Recipes
CARING FOR YOUR CATCH……
I never like to freeze fish – rather using what I can and giving the rest away to deserving folks. In order to store it in your freezer you may want to follow these simple guidelines:
Once you get home be sure to remove any skin from the filet with a sharp filet knife.
Always cut out the bloodline (dark red meat) and trim any belly or bones before packing away.
I am not a big fan of freezing fish with water, but some people do it.
Never freeze your tuna in water it will turn the meat.
Vacuum sealing is the best way to store and freeze your catch, but let’s face it, we all can’t afford them or don’t always have the extra time involved.
Here is what I recommend:
Once you have skinned and trimmed, cut loins or entire filet into meal sized portions.
Always wipe any excess water or blood from filets or steaks with a paper towel then individually wrap in plastic wrap, squeezing any air out before sealing completely.
For large tuna, wahoo and other game fish, cut into individual steaks or blocks that can be cut later.
It is never a bad idea to put a layer of foil over the plastic wrap to keep it tight.
After freezing allow a day to thaw in refrigerator
Before cooking, trim any freezer burned portions away with a sharp knife.
Here are some great FISH RECIPES that have worked for me…..
POKI (raw tuna salad)
This raw fish salad was something I discovered on fishing trip to Hawaii with my wife back in 1993. I think we went back to the same restaurant 3 times before they gave up the recipe. Though we never came away with a grander marlin, I can’t think of a grander way to enjoy a fresh small tuna.
Take about 2 pounds of yellowfin or blackfin and cut it into 1/4″ to ½” cubes about the size of dice. Take chunks and add to poki sauce and allow it to chill for an hour. Pour off excess liquid and serve cold in a small bowl or a bed of lettuce garnished with toasted sesame seeds and fresh seaweed for effect.
Poki Sauce
20 oz. light or low sodium soy sauce (“shoyu” in Hawaiian)
½ cup green onion finely diced (about 1 bunch).
1/3 cup chopped pickled ginger or 4 tbsp shredded ginger root
3 cloves garlic chopped fine or 1 tbsp chopped garlic from the jar
1 tbsp sesame oil
1 tbsp chili pepper paste (sambal chili) but crushed red pepper will do in a pinch
1/3 cup chopped macadamia nuts
SASHIMI
Raw Fish or sashimi – There is no better sushi than fresh tuna; always allow the fish to chill for a good 12 hours to ensure that all parasites have been killed. Cut into thin slices and dip on soy or wasabi.
While on the subject of raw fish…how about….
CEVICHE
Here is a recipe from my good friend Philip Breaux of Lake Charles
Use any firm white fish..grouper, cobia, snapper, wahoo, mako shark or tripletail. Cut into small bits about ½” x ½” and immerse in the following mixture in a large bowl. Cover and refrigerate 24 hours. The citrus juice will “cook” the fish. Best served on crackers with a cold beer.
About 2 pounds sliced fish cubes
Fresh lime or lemon juice from 4-6 lemons/limes
½ cup chopped onion
½ cup diced bell pepper
½ bunch of chopped cilantro
1/4 cup seeded and chopped jalapeno pepper
1/4 cup minced garlic
2 tbsp light soy sauce
2 tbsp Tabasco sauce
The first time I ever had ceviche was in a pool hall on Roatan Island in Honduras. It was a conch ceviche with habanero peppers. It was incredible. There for you may want to substitute Melinda’s habanero pepper sauce for the tabasco in Philip’s recipe.
HOT AND SPICY TUNA JERKY
I get asked how I like to eat my tuna all the time. I always answer, I don’t. I am sick of it. They only way I can stomach it is to make jerky out of it. It’s perfect to do with small tuna.
Remove meat from fish into quarter loins, cut out blooodline, skin and belly from the two bottom loins. Slice into 1/4-3/8 inch thick strips. Soak in marinade for 4-8 hours – (less for more tuna flavor and more longer for more jerky flavor). Dehydrate in dehydrator or in the wife’s oven on low setting with door open until firm and chewy – roughly 8 hours. Do not overdry unless you like tuna nacho chips.
