The Joys of Bluefish
When I was about two years old, my favorite food wasn’t chocolate, or Cheerios, or anything else expected from a toddler. It was smoked bluefish pâté. During the summer in Massachusetts, when my parents and their friends would sit out on the patio with wine and hors d'oeuvres, I would crawl under the table and sneak off with the pâté—to devour with a spoon, out of adult sight, just me and the tub of seafood spread.
Old habits die hard, and while I'll now give that pâté the dignity of a cracker to rest on, I still have a soft spot in my heart for bluefish. Sure, it’s a bit oily, a bit less delicate than its oceanmates—but shouldn't a fish taste of the sea? I'm of the opinion that it should.
Incoming New York Times restaurant critic Sam Sifton appears to agree, singing the praises of the under-celebrated fish and offering recipes for Bluefish Dijonnaise and, much to my delight, Smoked Bluefish Pâté. Any other bluefish lovers out there? What's your favorite way to prepare it?
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15 Comments:
I like a 1 1/2 pound to 2 pound bluefish filleted and fried.
redfish at 6:56PM on 08/22/09
Screw the bluefish, and the seahorse it rode in on!
Pavlov at 7:06PM on 08/22/09
Marcella Hazan has a beautiful recipe for rosemary-roasted bluefish over olive oil and garlic-tossed potato slices. SO good.....
I Sony at 7:22PM on 08/22/09
I used to work at a restaurant where we made spicy bluefish cakes, which I always found tasty.
sammyjrae at 8:49PM on 08/22/09
I just made this last Wednesday for he first time. I made a fresh marinade using orange, lime, and lemon juice along with a little zest from all. Added some homemade Jamaican jerk seasoning and let the whole fish sit in it for an hour or two. Grilled it on a char grill. Boiled down and reduced the marinade and poured over top of the cooked fish.... It was friggen awsome.
happyeats at 9:52PM on 08/22/09
I've been eating fresh blue for years and have a super simple & tasty approach:
1. Heat a heavy enamel pan under the broiler with a bit of oil (grape-seed or canola) to stop the fish from sticking.
2. While the pan is heating, rinse rinse a fresh bluefish fillet under cold water, removing any remaining scales and bones. Pat dry with a paper towel.
3. Sprinkle with salt & pepper.
4. Dredge the fillet non-skin side first through the hot oil, and then place skin-side down in the pan.
5. Broil. (Approx 7 minutes)
That's it. If it's a fresh blue, you really don't need anything more seasoning than the fish itself.
Thomas_Traveler at 11:32PM on 08/22/09
Its got to be hours old fresh, continuously chilled, under 3lb in size and then you only need the simplest prep. We like garlic, and lemon and olive oil, roasted. If its from the freezer or been in the frig a day or more we take the fillet to oiled roasting pan, take a couple tablespoons of your favorite salsa and evenly apply to fillet. Cover with seasoned bread crumbs and bake 20 minutes at 375. Good and easy.
We also smoke bluefish. Great for Sunday brunch.
thegoch at 11:44PM on 08/22/09
A recipe well known among fishermen in New England is to clean your bluefish right after catching it, wrap it in heavy duty tinfoil, open up your automobile's engine hood, place the tinfoil on top of the radiator of your car, and drive home (approx. 45 minutes) Sounds bizarre, but people actually do it.
zaelic at 4:45AM on 08/23/09
I made some a few weeks ago. It goes great with fresh tomatoes.
gingercookiewithlime at 10:38AM on 08/23/09
I like it broiled or roasted or grilled. Very simply marinated in lemon juice, garlic, S&P, fresh thyme or rosemary and a very little EVOO. It can be a bit strong for people who don't really like fish, but then they can have all of the "total non-event" white fishes.
duncan1205 at 11:26AM on 08/23/09
My fave prep is similar, lemon juice, EVOO, fresh oregano, roasted garlic, S&P, kalamata olives, finished with feta cheese, and served on rice or roasted potatoes. A simple garden salad makes the meal.
RI Swampyankee at 9:50PM on 08/23/09
A summer favorite for me in RI is to cook chorizo and blue fish (in foil) on the grill then cut it up and mix with clams butter, white wine and garlic.
Heck Yeah
SkinnyFatty at 10:38AM on 08/24/09
I remember eating a lot of bluefish as a kid growing up in Massachusetts. I remember it as being rather oily and fishy. I'd probably enjoy it much more now, as an adult. Thanks for the reminder, I'll have to try it again.
juliebugsmama at 12:34PM on 08/24/09
Take it from an experienced fishermen who has smoked bluefish all his life, your recipe is for cooked bluefish, not smoked. Hot smoking is an entirely different process of curing the fish over low heat with lots of smoke. After several hours, there's a change in the fish that makes for an entirely different taste and texture sensation. While cooking bluefish quickly over a smoky grill might make them good, you really should try slow smoking them. I'll happily provide the recipe if anyone wants it.
Kent Island Fisherman at 9:22AM on 08/30/09
I picked up my very first hunk of it today at the market. Still trying to decide if I wanna broil it or grill it. My fish grilling skills are less then stellar.
erunuevo at 4:15AM on 09/01/09