Jamaican Curried Mackerel

This recipe is from Elise Smith as part of the Massachusetts Seafood Ambassador Program led by Eating with the Ecosystem.

Time: 25 min
Serves: 4

Ingredients
· 2-3 lb whole mackerel or 3-4 fillets
· 2-3 leaves lemon verbena

For the curry:
· 1 clove garlic
· 1 inch piece of ginger
· 2 sprigs thyme
· 2 tablespoons dill
· 2 tablespoons cilantro
· ½ tablespoon all-spice
· 2-3 scallions
· 3 chives
· 2 leaves rosemary
· ½ cup special sauce (Culantro, Cilantro,  Thyme, All Spice, Garlic, Ginger, Shallot, Olive oil in a jar refrigerated for at least 2 days – keeps well in the refrigerator for a few weeks!)
· Olive oil

Directions
If Mackerel are whole – remove head behind the dorsal fin and remove tail. Cut along backbone to remove backbone and gut fish. Don’t worry too much about removing all the bones, they are easy to pull out after cooking.

Rinse well and lay fish out butterflied on a baking sheet skin side down.

Prepare the curry. Add all “curry” ingredients, including the special sauce, except olive oil, into a mortar and pestle and grind until a paste is made. Add olive oil until the paste is a consistency that is easy to spread.

Using a basting brush – baste the fish with the herb sauce generously on the meat side and let them sit for up to a half hour to marinade.  Lay a lemon verbena leaf in the center of the fish and fold the filet over onto itself.

Bake at 325 degrees F for 15 to 20 minutes. Remove from the oven and peel the skin off the top layer if you wish and serve!

These recipes are brought to you as part of the Massachusetts Seafood Ambassador program led by @eating_with_the_ecosystem. The program is made possible by funding provided by commercial fishermen of MA from permit fees at no additional cost to the fishermen via @massmarinefisheries Seafood Marketing Grant Program.

Sweet and Sour Bluefish

This recipe is from Aliya Zarei as part of the Massachusetts Seafood Ambassador Program led by Eating with the Ecosystem.

Time: 1 hour

Serves: 2

Ingredients
· 2 tablespoons chili sauce
· 2 tablespoons ketchup
· 2 tablespoons pineapple or plum sauce
· 2 tablespoons oyster sauce
· 1 tablespoon sugar
· 1 cap full of white vinegar
· Dash of light soy sauce
· 1lb fish filet, cut into bite-sized chunks (any fish would work, but today I’m using local bluefish)
· 1 teaspoon salt
· ½ cup of all-purpose flour
· About ¼ cup of oil for frying
· 1/2 medium yellow onion
· 1/2 bell pepper
· 1 red chili (optional, I just wanted more color)
· 1/2 cucumber, cubed
· About ¼ cup of pineapple chunks
· 1/2 cup water
· White pepper, to taste
· Salt, to taste

For serving:

· Jasmine rice

Directions

Mix chili sauce, ketchup, pineapple sauce, oyster sauce, sugar, white vinegar and soy sauce in a small bowl.

Season fish with salt, and coat in all-purpose flour. Fry fish in hot oil until golden. Remove fish from pan. Remove most of the frying oil, leaving only about 1 tablespoon of oil in the pan. Fry yellow onion, bell pepper and red chili until nice and aromatic. Add cucumber and pineapple, fry them a little while until there’s a little char on the veggies and fruits. Pour in the sauce mixture, let cook until simmer, and add water, bring to boil. Give it a little taste and adjust salt, white pepper and sugar to your preference. Stir fish into the sweet and sour sauce. Serve with jasmine rice!

PS. You can add cornstarch to thicken the sauce but most of the seasonings already contain thickening agents so I never find that necessary.

These recipes are brought to you as part of the Massachusetts Seafood Ambassador program led by @eating_with_the_ecosystem. The program is made possible by funding provided by commercial fishermen of MA from permit fees at no additional cost to the fishermen via @massmarinefisheries Seafood Marketing Grant Program.

Crispy Whole Fried Black Sea Bass with Easy Spicy Thai Salad

This recipe is from Aliya Zarei as part of the Massachusetts Seafood Ambassador Program led by Eating with the Ecoystem.

Time: 45 minutes

Serves: 4

Ingredients
For the fish:
· 1 whole black sea bass
· ½ cup corn starch & ½ cup rice flour (rice flour is optional but it gives nice, lighter crispy batter. If not using rice flour, increase amount of corn starch)
· Salt
· Oil for deep frying

For the Thai salad:
· Your choice of fruits/veg i.e. young papaya, cucumber, carrot, young mango. I used half of young papaya in this recipe
· Sugar (palm sugar if you have, otherwise mix brown and white sugar) - adjust according to your preference. I used one small cube of palm sugar.
· 2 cloves of garlic
· 3 hot chili peppers (or sub with pepper flakes). Feel free to reduce or increase amount accordingly
· 1 tablespoon fish sauce - adjust according to your preference
· Juice 1.5 limes - adjust according to your preference
· 1 shallot
· Your choice of herbs, such as Thai basil or Italian basil, mint, cilantro, dill
· Optional: 1 tablespoon chopped peanuts, fermented fish sauce, ½ tsp dried shrimp or anchovies

Directions

For the fish:

Score both sides of the fish (deep, all the way to the bones) - this will help fish cook evenly. Generously season with salt and then lightly coat with flour mix. Carefully slide fish into hot oil (don’t worry if the fish is slightly bigger than your pan/wok, just be sure to tilt the pan/wok and baste those uncovered areas with hot oil). Use a tong and wide/large spatula to carefully flip fish. Cook the fish for about 15-17 minutes in total or until golden and crisp.