Marinade (for meat from 2 small tuna)
3 sixteen ounce bottles light or low sodium soy sauce (Tamari – preferably)
1 small jar chopped garlic
1 sprig of ground ginger root (or 2-4 tbsp powdered ginger)
4 tbsp of red chili paste (Olek/Sambal – preferably)
1 tsp of liquid smoke
The chili pepper gives the best flavor. For sweetness you could also add a few ounces of pineapple juice or honey.
Mix well and let stand. After a few minutes pour into deep baking dish or large bowl. Add meat so that it is totally immersed in the marinade. Cover with plastic wrap and place in the refrigerator for 4-8 hours depending on how much flavor you want. You may have to double the marinade if you want to do more fish at one time. Dehydrate until meat is a dark brown color with a firm chewy texture. Do not over-dry. The jerky keeps for about a week. If you do not have a dehydrator use the oven. I usually put a few layers of foil on the bottom of the oven over the burners (it makes cleaning up easier). I place the strips evenly on all the racks and allow them 6-12 hours to dehydrate using a the lowest heat setting and leaving the door open.
When using the over to dehydrate be sure that the strips are long enough so that they wont slip between the rungs on the oven rack.
I always wait until my wife is gone for the day before I even attempt to do this indoors….it has a distinct odor while drying.
TERIYAKI MAHI MAHI KABOB (Dolphin)
Cut dolphin into 1 inch cubes. If smaller fish are being used cut them into 1×1 inch squares. Allow cubes to marinade for 2-6 hours. Put on kabobs and grill until cooked. Baste while cooking with a thick market teriyaki sauce. It is always a good idea to grill vegetables such as red onion, green pepper and mushrooms on kabobs at the same time. Store bought teriyaki sauce is good to use as a basting glaze but expensive as a marinade. Here is a simple marinade that works for me. The recipe is from dear old Mom.
Teriyaki Marinade
2 bottles of light soy sauce (16 oz.)
8 ounces of pineapple juice
3 tbsp of chopped garlic (from jar)
3 tbsp of chopped ginger root or powdered ginger
1 tbsp hot sauce
SESAME CRUSTED SEARED AHI (Seared yellowfin) in Wasabi Sesame Sauce
Cut tuna into 2″ steaks about 3×4 inches. Brush with sesame oil and roll into a bowl of toasted sesame seeds until both sides are evenly coated. Sear in non stick pan for 3 minutes a side on medium/high heat. Serve sliced with wasabi sauce and garnish with toasted sesame seeds and chopped green onion..
For Wasabe sauce
Mix and blend the following:
2 tablespoons wasabi powder½ cup light or low sodium soy sauce (Tamari)1/4 cup tablespoons rice wine vinegar
½ cup water
2 tbsp sesame oil
1 tsp A-1 sauce
SLICED SEARED AHI (Yellowfin tuna) with Sweet Onion Sauce
Cut tuna into 2″ steaks about 3×4 inches. Brush with oil and sear in non stick pan for 3 minutes a side on medium/high heat be sure to leave raw in the center. Pan sear tuna leaving a considerable portion raw in the center. Slice into ½ inch strips and immerse in the onion sauce for at least a half an hour. Serve cold as an appetizer.
Onion sauce
1 cup sliced onion (Peel and slice one large sweet vidalia onion- dice into 1″ strips
16 ounces of light soy sauce.
1 tbsp of celery seeds.
½ Cup A-1 sauce
1 tsp hot sauce
1/4 cup rice vinegar
1 tsp corn syrup
BLACKENED FISH WITH HOLLANDAISE SAUCE (Tuna, redfish, mako shark or amberjack)
Using 1″ thick steaks coat with melted butter and dip into a shallow bowl of any market blackening seasoning. It is never a bad idea to add a teaspoon of granulated sugar to help the seasoning to stick. Place the filets into red-hot cast iron skillet about a minute a side or until the fish begins to flake. Best done outdoors.
Hollandaise sauce.
