Another Fresh Seafood Idea

Once passed over because of their muddy, oily taste, today’s catfish have a new image. Farm-raised, they are fed a grain diet which ensures a mild, “non-fishy” flavor. They are so mild, in fact, that they often need more seasonings than some other fish.  

Catfish are versatile and can be enjoyed in a variety of ways. Try grilling, broiling, baking, stir-frying or other favorite cooking methods. And of course there are always the traditional delicious fried catfish recipes. 

Flaky and moist, mild-flavored catfish can be substituted for most white-fleshed fish in recipes. 

A typical 3 ½-ounce serving is low in calories, fat and cholesterol and high in protein.  

Also included is our recipe for tartar sauce, which we think is just about the best.  

• 6 small catfish fillets
• 3 tablespoons margarine or butter, melted
• ½ teaspoon onion powder
• ½ teaspoon garlic powder
• ½ teaspoon salt
• ¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• ¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper
• ½ teaspoon dried thyme leaves

In small bowl, mix onion powder, garlic powder, salt, pepper, cayenne and thyme. Place fish in lightly greased baking dish. Brush tops with margarine. Sprinkle with seasoning mix. Bake at 450 F until fish flakes easily with a fork, about 6 to 8 minutes.  

Tartar Sauce:   

• ¾ cup mayonnaise
• 1 tablespoon minced onion
• ½ cup finely chopped dill pickle
• 1 tablespoon dill pickle juice
• 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
• chopped pulp from ½ lemon
• 1 tablespoon vinegar
• ¼ cup finely chopped fresh parsley

Mix all ingredients together. Chill thoroughly before serving. Makes about 1 cup.  

From: Mariner’s Menu: 30 Years of Fresh Seafood Ideas.  

Contributed by Joyce Taylor

HOW TO SELECT, HANDLE, CLEAN AND STORE SEAFOOD

Catfish products are sold by processors to institutional and retail markets. The majority of catfish products are packaged and delivered fresh (ice packed), individually quick frozen (IQF) or chill packed.

The traditional product form of processed catfish is the whole dressed fish. This is a catfish that has been headed, gutted and skinned (HGS). However, a growing percentage of sales are generated when the dressed fish is further processed into a variety of cuts or forms, including:

• regular fillets
• shank fillets (regular fillet with the belly flap or nugget removed)
• fillet strips
• nuggets (belly flaps and other fillet trim)
• steaks

During the latter part of the 1980s, specialty products made their way into the marketplace. Whole dressed catfish and fillets, coated or marinated with flavors and spices such as lemon-butter, Cajun and mesquite, can be found in the seafood section of grocery stores.

For more information, go to Carolina Classics Catfish or the Southern Regional Aquaculture Center.

Contributed by David Green

Rob Mayo (RM), President of Carolina Classics Catfish, Inc. of Ayden, NC talks with David Green (DG) about the types of products and market opportunities for North Carolina grown catfish.

DG: How long has your company been in the catfish business?

RM: We opened Carolina Classics Catfish in October 1985, 25 years ago.

DG: What type of products do you offer consumers?

RM: We sell fresh and frozen boneless catfish fillets, strips, portions, nuggets and traditional whole dressed fish. We used to sell 40 percent whole dressed fish when we first opened. Today this form makes up only 10 percent of our sales and the boneless forms make up the majority.

DG: What is your most popular product form today?

RM: We sell an “all natural” boneless fillet in Whole Foods Markets nationwide that contains no additives, no farm chemicals, and no land animal proteins in the fish feed. This is as close to organic as you get without a USDA definition for “organic fish.”

DG: What new market opportunities do you foresee for catfish in the future?

RM: The recent economic situation has shifted industry efforts away from high priced value-added products such as lobster and crabmeat stuffed catfish back to more easy-to-prepare, convenience items that give consumers the good value they look for today.

For more information on Carolina Classics Catfish, go to NC Department of Agriculture & Consumer Services Markets Division.

Contributed by David Green

Originally native to the Gulf States and the Mississippi Valley from Mexico north to Canada, the channel catfish is the most commercially important aquatic species cultured in this country.

In the wild, catfish thrive in fresh and brackish waters throughout the United States.  They inhabit large reservoirs, lakes, ponds and in sluggish streams where bottoms are sand, gravel or rubble.  They prefer clear streams but are common in muddy waters.

Catfish feed day or night near the bottom but will take some food from water surfaces.  Catfish primarily detect food with sense of taste, and taste buds are located over their entire external surface as well as inside the mouth.  In turbid waters where visibility is extremely low, taste is the primary way they find food.

According to the National Fisheries Institute, a global trade organization for seafood processors, catfish ranked fifth among the ten most popular food fish in the United States.  In 2008, there were 28 catfish producers in North Carolina with 1,944 pond acres under cultivation that produced 8.4 million pound of fish.  The retail value of catfish for a major North Carolina catfish processor was nearly $13 million, making it an important commodity to the state’s burgeoning aquaculture industry.

For more information on catfish production, go to NC Cooperative Extension.

Contributed by Barry Nash

Wahoo fish is called ONO in Hawaii. ONO means “delicious.” And its delicate, white flesh is just that—delicious.

Grilling seems to be everyone’s favorite cooking method for wahoo.

Last week, with Barry at the charcoal grill, we cooked some wahoo. Simply prepared, with a touch of fresh lime and some smoked paprika, it scored a perfect “5’ on our rating scale of 1 – 5.