For the Thai salad:

Julienne and thinly slice your choice of fruits/veg i.e. young papaya, cucumber, carrot, young mango etc. Use a pestle & mortar to pound sugar, garlic and pepper. Once sugar is crushed, add the rest of the ingredients and pound them together (lightly, only to bruise and release the flavors and tomato juices, we are not making a paste). If you don’t have a pestle and mortar, you can simply chop the aromatics (shallot, garlic, hot chili pepper or sub with pepper flakes) followed by mixing the seasonings (sugar, fish sauce, lime juice) before adding the veggies in and let them rest in the fridge for at least 30 minutes before serving.

Assembly:

Serve fish overtop Thai salad. Optional: sprinkle with chopped peanuts, drizzle with fermented fish sauce and dried shrimp or anchovies.

These recipes are brought to you as part of the Massachusetts Seafood Ambassador program led by @eating_with_the_ecosystem. The program is made possible by funding provided by commercial fishermen of MA from permit fees at no additional cost to the fishermen via @massmarinefisheries Seafood Marketing Grant Program.

3 Unique Smoked Mackerel 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.

Smoked Mackerel Asian Rice Bowl

Smoked Mackerel Thai Fried Rice

Smoked Mackerel Chowder

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

SHANDONG PORK AND FISH DUMPLINGS (JIAOZI) (MADE WITH MACKEREL)

Recipe courtesy of the Woks of Life. Click the button below for the recipe.



SMOKED BLUEFISH PATÉ

Recipe courtesy of chef Mike Peters, the Tasty. Click the button below for the recipe.

Photo by Holly A. Heyser



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.

FRIED FISH WITH PLANTAINS, CABBAGE SALAD, AND PICO DE GALLO

Recipe courtesy of Alba Rabe and 41ºN. Please click the button below to access the recipe.

Recipe may be applied to any kind of fish small enough to fit in a baking pan or wok. Try it with local species such as scup, herring, whiting, mackerel, sea robin, sea raven, or small black sea bass. 

FISH ESCABECHE

Recipe courtesy of Alice Rivera and 41ºN. Please click the button below to access the recipe.

Recipe may be applied to any kind of fish small enough to fit in a baking pan or wok. Try it with local species such as scup, herring, whiting, mackerel, sea robin, sea raven, or small black sea bass. 

BAKED FISH WITH TOMATO SAUCE

Recipe courtesy of Gonya Jangaba and 41ºN. Please click the button below to access the recipe.

Recipe may be applied to any kind of fish small enough to fit in a baking pan or wok. Try it with local species such as scup, herring, whiting, mackerel, sea robin, sea raven, or small black sea bass. 

WHOLE ROASTED MACKEREL WITH ROASTED FINGERLING POTATOES AND HORSERADISH CREAM

Recipe courtesy of Lisa Lofberg of Little Moss Restaurant in South Dartmouth, MA

RECIPE

Serves 4

INGREDIENTS

• 4 whole 1.5 lb Atlantic Mackerel, gutted

  2 lemons, juiced, plus lemon slices for garnish

  1lb Fingerling Potatoes

  1 cup Creme Fraiche

  1/4 cup fresh grated Horseradish Root

  1/4 cup fresh dill sprigs

  1 bunch fresh scallions, julienned

  Salt and Black Pepper to taste

INSTRUCTIONS

Preheat oven or grill to 450 F

Steam Potatoes for 15-20 min until soft to the touch.  Toss with salt and gently smash with the palm of your hand until they just begin to crack.  Drizzle with oil and arrange in 1 layer on a half sheet pan.  Roast in oven for approximately 20 minutes until golden brown and crispy

Mix Creme Fraiche with Horseradish and 1 T of the lemon juice.  Add salt to taste.

Rinse Mackerel and pat dry.  Coat in oil and liberally salt both sides of fish, as well as the inside.  Place on a pan lined with a silpat in using the oven.  If grilling, place fish in a grill friendly rack.  Squeeze half of the lemon juice onto the fish, inside and out.  Roast or grill for approximately 10 minutes.  

Place whole fish on a serving platter with potatoes.  Add additional salt, pepper and lemon juice to taste.  Sprinkle with dill, scallions & lemon slices.  Serve with Horseradish Cream.