GRILLED BUTTERFISH WITH SALSA VERDE

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

 SALSA

1 bunch parsley, stems removed

1 handful of baby arugula

4 garlic cloves, peeled

2 tablespoons capers, drained and rinsed

2 salted anchovies, rinsed

1 lemon, juiced

½ cup extra-virgin olive oil

Place all ingredients except for oil in a food processor. Pulse until chunky. While processor is running, drizzle in oil. Place salsa verde in serving bowl.

FISH

12 4-ounce whole butterfish, gutted and rinsed

2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

Kosher salt to taste

Make slits in fish with a sharp knife. Rub fish with oil and season with salt. Grill for 2 minutes on each side over charcoal. Plate and drizzle with salsa verde.

This recipe can also be prepared with scup, black sea bass, or tautog.

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.

STEAMED WHOLE SCUP WITH GINGER AND SCALLIONS

Recipe courtesy of Hiro Uchida via New England Seafoodies

RECIPE

One jumbo scup. Good quality scup, or any fish for that matter, won't smell fishy and this one certainly did not!

Cut a few slits on one side and tucked in some ginger slices for aroma (if the fish smells, this really helps). A few slices are thrown inside the belly too.

You will need a steamer big enough to fit the fish.

Place a sheet of parchment paper. This will be a great help when taking out the fish when it's done. And the fish won't stick to the pot.

There goes the fish! No seasoning needed at this point. The fish is quite squeezed in here, but that's OK -- they don't usually complain.

In the meantime, heat up 1/4 cup or so of vegetable oil. Here I used the canola oil. Heat it up until it just begins to smoke.

Steamed and placed on a plate! This was a jumbo scup so I steamed it for good 10-12 minutes. You can't really over-steam a fish (to an extent) so if in doubt keep it in the pot a bit longer.

Not shown: sprinkle some green onion, scallion, chives, or something similar.

Click on the image to watch video. Pour heated oil over the fish and scallions. That sizzling sound is what you want to hear! But not really part of cooking the fish per se.

The usual soy sauce will do, but this one really does the magic! The English label says "seasoned soy sauce for seafood" but the Chinese characters above suggest that it is particularly suited for steamed fish. Some grocery stores may have it; Asian grocery stores will definitely do.

Done! No cutting fish or filleting involved and ready in no more than 30 minutes. Bones will come right off so no hassle there either. Don't forget to eat the cheeks too!

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

1. Set oven to 450 degrees.

2. 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.

3. Heat casserole dish on stovetop until sauce begins to bubble. Remove from heat.

4. Place fish in casserole dish and let marinate for 10 minutes.

5. 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.

6. Cut two diagonal slits on each side of fish. Spoon sauce into slits, and place a few chopped scallions into each slit.

7. Form a loose tent with aluminum foil over casserole dish.

8. 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.

9. Remove fish from oven and place fish on platter. Reserve steaming sauce for serving on the side.

10. 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.

11. Using two forks, separate fish from carcass. Remove and discard skeleton.

12. Scatter charred scallions, remaining cilantro, and toasted sesame seeds over fish.

13. 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.

HOW TO PREPARE A WHOLE SCUP

Courtesy of Cathy Pedtke, Eating with the Ecosystem

Cathy is our board vice president and she is also a chef and recipe developer! We asked her for some help with producing a few how to guides for the home seafood cook.

WHOLE SCUP FOR GRILLING OR BAKING

Servings: 2 Total time: 35 minutes

INGREDIENTS:

• 1 whole scup

•  0.5 lemon (fresh or preserved)

• 1 cup herbs (Use what you have: chives, thyme, rosemary, parsley or basil all work great!)

• 2-3 cloves garlic, smashed

• 2 tbsp salt

• 1 tbsp oil

  DIRECTIONS:

• Clean and scale your scup, trimming off top and side fins but leaving tail and head intact (Many fishmongers will do this step for you)

• Rub the scup inside and out with salt - use finely ground salt for best results

• Open the scup belly and fill with sliced lemon, herbs, and mashed garlic. Use a knife to cut further down the belly to make a little more room if needed.

• Press the fish closed and brush the outside with olive oil. If you’re grilling the fish, add extra oil and lightly grease the grill grate as well to prevent sticking. This is less of a problem if baking the fish. 

• To grill, lay fish on the grill grate over low heat and cook 6 to 8 minutes per side, until fish is firm and flakes easily. You can also wrap fish in a single layer of foil to make it easier to maneuver on and off the grill, but this will prevent the skin from charring and lessen the smoky flavor.

• To bake, lay fish in a baking dish and bake at 375 for 10 to 15 minutes, until the fish flakes easily.   Carefully flake meat directly off the fish bones with a fork: scup has lots of small bones, so be wary while eating. Serve with rice and steamed or grilled veggies, and top with extra lemon juice and herbs! 

TANDOORI SPICED BUTTERFISH

Recipe courtesy of chef Rizwan Ahmed, Rhode Rage Food Truck and Johnson & Wales University

RECIPE

Serves 4

 INGREDIENTS

4 Whole Butterfish, scaled & gutted

2 cups oil, to fry

For the Tandoori Spice:

2 lemons, juiced

1 tsp cumin, ground

1 tsp coriander, ground

1 tsp turmeric

1 tsp paprika

1tsp black pepper, ground

1 tsp cayenne pepper

1 tsp ginger, finely minced

1 tsp garlic, finely minced

Salt to taste

Garnish:

1 Cucumber, thinly sliced

2 spring onion, thinly sliced

2 tbsp cilantro, picked

INSTRUCTIONS

Start by mixing together all the tandoori spices with lemon juice to create a paste. Wash and pat dry fish. Make approximately 4 to 5 slits on either side of fish. Gently massage paste over fish and into slits and let marinate for an hour. Shallow fry in oil over medium heat for 2 to 3 minutes on either side. Garnish with cucumber, spring onion and cilantro.

This recipe can also be used to grill or bake the fish.

Grilled Whole Black Sea Bass and Vegetables with Charred Red Onion Vinaigrette

This recipe is courtesy of Edible Rhody magazine. Click the link below to access it.



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.