Recipe courtesy of Edible Rhody magazine. Please click the button below to access the recipe.
This recipe would be great with scup, black sea bass, acadian redfish, or any other whole fish.
SMOKED WHITING CHOWDER
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
BRINED AND SMOKED FISH
2 whole whiting, gutted, scaled, and head removed
2 quarts water
½ cup kosher salt
½ cup light brown sugar
4 sprigs thyme
4 sprigs dill
1 pound charcoal briquettes
5 to 6 fruit tree wood chunks
Rinse fish and pat dry. Mix water, salt, sugar, and herbs. Place fish in brine and refrigerate overnight. Rinse and dry again. Place charcoal in grill to one side, and light. Once charcoal is glowing, place wood chunks over charcoal. Place fish on cooking rack on the far side of grill, so that fish are not directly above charcoal and wood chunks. Close grill lid and lightly smoke fish for 2 to 3 hours at 140°F, then increase heat to 190°F for the last hour of smoking. Remove and let fish cool.
CHOWDER
3 cups milk
2 smoked whiting
1 tablespoon butter
1 medium onion, finely chopped
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 large Idaho potato, peeled and chopped
1 cup heavy cream
1 tablespoon parsley, finely chopped
1 tablespoon finely sliced chives
Salt and pepper to taste
Place milk and smoked whiting in small saucepan over low heat and gently poach for 20 minutes. Remove from heat and let steep for 20 minutes. Remove fish and reserve milk. Once cool, remove bones and skin from fish and flake into large pieces. In a clean soup pot, melt butter over medium-low heat. Add onions and garlic and sweat until translucent. Add potatoes, poaching milk, and cream. Simmer until potatoes are soft, about 15 minutes. Season to taste. Blend in food processor until smooth. Ladle into bowls and garnish with flaked fish, parsley, and chives.
PARMESAN-ENCRUSTED SEA ROBIN
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
4 sea robins, gutted
¼ cup parmesan cheese, finely grated
½ tablespoon curry powder
½ teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons olive oil
Lime or lemon wedge for garnish
INSTRUCTIONS
Set oven to 350°F. Hold the tail of the fish with a kitchen cloth and, using a sharp knife, cut the dorsal fin away, moving toward the head. Insert kitchen shears behind the head and cut through the spine without cutting off the head. Using 2 kitchen cloths, bend the head toward the belly and pull toward the tail. As you pull you will remove skin from flesh. Discard the head and skin. Cut off belly fins using kitchen shears. Rinse each fish under cold running water and pat dry. Mix together parmesan cheese, curry powder, and salt. Set a pan over medium heat and add oil. Dredge each fish in parmesan mixture. Sear fish on both sides until golden brown, about 2 to 3 minutes. Place on a roasting rack in oven, belly side down, and roast for 5 to 8 minutes or until done (when internal temperature reaches 145°F). The fish can be served on top of fresh greens, braised lentils, or braised cauliflower.
You may substitute the sea robin with monkfish, pollock, halibut, scallops, sea raven, or sculpin.
OVEN-STEAMED WHOLE BLACK SEA BASS
courtesy of David Ford, one of our Eat Like a Fish Citizen Scientists
RECIPE
INGREDIENTS
1 whole black sea bass, about 2-3 pounds, gutted and scaled
1 cup rice wine vinegar
1 cup low-sodium soy sauce
¼ cup fish sauce
¼ cup sesame oil
¼ cup plus 2 tablespoons olive oil
2 inch piece ginger, minced
6 garlic cloves, minced
3 jalapeños, sliced
1 bunch scallions, green parts only, roughly chopped
1 bunch cilantro, chopped
2 tablespoons sesame seeds, toasted
Sea salt and black pepper (Tellicherry preferred) to taste
PREPARATION
Set oven to 450 degrees.
Make the steaming sauce. In a bowl, whisk together rice wine vinegar, soy sauce, fish sauce, sesame oil, ¼ cup olive oil, ginger, garlic, jalapeños, half of the chopped cilantro, and half of the chopped scallions. Pour into an ovenproof casserole dish. Liquid should cover the bottom at least half an inch deep.
Heat casserole dish on stovetop until sauce begins to bubble. Remove from heat.
Place fish in casserole dish and let marinate for 10 minutes.
Remove and shake of liquid. Set a rack large enough to hold fish over casserole dish. Rub rack with olive oil. Place fish on rack.
Cut two diagonal slits on each side of fish. Spoon sauce into slits, and place a few chopped scallions into each slit.
Form a loose tent with aluminum foil over casserole dish.
Steam fish in oven for 10-12 minutes. Cooking time will vary with thickness of the fish. Flesh should look opaque, there should be no pink at the bone, and there should be little resistance when flesh is probed gently with a table knife.
Remove fish from oven and place fish on platter. Reserve steaming sauce for serving on the side.
Make the topping. Place a skillet or wok over high heat and add 2 tablespoons olive oil. When oil looks hazy, add remaining scallions and toss to coat. Sprinkle lightly with salt and pepper. Stir-fry until slightly charred, about 2 minutes. Set aside for serving.
Using two forks, separate fish from carcass. Remove and discard skeleton.
Scatter charred scallions, remaining cilantro, and toasted sesame seeds over fish.
Serve steaming sauce on the side.
Tip
Check that steaming liquid does not all evaporate while in oven. Add water if needed. This recipe would work well for any small whole fish.