1 stick unsalted butter
1/3 cup white wine or tarragon vinegar
3 Egg yolks
1/3 cup cold water
Juice from one lemon
1 tsp white pepper
1 tsp chopped parsley
1 tsp chopped tarragon
Melt one stick of low salt butter over low heat. Once butter is melted set aside in pan. In a second sauce pan add water, vinegar and reduce (boil) to about half. Remove from heat and add egg yolks and butter a little at a time using a wire whisk over low heat. Once mixture is thickened, add pepper, herbs and lemon juice. Continue with the wire whisk until rich and creamy sauce is formed. Pour over hot fish and serve.
GRILLED FISH (yellowfin or wahoo or mako shark)
There’s nothing to it and if you aren’t sick of grilled fish it’s the way to go!. Using any one of the quarter loins, cut longitudinally to make 1-1 ½ inch steaks. Brush with olive oil and place on hot grill about 2 minutes a side. Do not overcook the fish. I like it medium rare to raw in the for tuna. Both will start to flake as they cook.
Finish with lemon or fresh lime juice and kosher salt and fresh ground pepper.
If you want to get fancy you could try this sauce……
GRILLED FISH WITH LEMON BUTTER CAPER SAUCE (grouper, mako, amberjack, pompano, trout, redfish, snapper, wahoo or cobia)
Grill fish over hot fire until it flakes – don’t overcook it!
Lemon butter caper sauce as follows…
2 sticks of low salt butter
3 tbsp fresh cream (half/half)
½ cup chicken stock
1/3 cup dry sherry
juice from 2 lemons
1/3 cup white wine vinegar
1 bunch of chopped shallots (1 cup)
½ cup green onions
1 clove chopped garlic or tbsp of garlic from jar
2 sprigs of chopped tarragon
2 sprigs of chopped parsley
2 bay leaves
3 tbsp capers
1 tbsp whole pepper corns
1 tsp white pepper
1 tsp cayenne pepper
Sautee shallots, onions, pepper corns, capers and garlic in a half stick of melted butter until soft. Add wine vinegar, stock and sherry deglazing any residue on the side of the sauce pan. Whisk in cream and add remaining butter in cubes. Once the butter is melted add the herbs and ground pepper. Reduce under low heat for 20 minutes, stirring with the whisk. Strain the entire mixture with a strainer and add the lemon juice. Mix and serve over hot fish.
BAKED FISH WITH GARDEN VEGETABLES (Cobia, amberjack, snapper, grouper or wahoo) adapted from Sandy Herrington’s recipe.
Cut fish into 2″ to 3″ pieces place in baking dish add the following mixture and bake covered for 25 minutes. Remove covering baste with drippings and put in oven for a final 5 minutes.
About 3-5 pounds fresh white fish.
1 stick butter
1 bunch green onions
1 white onion chopped
1 green bell pepper seeded and chopped
1 clove garlic peeled and chopped
½ cup vegetable stock
salt and pepper
1 tsp cayenne pepper
Melt butter in pan add vegetables and sautee until soft. Add vegetable stock and reduce (light boil) for 5 minutes. Add fish to baking dish and add vegetable mixture on top. Cover and cook as per above.
FRIED FISH
Let’s have a fish fry….there’s noting to it.
Take any firm white fish – Trout, grouper, snapper, redfish, amberjack. Cut into nugget sized pieces and set aside. Drop a few handfuls into the wet batter remove and drop and roll in dry batter. You cab always double dip…Set aside and drop into hot grease (375-400 deg) all at once. Remove when golden brown (a minute or two)
Wet batter (in small bowl)
1 cup creole mustard (It’s got to Zatarain’s Creole Mustard)
2 eggs beaten
½ cup buttermilk or whole milk
Dry Batter (sandbox):
2-3 cups white flour
1 cup corn flour
½ cup corn starch
1 tbsp salt
1 tbsp red pepper
1 tbsp black pepper
1 tbsp garlic powder
Serve with tartar or cocktail sauce.
If you have a recipe or idea you would like to share with us send it along…we’ll give you credit and thanks!
