Fish Tales

[Blondie]

On his bio thread I asked chopjwu12 about Northeast coastal fish. The guy knows his fish:

Here is a little fish info for ya but theres alot more trust me. In my local waters right now fluke are coming into season but they have yet again extended the size limit to 16 1/2 inches. By the way im a huge fishermen and i go at least once a week. The fishermen are being punished for the netters faults a bit unfair if you ask me. My two friends caught 54 fluke last sunday. Not one single legal fish. Weakfish are around and are quite tasty, strippers are still around the ocean side of the beach, And the ever so underrated bluefish is in full force. these are the fish you can catch off the beach by me. My feeling for the home cook for most of these fish is to keep it simple. Bake it whole light seasonings or in fillet form. Sear the skin and finish roasting it. Stripper is great on the grill and so are cocktail blues. Those are the 1/2 to 3 pound bluefish. The oils haven't developed in these fish yet. Blue fish is a great fish when done right. I find there are a few ways to get rid of its really strong taste. If your catching them use a technique called bleeding. When you cath the fish cut it throught and all the blood will come out and it wont be aloud to set in the flesh. I know it cruel but whatever. Another is soaking the fillet in buttermik for a while. The buttermilk extracts the oils. Intersting fact about bluefish too by the way. You know that saying you are what you eat. Very truew when it comes to bluefish. If bluefish are feeding on bunker, mullet and oily fish like that the bluefish will be strong and oily. But for instance when i went out to the mudhole in spetember we were hooked into 15 to 20 pound blues which by most standerds would be really oily. When we got there we noticed taht the bluefish were feeding on squid. The result of this was clean food clean fish. We had the cleanest least oily bluefish i have ever eaten. So keep that in mind you are what you eat.

David, thanks very for the info. I totally agree with keeping it simple, especially for day boat fish. Our regular preparations include grilled or blackened bass, tandoori whole sea bass, squid usually gets fried or cooked forever in a marinara sauce, lobsters mainly steamed. Porgys are in season and I'm hoping to have them whole en escabeche very soon. I'd love to have some ideas for Caribbean/South American, Thai and Indian fish dishes. I'll try the buttermilk tip.

What percentage of the fish served at the restaurant is locally caught?

And three small points about so-called fishing conservation measures (which I know neither sporties nor commercial fishermen are happy with):

1. An article in Newsday yesterday outlines a study that claims throwing back undersized fish actually contributes to evolving populations of smaller fish.

2. Contrary to popular belief, commercial fishermen don't want to fish until the stocks are depleted. They know that proper, functional conservation measures protect, not threaten, their livelihoods.

3. "Days-at-Sea", the method used to protect New England groundfish stocks seems to be the smart way to go, and most commercial fishermen agree. They are limited in the number of days they can fish, but may keep all they catch on those days. This could help alleviate the problem in item 1.

[Rachel Perlow]

I find there are a few ways to get rid of its really strong taste. If your catching them use a technique called bleeding. When you cath the fish cut it throught and all the blood will come out and it wont be aloud to set in the flesh. I know it cruel but whatever.

Actually, that sounds more like kosher slaughter, far less cruel than what I've experienced when fishing: catching fish, de-hooking, and putting in a bucket still alive and flopping, or as I've seen when bluefishing, bashing the fish on the head with a bat either till dead or till it just stops flopping.

[Jaymes]

Actually, that sounds more like kosher slaughter, far less cruel than what I've experienced when fishing: catching fish, de-hooking, and putting in a bucket still alive and flopping, or as I've seen when bluefishing, bashing the fish on the head with a bat either till dead or till it just stops flopping.

In Alaska when they pull up really big fish, like a halibut or large salmon, the fish get shot in the head.

On a busy day somewhere like Katchemak Bay, off of the Kenai Penninsula by Homer, it can sound like a war.

[Jaymes]

Oh - just had this thought. This is something that CABRALES might be interested in.

