LEMONGRASS AND GINGER DRESSED BOK CHOY WITH SPICED FLOUNDER

Courtesy of chef Andrew McQuesten, north

“Flounder in the winter months is something special in New England. It’s one of the few fish that commercially can still be harvested regularly in the colder weather. The one thing to take into consideration is that this is also ramping up for their spawning season. At the restaurant we get almost all our fish in whole and when it is spawning season that means we’re paying for all the roe sacks (egg sacks) that the fish have in them, in some cases dwarfing the size of the filets we are getting off the fish. In those cases we have to start getting creative with how to use them. In a lot of instances we can make a sauce out of them (it’s rich and delicious when seasoned with vinegar and ginger) but we also salt cure them which makes them last a considerable amount longer.”

— Andrew McQuesten, north

RECIPE

INGREDIENTS

Fish

1 pound of flounder filets (any local flounder works such as winter flounder, grey sole, yellowtail flounder, or American plaice)

Spice blend for fish (this will make enough to have on hand for other things, also great on chicken or other seafood including other fish, crab, or lobster)

Black Pepper 8 tbs

Cumin 8 tbs

Ginger 1 ½ tsp

Cayenne 1 tsp

Coriander 3 tsp

Cardamom1 tsp

Allspice 2 tsp

Clove 1/2 tsp

Cinnamon 1 tsp

Kochukaru (Korean Chili Flake) 8 tbs

Salt 4 tsp

Bok Choy Dressing

Canola Oil 1 Tbsp

Sesame Oil 1 Tbsp

Lemongrass 3 stalks, peeled and minced

Ginger 2 large knobs, peeled and minced

Garlic 6 cloves peeled and sliced thin

Sake about 8 ounces (or dry white wine)

Rice vinegar 2 ounces

Water about 8 ounces

Soy Sauce 4 ounces

Sambal 1 tsp

Brown sugar 2 tsp

Salt 1 large pinch

Baby bok choy, split and cleaned, about 1 pound (available in the winter at your local farmers market)

INSTRUCTIONS

Bok choy dressing

In a small sauce pot on medium heat add 1 tablespoon of canola (or other neutral) oil and 1 tablespoon of sesame oil. Add in your ginger, lemongrass, garlic and a pinch of salt. Once your kitchen smells like heaven, deglaze your pan with the sake. If you have any sake leftover, save it for dinner, it’ll be delicious so make sure you buy at least OK sake. The rule of thumb when it comes to cooking wines is if you wouldn’t drink it, you shouldn’t cook with it.

At this point you can add the rest of your ingredients and stir, we’re looking for the whole thing to reduce by 1/2 the volume. Once the dressing has reduced, set aside

Bok choy

Char bok choy halves in a pan on high heat. (If you don’t have good ventilation, broil in the oven instead, checking frequently to avoid total burning. See note below). Once the bok choy has a char on it, add half of the dressing to the pan and a pinch of salt. Add more dressing as needed, tasting to make sure it has enough salt.

Note: If broiling bok choy, remove it from oven and place in serving bowl. Add half the dressing and a pinch of salt and toss gently.

Flounder

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.
Place spices in a large bowl and whisk together with a fork.
Pat the flounder fillets with the spice blend.
Place flounder fillets, skin-side down, on a well-greased baking sheet and cook for about 10 minutes. Cook until thickest part of fish is 145 degrees or when flesh is firm but not falling apart.

To serve

Place bok choy down, fish filet on top and serve with scallions and a side of steamed rice.

CLASSIC BAKED HADDOCK

Recipe courtesy of chef Jeremy Sewall. Click the button below to access the recipe.

SOY-AND-HONEY-GLAZED FLUKE STEAKS

Recipe courtesy of Saveur Magazine. Click the link below to access the recipe.

JING LOU YU (CANTONESE-STYLE STEAMED SEA BASS)

Recipe courtesy of Saveur Magazine. Click on the button below to access the recipe.

GRILLED WHOLE SCUP WITH SUMMER VEGETABLES

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

scup brining

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.

PAN FRIED FISH: CHINESE WHOLE FISH RECIPE

Recipe courtesy of the Woks of Life. Click the link below to access the recipe.

This recipe is great with scup, black sea bass, tautog, acadian redfish, sea robin, or any other whole local fish.

KAREI NO KARAAGE/WHOLE DEEP-FRIED FLOUNDER

Recipe courtesy of SHIZUOKA GOURMET. Click the button below to access the recipe.

Winter Citrus Roasted Whole Black Sea Bass

Recipe courtesy of Edible Delmarva. Click the button below to access the recipe.

SALT CURED RHODE ISLAND BUTTERFISH

Video by John Lee and Kate Masury for the Fish Forward Initiative

INGREDIENTS

• Butterfish

• Salt

• Oil

INTRUCTIONS

• Gut your butterfish.

• Butterfly the butterfish and cut out spine.

• Pat dry and lightly salt butterfish.

• Cover with paper towel and place in fridge for about 24 hours (allow air to circulate, don’t place in air tight container).

• Remove butterfish from fridge. Lightly oil aluminum foil on a baking sheet.

• Move oven rack to so that it is close to the broiler. Turn broiler onto high.

• Place butterfish on baking sheet. Broil for about 7 minutes and enjoy!

Roasted Scup with Briny Herb Sauce

Recipe courtesy of Edible Boston magazine. Click the link below to access the recipe.

Photo by Michael Piazza

HOW TO BRINE BUTTERFISH

Courtesy of Hiro Uchida via New England Seafoodies

Instructions

Here is how I usually prepare Butterfish: brine and dry.

No need to fillet them (but a bit of cutting is involved), easy cooking, and best of all you can eat everything -- including all the bones! Just make sure to thoroughly grill the fish, so the bones become crunchy and easy to eat.

(1) Clean and cut open as in the first picture. Some recipe says to use 4% saltwater when cleaning; I just use the plain tap water b/c I'm lazy.

(2) Make 15% saltwater. Ex. for 1 quart of water, add about 6 ounces of salt (or if you prefer the metric system like me, add 176 grams of salt to one liter of water). Submerge the butterfish in this solution and let it sit for about 20 minutes but no more than 25 min (second picture).

(3) Pat the fish dry with a paper towel. Place them on a rack and dry them overnight. Here, I placed them inside the fridge and it worked beautifully (third picture). But the smell could be an issue. What they need is a cold and dry place. During the NE winter, maybe this can be done outside.

To cook, I prefer simple grilling. Because of its fattiness and drying process, you can't really overcook the fish (unless you burn it down, of course). As mentioned above, grill thoroughly, aim for well-done and a bit more so that all bones become crunchy, like crackers. I usually eat everything except the head. My friend ate everything including the head!

Roasted Cod with Cilantro Salsa and Cod Salad with Wheatberries, Spinach and Lime

Recipe courtesy of Heather Atwood. Click the button below to access the recipe.

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. 

Steamed Whole Fish with Black Bean Sauce

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.

GRILLED WHOLE BLUEFISH WITH CHARRED CORN & YOGURT DRESSING AND PEACH TOMATO SALAD

Recipe courtesy of Edible Rhody magazine. Please click the button below to access the recipe.

Oven-Roasted Atlantic Butterfish with Fennel and Tomato

Recipe courtesy of Saveur Magazine. Click the button below to access the recipe.

Photo Credit: Maura McEvoy

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.