Grilled Striped Bass with a Mango Salsa

Recipe courtesy of Fearless Eating as part of the Massachusetts Seafood Ambassador program led by Eating with the Ecosystem. Click the button below to access recipe.

This recipe is brought to you as part of the Massachusetts Seafood Ambassador program led by @eating_with_the_ecosystem . Follow all #MASeafoodAmBASSadors @jennyshearawn @chrissytherd @fvmidnightourscallops @fearlesseating @cedarrockgardens for more ideas.

Funding provided by the proud commercial fishermen of MA from permit fees at no additional cost to the fisherman via DMF's Seafood Marketing Grant Program.

#MASeafood
#SeafoodiesNE
@massmarinefisheries
@woodsholeseagrant

7 Black Sea Bass Recipes

Recipes courtesy of Fearless Eating as part of the Massachusetts Seafood Ambassador program led by Eating with the Ecosystem. Click the button below to access recipes.

Whole Roasted Black Sea Bass

Whole Grilled Black Sea Bass

Grilled Black Sea Bass Fillets with Garden Salsa

Black Sea Bass Piccata

Black Sea Bass Chowder

Lemony Black Sea Bass Soup

Zuppa di Pesce with Black Sea Bass

These recipes are brought to you as part of the Massachusetts Seafood Ambassador program led by @eating_with_the_ecosystem . Follow all #MASeafoodAmBASSadors @jennyshearawn @chrissytherd @fvmidnightourscallops @fearlesseating @cedarrockgardens for more ideas.

Funding provided by the proud commercial fishermen of MA from permit fees at no additional cost to the fisherman via DMF's Seafood Marketing Grant Program.

#MASeafood
#SeafoodiesNE
@massmarinefisheries
@woodsholeseagrant

GRILLED BLUEFISH

Recipe courtesy of Eating with the Ecosystem from Simmering the Sea.

If you enjoy this recipe please consider buying the full cookbook to experience the full suite of recipes for all our favorite local seafood species while also supporting Eating with the Ecosystem!

RECIPE

Serves 4

INGREDIENTS

¼ cup soy sauce

¼ cup lime juice

¼ cup grapefruit juice

1 tablespoon sugar

2 tablespoons grated ginger

4 bluefish fillets, skin on, washed and patted dry

Lemon wedge

INSTRUCTIONS

Make marinade by whisking all ingredients together except for fish and lemon. Place fish in marinade, cover, and refrigerate for 2 to 3 hours. Remove fish and pat dry. Discard marinade. Grill over charcoal for 3 to 4 minutes on either side. Remove skin by slowly pulling it away from the meat, then serve bluefish with a lemon wedge.

This preparation can also be used with mackerel, herring, or other oily fish.

MACKEREL WITH TOMATO SALAD

Recipe courtesy of Eating with the Ecosystem from Simmering the Sea.

If you enjoy this recipe please consider buying the full cookbook to experience the full suite of recipes for all our favorite local seafood species while also supporting Eating with the Ecosystem!

RECIPE

Serves 4

INGREDIENTS

SALAD

1 pint cherry tomatoes, sliced in half lengthwise 

1 small red onion, thinly sliced 

½ cup pitted olives, preferably Kalamata

3 tablespoons cilantro, finely chopped 

1 lemon, juiced 

2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

FISH 

4 mackerel fillets, skin on 

Kosher salt to taste 

2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil 

INSTRUCTIONS

SALAD

Mix all ingredients together and let marinate in refrigerator for about 30 minutes. 

FISH

Season fish with salt. Add oil to a skillet or sauté pan over medium heat. Place fish skin-side down in pan and press down so fish remains flat and achieves a crispy skin. Cook for 3 to 4 minutes and flip. Cook for an additional 1 to 2 minutes. Serve over salad.

You can also prepare this dish with herring, sardines, smelt, or other small fish.

ROASTED MAHI MAHI WITH LEMON, PARSLEY, GARLIC OIL AND GARLIC SCAPES

Recipe courtesy of David Ford, one of our Eat Like a Fish Citizen Scientists

RECIPE

INGREDIENTS

• 1½ pounds fresh mahi mahi fillets

• Olive oil for baking and frying

• Sea salt and black pepper (Tellicherry preferred) to taste

• 1 bunch garlic scapes, ends trimmed

• 6 garlic cloves, minced

• 1 lemon, juiced

• 1 bunch parsley, chopped

• 1 lemon, cut in wedges

PREPARATION

1. Set oven to 450 degrees.

2. Brush fillets with olive oil on both sides. Liberally sprinkle salt and pepper on each side and rub into the flesh with the backside of a soupspoon.