I also used to live in Panama. We went deep sea fishing fairly often. The crews of the fishing boats consisted of the skipper and one or two young male helpers. When you hauled in something (and it was just like you used to see it on TV, strapped into your swivel chair on the end of the boat) one of the boys would grab your fish, squat on the tail of the boat, immediately fillet the live fish, scrape the guts into the water to attract more fish, drop the filets into a plastic bag, mark your name on it, and then look up expectantly at you. You were supposed to indicate whether you wanted it frozen or just refrigerated, whereupon the boy tossed it into the appropriate receptacle. This entire procedure took about ten seconds. I've never seen anyone who could finish up so quickly (with the possible exception of my ex-husband, but that's another story).

This was as blazingly easy as it sounds (the fish thing; not the ex-husband thing which was not easy at all).

You'd exit the boat with your plastic bags (usually half fresh and half frozen), go home and fire up the barbie. Man....good eating.

I should add that these fishing trips began as couples' outings. Husbands and wives. But all it took was one time with the men for the wives to get together and plan subsequent fishing trips without the husbands. It turned out that deep sea fishing was grand fun (who knew?), but with the men along, the women would sit in the chair until they got something on the line, then their husband would immediately appear as if by magic, push the wife out of the way and announce, "I'll take it from here." The only acknowledgement the wife got after that was her husband saying (as he strapped himself into the chair), "Hon....bring me a beer."

We left them behind next time.

The next ten times, actually.

We figured if they wanted to go, they could plan their own damn fishing trip.

[Rachel Perlow]

As long as we're on the subject of fish... Which one am I supposed to be boycotting? I know it is Chilean Sea Bass, aka Patagonian Tooth fish (?), but are there any other name for it? If I see Sea Bass or just Bass on the menu is this the same or different fish? And is black bass, bass, or cod?

Also swordfish. I guess I'm not officially boycotting it, as I just really don't care for it and haven't ordered it in years. However, there are two reasons to not eat this fish for those who care. 1) Overfishing and 2) huge parasites.

[Jinmyo]

Jaymes, that would be funny irf it weren't true. Well, actually it's still funny anyway...

[Suzanne F]

You can get good information about "Ecologically Responsible Fish Procurement from the website of Chefs Collaborative 2000. Peter Hoffman, the chef at Savoy, is one of the big machers there.

[Blondie]

If I see Sea Bass or just Bass on the menu is this the same or different fish? And is black bass, bass, or cod?

AFAIK:

sea bass=black sea bass=black bass

porgie=scup

silver hake=whiting

red hake=ling=ling cod (hake is in the cod family)

summer flounder=fluke

weakfish=sea trout

I just came across Fishbase.org

You can search by common, market or Latin names, or by region.

[VRK]

now heres the thing with bass. There are many many members of the bass family. So say you go to a restaurant and the menu sais bass as the item. It could be anyone of the fish like striped bass, black bass, sea bass. So what you have to look for is whats in the name. Most restaurants will say what kind of bass it is for the ones that dont your waiter should know what it is. If he doesn't dont eat it LOL

[MaggieW]

Oh - just had this thought.  This is something that CABRALES might be interested in. 

I also used to live in Panama.  We went deep sea fishing fairly often.  The crews of the fishing boats consisted of the skipper and one or two young male helpers.  When you hauled in something (and it was just like you used to see it on TV, strapped into your swivel chair on the end of the boat) one of the boys would grab your fish, squat on the tail of the boat, immediately fillet the live fish, scrape the guts into the water to attract more fish, drop the filets into a plastic bag, mark your name on it, and then look up expectantly at you.  You were supposed to indicate whether you wanted it frozen or just refrigerated, whereupon the boy tossed it into the appropriate receptacle.  This entire procedure took about ten seconds.  I've never seen anyone who could finish up so quickly (with the possible exception of my ex-husband, but that's another story).

This was as blazingly easy as it sounds (the fish thing; not the ex-husband thing which was not easy at all). 

You'd exit the boat with your plastic bags (usually half fresh and half frozen), go home and fire up the barbie.  Man....good eating.

