I had a great weekend on the Bay this weekend and spent ample time casting a line for Bluefish off of the pier. It’s always a two-step process – catch the Spot using bloodworms, then catch the Bluefish with pieces of Spot. I caught two keeper Blues in the 14-18″ range and one about 8″ that I wasn’t about to keep.
Bluefish is very oily and can quickly go downhill the longer you keep it. Because of this, many people are not fans of eating Bluefish. Whenever I go to the local seafood purveyor, I always take a look at the Blues in the ice behind the glass and it is always a smoky grey color – very scary – I can see why some people don’t like Bluefish – they don’t eat it hours old like I do.
I had always wanted to try a version of a Chinese recipe for fish that involved steaming it with Ginger and Scallions and pouring hot Sesame oil over the top of it, so the fresh Bluefish I caught provided the opportunity. The recipe variation that I created out of necessity (didn’t have scallions) was well suited to the stronger taste of Bluefish and was a successful experiment.
I only cook one fillet at a time because my wife does not eat fish. You can multiply the ingredients for as many fillets as you will be preparing. I substituted shallot for scallion and added jalapeno to help offset the stronger taste of Bluefish. Without the seeds, the jalapenos are fairly mild and most people would tolerate it. I also modified the recipe so that the cilantro was not merely a garnish, it was minced and an integral part of the dish. The Oyster sauce was also a modification, but one that is not necessary.
I used a Gaggenau steam oven, which is the ultimate kitchen necessity, but creating your own steaming apparatus with pots and pans and a plate will also work. As always, the ingredient quantities below are approximate. Depending on the size of your fillets and your taste for the ingredients, you can sprinkle as much or little of them on top as you wish. Season to taste, as they say. The ginger, soy sauce, and sesame oil are key ingredients so I strongly recommend the inclusion of them.
Ingredients
* 1 Bluefish Fillet
* 1/4 teaspoon coarse sea salt or kosher salt
* 1/2 tablespoon minced fresh ginger
* 1/2 tablespoon minced jalapeno seeds removed (optional)
* 1/2 tablespoon minced shallot or scallion
* 1 tablespoon soy sauce
* 1 tablespoon Oyster sauce or just double the soy
* 1 tablespoon peanut oil (or vegetable oil)
* 2 teaspoons toasted sesame oil
Directions
1. Pat Bluefish dry with paper towels. Rub both sides of fillet with salt. Scatter the ginger, shallots or scallions, cilantro, and jalapeno over the top of the fish and place onto a heatproof ceramic dish.
2. Place into a bamboo steamer (or alternative) set over several inches of gently boiling water, and cover. Gently steam for 10 to 12 minutes.
3. Pour accumulated water out of the dish. Drizzle both sauces over the surface of the fish.
4. Heat peanut and sesame oils in a small skillet over medium-high heat until they begin to smoke. When the oil is hot, carefully pour on top of the Bluefish fillet. The very hot oil will cause the ingredients and water on top of the fish to pop and spatter all over – be careful. Serve immediately.
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