mahi-mahi vs dolphin

[tommy]

i've always "known" that mahi-mahi is actually dolphin. it wasn't until this morning, when someone called in on the Howard Stern radio show, to set the record straight for them, me, and presumably a lot of other ignorant people:

mahi-mahi comes from a fish sometimes called "dolphin."

the cute dolphins that we know and love, the ones who talk to us, and love us, and do cute human tricks with their flippers, are mammals, and aren't generally served at jean-georges.

is this accurate? if so, i learned something new today, and it wasn't on egullet.

[CathyL]

Welcome to the ranks of the informed. Go fish.

[Stone]

You didn't really think people were eating Flipper, did you?

I'm curious if anyone knows, would porpoise (Flipper) meat be more mammal-like or fish-like?

Edited March 26, 2003 by Stone (log)

[guajolote]

Also called dorado in Mexico.

Click for Picture

I think most restaurants/fish mongers have switched to Mahi-Mahi because of this confusion.

[tommy]

Welcome to the ranks of the informed. 

don't overestimate me.

You didn't really think people were eating Flipper, did you?

eff yeah. we eat bambi and bugs and even wylie (super-genius).

Edited March 26, 2003 by tommy (log)

[guajolote]

I'm curious if anyone knows, would porpoise (Flipper) meat be more mammal-like or fish-like?

You can buy it in Japan

It's similar to whale meat. Whale meat looks like beef.

Picture of Whale Meat

[pixelchef]

It's similar to whale meat. Whale meat looks like beef.

Picture of Whale Meat

Gotta love that happy, cute little fish sign advertising the slaughtered whale beneath it. :)

[Suzanne F]

the cute dolphins that we know and love, the ones who talk to us, and love us, and do cute human tricks with their flippers, are mammals, and aren't generally served at jean-georges.

That's only because in the early days they broke too many wine glasses, so as a species they've been banned. However, JG has been known to make an exception for ones with particularly dexterous flippers and lower-than-normal squeals.

[Stone]

It's similar to whale meat. Whale meat looks like beef.

Picture of Whale Meat

Gotta love that happy, cute little fish sign advertising the slaughtered whale beneath it. :)

Fish love being slaughtered for food.

[CathyL]

Like shmoos.

[g.johnson]

More whale meat.

A former colleague had it somewhere in Scandinavia. He compared it to beef as I recall.

[torakris]

More whale meat.

A former colleague had it somewhere in Scandinavia. He compared it to beef as I recall.

whale meat was discussed quite a while back in the Japan Forum, it has also been mentioned in a couple other places (too lazy to search! )

http://forums.egullet.org/index.php?act=ST...ST&f=19&t=5925&

Whale meat is quite popular in Japan and I have had it a couple times, it is normally served sashimi style (raw) and tastes more like beef or horse then fish.

[guajolote]

Whale meat is quite popular in Japan and I have had it a couple times, it is normally served sashimi style (raw) and tastes more like beef or horse then fish.

Tastes like horse; oh, of course

I figured you had tried it. Ever had dolphin (the mammal, not the fish)?

[torakris]

Whale meat is quite popular in Japan and I have had it a couple times, it is normally served sashimi style (raw) and tastes more like beef or horse then fish.

Tastes like horse; oh, of course

I figured you had tried it. Ever had dolphin (the mammal, not the fish)?

I have never eaten or seen for sale or even heard about being for sale the "real" dolphin or porpoise as they mentioned in the article.

[bilrus]

I'm assuming horse doens't taste like chicken.

[Wilfrid]

No it doesn't. It's dark red and quite pungent. The horse tartare at Ateneu Gastronomic in Barcelona gives you a good feel for the meat. Also readily available in butchers and restaurants in Brussels and in northern French cities like Boulogne and Lille. Recommended.

But I bet Flipper tastes like chicken.

[Adam Balic]

According to Alan Davidson's Dolphin (mammal) was once regularly on sale in Genoa in the form of a cured meat. The interesting thing about it was that it that the meat was black after curing, even when sliced thin, so it would look interesting plated up.

[EJRothman]

No it doesn't.  It's dark red and quite pungent.  The horse tartare at Ateneu Gastronomic in Barcelona gives you a good feel for the meat.  Also readily available in butchers and restaurants in Brussels and in northern French cities like Boulogne and Lille.  Recommended.

But I bet Flipper tastes like chicken.

Don't mean to get off topic (ok, yes I do), but horse seems like it would be really tough meat - horses have about as much fat as an olympic gymnist. Semms like it be better braised for hours on end than served tartare?

-Eric

[Adam Balic]

Depends on the horse. Nice fat Shetland pony should be no problem. Horse fat is used to make killer chips/frites/fries, so they must have a decent amount of it, maybe internal though. Although, no need for excess fat in tatare and if the horse is killed correctly and the meat is aged well, there should be no problem.

[Adam Balic]

Oh year I forgot: Tommy, Angel Food Cake contains no Angels either. There are loads of examples like this, confusing though isn't it.

[bigbear]

..... Angel Food Cake contains no Angels either. There are loads of examples like this, confusing though isn't it.

Then, when someone says that she cooks carrots and peas in the same pot, I should ask for an explanation?

[nightscotsman]

Oh year I forgot: Tommy, Angel Food Cake contains no Angels either.

Maybe not, but I find that just a pinch of real devil in my devil's food cake adds much more depth and complexity than the artificial stuff. I don't make it very often though, since it can be time consuming and expensive to summon the Dark One every time you want to bake a cake (fresh being preferable to the extract, of course).

[nyfirepatrolchef]

so have we or have we not confirmed.....

mahi is dolphin,

flipper was a porpoise.

And wasnt it porpoise that people were all pissy at the tuna industry for snagging them in their nets too?

I knew dolphin was the food fish as opposed to being flipper.

The USNavy Submarine badge is a pair of Dolphin flanking the oncoming outline of the bow of a submarine.

[Elissa]

Welcome to the ranks of the informed.  Go fish.

don't these dolphin fish change color dramatically when you catch and pull them from the water into your boat? i think remember one off the coast of devil's island that ran through rainbow flops on deck

Edited March 29, 2003 by lissome (log)

[Brad S]

Lissime,

Yes they do change colores many times when caught.

I also heard this on Howard Stern and the caller.

Mahi mahi is not a porpuise (the mammel) it is called dolpin fish.

It's a fairly mild,sweet meaty fish.Excellent on the grill and in Asian recipes.