Submitted Recipes: Bluefish

News & Tips: Submitted Recipes: Bluefish

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Bluefish Salad (like tuna salad)

Posted By: Gary Makely   

Ingredients

  • 1-2 lbs Skinless Bluefish Filets (prepared as instructed below)  
  • 2 Hard Boiled Eggs (cooled and chopped)  
  • 1 Tbs Yellow Mustard  
  • 1/3 Cup Mayonaise  
  • 2 Tbs Sweet Relish  
  • 1 small onion (finely chopped)  
  • 1/2 tsp Lemon Juice  
  • 1 tsp Parsley  
  • 1/4 tsp Dill  Salt and Pepper to Taste

Directions  

Making the Salad: Prepare the bluefish as outlined below. Once your bluefish has been prepared, take the cooled steamed bluefish and flake it in a bowl with a fork. Add the Eggs, Mustard, Relish, Onion, Parsley, Dill and Lemon Juice. Stir gently so as not to break up the fish flakes. Add 1/2 the Mayo and stir. Continue to add Mayo a tablespoon at a time until the desired consistency is achieved. Salt and Pepper to taste.

Although this can be served immediately, the flavor and texture is greatly improved if you chill it in the refrigerator for several hours before serving. Serve on a bed of lettuce, with crackers or on a sandwich. Goes great with Bluefish Chowder (see my Bluefish Chowder recipe).

Preparation: First off, the preparation is very important when it comes to Bluefish. Just under the skin there is a layer of dark redish -brownish meat that has a very strong taste. Removing this layer greatly enhances the flavor of bluefish.

To accomplish this, I filet the bluefish, skin the filet and then using a verey sharp knife, I remove as much of this dark meat as possible (it is not essential to get it all, just try to get most of it).

Put about 1/4" - 1/2" of water in a pan and bring it to a boil. Place the thawed filets in the pan cover and simmer/steam for about 3-5 minutes (until the flesh flakes easily with a fork). Drain off the broth (save it for the next time you make chowder) and refrigerate the steamed fish. Once you have prepared and cooled the bluefish, you can use it as a substitute in any recipe calling for canned tuna. This works GREAT in casseroles and especially in fish salad. Use your favoriate tunafish recipe and subtitute bluefish next time. You will not be disappointed.


Bluefish Chowder

Posted By: Gary Makely   

Ingredients

  • 1-2 lbs of boneless skinless bluefish filets  
  • 1 pint half and half (or cream or evaporated milk) 
  • 1 cup of fish broth (or water)  
  • 1 small onion  
  • 1 medium potato  
  • 1 large can of mixed vegetables  
  • 1 tsp. Parsley  
  • 1/4 tsp. Dill  
  • 1 pinch of basil (optional)  
  • salt and pepper to taste  
  • 2-3 Tbs Butter

Directions  

First, I need to give credit where credit is due - the following tips and recipes came from my Father-in-law, Lee Earnhardt and my late Mother-in-law, EmmyLou.

To start, the preparation is very important when it comes to Bluefish. Just under the skin there is a layer of dark redish-brown meat that has a very strong taste. Removing this layer greatly enhances the flavor of bluefish.

 To accomplish this, I filet the bluefish, skin the filet and then remove as much of this dark meat as possible (it is not essential to get it all, just try to get most of it). If you are going to use the bluefish immediately, you are ready to go. If not, then freeze the filets in zip lock bags with enough water to completely cover them (squeeze out any excess as you zip the bags closed). 

Now for the recipe: Bring the fish broth to a boil (if you do not have any fish broth, water will do). add 1 finely diced small onion and 1 diced medium potato. When the onion becomes translucent, add the parsley, dill, basil, 2-3 tablespoons of butter and a large can of mixed vegetables. When it returns to boiling, add one to two pounds of properly cleaned Bluefish filets (see above) and cover.

Allow to boil for roughly 3-5 minutes (longer if necessary - until the flesh flakes easily with a fork). Using a fork, break apart the filets and add salt and pepper to taste.

Add the Half and Half (you can substitute 2 cans of evaporated milk or a pint of heavy cream, heavy cream makes a wonderful chowder!).

 Bring the chowder back to a simmer (almost boiling but not quite).

If you want it to have a thicker consistency, take aproximately 1/2 tablespoon of cornstarch and mix it with 1/3 cup of cold water making sure that there are no lumps. Now slowly pour this mixture into the pot while stirrng the simmering chowder. As the mixture heats, it will thicken - keep stirring the chowder to prevent sticking/burning until it reaches the desired consistency.  

Variations: When you add the Bluefish filets, add any or all of your favorite seafoods - a lb. shrimp (peeled and deveined), a lg. can of crab meat, a lg. can of clams strips, a pint of oysters, a lb of scallops - it's up to you!

As you add these extra ingredients, increas the broth and half and half to keep the consistency right.