3. Lightly coat a baking sheet with olive oil, and arrange fillets and garlic scapes on sheet.

4. Roast for 10 minutes, or until reaching desired doneness.

5. Meanwhile, pour enough olive oil in a pan to cover the bottom and heat until just shimmering. Add garlic and gently cook a few minutes. Do not let garlic brown. Stir in ½ of lemon juice. Remove from heat.

6. Lay roasted fillets on a serving platter. Scatter chopped parsley on fish and drizzle with remaining lemon juice. Place garlic scapes on top.

7. Serve with leftover cooking oil and lemon wedges on the side.

   Tip

   The garlic sauce is served on the side to allow spooning the desired amount on the fish when served. The garlic scapes add crunch and visual appeal to the fish. This recipe would work well for most fresh filets of fish.

SCUP POKE BOWL

Recipe courtesy of Kate Masury, Eating with the Ecosystem

I love scup its super versatile and some of my favorite ways to enjoy it are actually raw. I also love making poke bowls as a quick and easy weeknight dinner. I often hear people complain about scup having small filets and pin bones but cutting it up into small pieces for a poke bowl makes it easy to avoid any bones and the size of the filet (or how perfectly you filleted the fish) doesn't really matter. You can also substitute scup for a wide variety of other local fish such as bonito, black sea bass, fluke, or sea robin!

I typically just mix together a sauce based on what I have on hand and without measuring but here is a rough estimate for the recipe. You can adjust and add whatever flavors or toppings you like.

-Kate

RECIPE

INGREDIENTS

(feeds 2-3 people)

• 1 lb of scup fillets

• 1/4 cup of sweet onion, diced

• 1 avocado, sliced or cut into cubes

• 1 Tbs sesame oil

• 1/4 cup low sodium soy sauce

• 1/4 cup fresh squeezed clementine or orange juice

• 1/2 tps fresh grated ginger

• 1 Tbs of honey

• a dash of toasted sesame seeds

• 2 green onions, chopped

• red pepper flakes to taste

• 1/2 cucumber chopped

• a handful of wonton crisps

• spicy mayo (mix together sriracha and mayo to your preferred spice level)

• 1 cup of uncooked rice (cook according to instructions on bag)

INSTRUCTIONS

Cook your rice according to instructions on bag. Set aside and let cool while you prepare your fish. (Leave the lid on so its warm but not hot when you go to eat it).

Skin the scup fillets. Cut out the darker colored meat along the center where the pin bones are. Cut fillet up into small bite size pieces and place in a bowl.

In a separate bowl, mix together diced onion, sesame oil, soy sauce, citrus juice, grated ginger, honey, and red pepper flakes. Stir together till honey is dissolved.

Add fish to the sauce, stir, and refrigerate for about 20 minutes.

Assemble bowl: add rice, spoon fish and sauce mixture on top, add avocado, cucumber, wontons, a dash of sesame seeds, spoon on spicy mayo, and sprinkle with green onions.

Enjoy!

SCUP CRUDO

Recipe courtesy of Eating with the Ecosystem from Simmering the Sea.

If you enjoy this recipe please consider buying the full cookbook to experience the full suite of recipes for all our favorite local seafood species while also supporting Eating with the Ecosystem!

RECIPE

Serves 4

INGREDIENTS

FISH

2 scup, filleted and skin removed 

¼ cup salt

VINAIGRETTE 

¼ english cucumber, thinly sliced 

2 radishes, thinly sliced 

1 jalapeño pepper, diced and seeds removed 

1 spring onion, thinly sliced 

2 tablespoons cilantro, finely chopped 

1 lime, juiced 

2 tablespoons olive oil 

Salt to taste

INSTRUCTIONS

FISH

Rinse under cold running water and pat dry. Sprinkle salt on both sides. Let rest in refrigerator for 8 to 10 minutes. Rinse in a bowl of ice water. Pat dry. Thinly slice each fillet on a bias (45° angle). 