I should add that these fishing trips began as couples' outings.  Husbands and wives.  But all it took was one time with the men for the wives to get together and plan subsequent fishing trips without the husbands.  It turned out that deep sea fishing was grand fun (who knew?), but with the men along, the women would sit in the chair until they got something on the line, then their husband would immediately appear as if by magic, push the wife out of the way and announce, "I'll take it from here."  The only acknowledgement the wife got after that was her husband saying (as he strapped himself into the chair), "Hon....bring me a beer."

We left them behind next time.

The next ten times, actually.

We figured if they wanted to go, they could plan their own damn fishing trip.

Jaymes,

In posts I have read that you have lived in Panama, Hong Kong, Alaska,New Mexico, Arizona, Texas, NewYOrk, and a lot of other places. Can you tell me more about how food compares in them. Like things you learned to eat one place that you can't get in others?

Also is there any place you have not lived?

[Jaymes]

Jaymes,

In posts I have read that you have lived in Panama, Hong Kong, Alaska,New Mexico, Arizona, Texas, NewYOrk, and a lot of other places.  Can you tell me more about how food compares in them.  Like things you learned to eat one place that you can't get in others?

Also is there any place you have not lived?

I have never lived in New Jersey.

Although I once dated a boy from Nutley. Does that count?

He was a remarkable lad.

Let me just say that I never had trouble remembering the name of his hometown.

[tommy]

Although I once dated a boy from Nutley.

at the risk of being presumptuous, i have to say that i tend to think the boys are girls and the girls are boys here on egullet. i'm so confused.

[Ron Johnson]

Oh - just had this thought.  This is something that CABRALES might be interested in. 

I also used to live in Panama.  We went deep sea fishing fairly often.  The crews of the fishing boats consisted of the skipper and one or two young male helpers.  When you hauled in something (and it was just like you used to see it on TV, strapped into your swivel chair on the end of the boat) one of the boys would grab your fish, squat on the tail of the boat, immediately fillet the live fish, scrape the guts into the water to attract more fish, drop the filets into a plastic bag, mark your name on it, and then look up expectantly at you.  You were supposed to indicate whether you wanted it frozen or just refrigerated, whereupon the boy tossed it into the appropriate receptacle.  This entire procedure took about ten seconds.  I've never seen anyone who could finish up so quickly (with the possible exception of my ex-husband, but that's another story).

This was as blazingly easy as it sounds (the fish thing; not the ex-husband thing which was not easy at all). 

You'd exit the boat with your plastic bags (usually half fresh and half frozen), go home and fire up the barbie.  Man....good eating.

I should add that these fishing trips began as couples' outings.  Husbands and wives.  But all it took was one time with the men for the wives to get together and plan subsequent fishing trips without the husbands.  It turned out that deep sea fishing was grand fun (who knew?), but with the men along, the women would sit in the chair until they got something on the line, then their husband would immediately appear as if by magic, push the wife out of the way and announce, "I'll take it from here."  The only acknowledgement the wife got after that was her husband saying (as he strapped himself into the chair), "Hon....bring me a beer."

We left them behind next time.

The next ten times, actually.

We figured if they wanted to go, they could plan their own damn fishing trip.

Disgruntled housewives frustrated with their husbands charter a deep sea fishing excursion with strapping young first-mates aboard?

I think I saw this film in college.

Quite good.

[jaybee]

I've never seen anyone who could finish up so quickly (with the possible exception of my ex-husband, but that's another story).

Jaymes, I get the feeling you'd be a pisser to go drinkin with.

[col klink]

Jaymes, you never cease to amaze me.

[Jaymes]

Well! Boys!!

Thank you both very much!

[foodie52]

"Drinking with Jaymes" is actually on my list of things to do ..

Whatcha doin tonight, girl??

[Jaymes]

"Drinking with Jaymes" is actually on my list of things to do ..

Whatcha doin tonight, girl??

Can't tonight... got some bowling balls to suck.

Maybe next week. I'll post something on the Austin eGullet Get-together thread.