibility that you’ll wind up eating more than a single serving and consider it dinner.

As a friendly reminder, make sure you tee up your next box so that it arrives in time for any holiday festivities or hunkering down that you have penciled in your calendar. We recommend ordering by Saturday, December 13th so that it arrives with plenty of time to spare before all of your end of year plans. If you have any questions whatsoever about holiday shipping, please don’t hesitate to reply to this newsletter  — one of the Member Experience team members will intercept your message and help you plan things out.

Live Wild,

Monica

Pictured above: A rustic wooden board laden with hot smoked sockeye salmon, crunchy veggies, and little pickled-y things. You can imagine scaling this spread down for a solo dinner, or scaling it up for a party with more varieties of smoked fish.