VINAIGRETTE

Neatly line plate with cucumber slices. Place sliced fish fillets on top. Mix radishes, pepper, spring onion, cilantro, and lime juice in a bowl. Slowly whisk in olive oil. Drizzle over fish. Sprinkle with salt. 

Fluke and black sea bass can be exchanged for the scup in this recipe.

BAKED FLOUNDER WITH PANKO BREADCRUMBS

Recipe courtesy of Rizwan Ahmed for a Cook a Fish, Give a Fish class. Click the button below to access the recipe.

This recipe calls for a whole local flounder and asks you to filet it. Follow this guide to learn how to filet your flounder. You can also use already filleted fish.

SCUP WITH COCONUT AND POBLANO SAUCE AND GRILLED CUCUMBERS

SCUP WITH COCONUT AND POBLANO SAUCE AND GRILLED CUCUMBERS

courtesy of chef Andrew McQuesten, north

“Scup (porgy, sea bream, or whatever you want to call it) is a fish that is dear to me. It’s something I remember using as bait as a kid fishing with my father and uncle and as a professional chef I’ve cooked scup in a litany of ways. The main thing that impresses me with such a “lowly” fish is its versatility. Between raw applications, whole roasted, grilled, or taking filets like in this recipe and roasting them in a pan with butter, scup can hold up to most flavors and not be overpowered but also not be “fishy” (as is the common misconception). Scup will forever hold a place in my heart and because of that I am happy to share the way that we prepare it at north. Feel free to give it a try at home and also don’t be afraid to try this as a whole or raw preparation. The accompanying sauce will pair well with any version of scup, and also with a tart white wine or a bold tequila cocktail.”

— Andrew McQuesten, north

RECIPE

Drink pairing: Pair with a tart white wine (think pinot grigio) or a bold tequila cocktail.

Ingredients
2 larger scup, can be prepared filleted as per the instructions (or ask your fishmonger to fillet it), raw, or whole
1 can coconut cream
½ can coconut milk
1 tsp salt
Generous pinch of black pepper (15 turns if using a pepper grinder)
4 tsp sugar
3 poblano peppers
1 English cucumber or 3 small cucumbers
2 tbs pickle brine
2 tbs lime juice

Instructions for the fish
Filet the scup (or ask your fishmonger). Filleting scup is much like any other round fish (see our guide to filleting round fish). Start by making a cut just behind the head and going down past the gills and out through the belly. Continue by making an incision at the dorsal fin toward the head and with gentle downward pressure and using the length of your knife, slice until you reach the spine. Turn fish and slice from the tail up to the spine in the same way on the bottom of the fish. Use kitchen shears to cut through the ribs. Where the ribs meet the spine is where most of the pin bones are. Cut ribs out with a knife going toward the belly and then use tweezers to pull out the pin bones.

At this point the filet is ready to cook. Salt both flesh and skin of your filets and place skin side down on a hot grill. If using gas, once you get a good sear on the fish, turn the heat down and cook until flesh is firm. Be sure to spray your grill with nonstick to ensure you get to enjoy the skin.

Note: This dish may also be prepared with raw scup or whole roasted scup. Raw preparation: If you would like to try eating scup raw, have the skin removed and cut into any size pieces you want. Thinly sliced would be best for a chilled version of the coconut poblano sauce. Be sure to follow USDA guidelines for preparing raw fish — for example, freezing to kill parasites. Whole preparation: Have your fishmonger scale and gut your scup. Score skin with a sharp knife, and salt generously. Place on a well-oiled sheet pan and roast the fish in the oven at 450 for 10-15 minutes.

Instructions for sauce

To make the coconut poblano sauce, first put poblanos on flame and char on all sides.

Place in Tupperware with lid on to steam them. Soak in water to peel off charred skin and remove the seeds. Blend in a food processor for a few pulses until it breaks into small chunks.

Put coconut cream, coconut milk, salt, black pepper, and sugar in pot. Bring to a boil on high heat, then reduce to medium heat. Add poblanos and simmer on medium for 10 minutes. Pull off heat and let cool to room temperature. Mix in pickle juice and lime juice. Adjust as needed with salt and sugar.

Instructions for cucumbers

Halve cucumbers and grill dry, cut side down. Grill until face is charred but cucumber is not cooked all the way through. Cut into bite size portions.

Plating

Spoon coconut poblano sauce in a shallow bowl to cover the bottom. Arrange grilled cucumbers on top. Place scup filet on cucumber pieces.