• 1 ½ pounds wahoo steaks
• 3 tablespoons butter, melted
• 2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
• 1 teaspoon lime zest
• ½ tablespoon smoked paprika (Pimentón)
• ½ teaspoon salt
• ¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

In small bowl, combine butter, lime juice, zest, smoked paprika, salt and pepper.

Place fish in baking dish. Cover both sides with marinade. Cover and refrigerate 20 minutes.

Place fish in well-oiled hinged wire grill. Cook about 4 inches from heat until done on one side, about 4 to 5 minutes. Turn and repeat on other side.

Contributed by Joyce Taylor

Histamine fish poisoning accounts for one third of all seafood-borne illnesses reported in the United States.

Histamine is present in various amounts in many foods. Fresh fish at harvest, however, are virtually free of histamine, but post-harvest conditions that allow for the growth of spoilage bacteria can result in histamine formation.

Human illness occurs rapidly after ingestion of fish with elevated histamine levels and lasts from several minutes to a few hours. Symptoms include allergic-like responses such as headache, dizziness, swelling of the tongue, nausea, vomiting, diarrhea and stomach pain. Histamine fish poisoning is usually self-limiting, and recovery is complete. Sensitive individuals may need to seek medical treatment.

Histamine is produced by certain spoilage organisms through action of enzymes which converts the amino acid histidine to histamine. The disease is completely preventable by proper icing of fish at harvest and maintaining iced conditions throughout distribution and storage.

For proper icing methods, read “How to Bring Home Your Fish” or for more information on histamine fish poisoning, go to Sea Grant

Contributed by David Green

North Carolina Fisheries

Wahoo are common to the tropical and subtropical waters of the Atlantic Ocean. The top half of their body is steel blue while their bottom half is pale blue in color. They have a series of 25 to 30 irregular blackish-blue vertical bars on their sides and a large mouth with strong, finely serrated teeth.

Wahoo produce 560,000 eggs (for a 13.52 pound wahoo) to 45 millions eggs (for an 87.1 pound wahoo). The spawning seasons is usually May through October; however, wahoo are believed to spawn year-round in the tropics. Wahoo grow rapidly during their first year or two and reach maturity at two years.

Wahoo commonly attain sizes between 40 and 65 inches in length and have a life span of five or six years. This species are common in tropical waters year round but will migrate to northern latitudes during the summer season.

Wahoo are frequently found alone or in small, loosely connected groups rather than compact schools. They are voracious eaters and typically prey on mackerels, butterfishes, round herrings, scads, pompanos, porcupine fishes and flying fishes.

Wahoo in South Atlantic waters is managed by the South Atlantic Fishery Management Council, but are not regulated in the Gulf of Mexico. The population of wahoo in both the South Atlantic and the Gulf is unknown.

Atlantic wahoo has historically been a recreational fishery, but are caught commercially by longliners fishing for dolphin or other pelagic species. Commercial regulations include a trip limit of 500 pounds and a recreational limit of two wahoo per person per day.

For more detail on this species, go to http://www.nmfs.noaa.gov/fishwatch/species/atl_wahoo.htm

Contributed by Barry Nash

ANOTHER FRESH SEAFOOD IDEA

Many species of triggerfish are brightly colored with patterns of varying shapes. But the one we most commonly see from Florida to Massachusetts is the gray triggerfish.

The gray triggerfish’s firm, white meat is excellent cooked in some of your favorite ways–fried, baked, broiled and in chowders. It is also delicious when smoked.

This recipe is basic and easy.

• 2 pounds triggerfish, cut into 1-inch chunks
• 2 eggs
• 3 tablespoons water
• 1 teaspoon salt
• ½ teaspoon freshly ground white pepper
• 1 cup flour
• 1 ½ cups fresh French bread crumbs
• ¼ cup canola oil
• ¼ cup margarine or butter

In medium bowl, beat eggs with water, salt and pepper. Place flour in shallow dish. Dredge fish in flour. Dip into egg mixture and let excess drain off. Coat with bread crumbs.

Heat oil in large skillet to 375 F. Add margarine and melt. Place part of fish in skillet, being careful not to overcrowd. Cook until golden brown on one side, about 4 to 5 minutes. Turn and repeat on other side. Drain on paper towels. Repeat with remaining fish. Serves 8 to 10

From: Mariner’s Menu: 30 Years of Fresh Seafood Ideas.

Contributed by Joyce Taylor.

METHODS OF PREPARATION

“Frying” has almost become a dirty word in recent years, and much of the criticism is deserved. We know that grease-laden foods add fat and calories we do not need. But remember that our bodies need some fat. The problem is that we eat too much of it.

Obviously, frying adds some fat and calories. But many of these calories and much of the fat added to fried seafood result from improper cooking. Cooked quickly and with very little oil, fried fish and shellfish can be surprisingly light and tasteful.

The keys to good frying are proper temperature and fast cooking. The ideal temperature for frying fish is 375 F. With cooler oil, the food absorbs too much fat and the fish becomes soggy. If the oil is too hot, the fish may brown too quickly and burn. Also, most oils begin to smoke when they reach 400 F.

Oil, a combination of oil and margarine (or butter), or clarified butter can be used for frying. Most vegetable oils work fine. We almost always use oil and butter combined. If you try it, you’ll notice a significant increase in flavor.

Seafood Frying Tips:

Oil should reach 375 F before adding fish. If using a deep-fryer, check the thermostat for accuracy with a cooking thermometer. Or drop a one-inch cube of bread into the oil. It should brown in 30 to 45 seconds.

Fry only a small amount of fish at a time so that the temperature remains constant. If it drops, allow it to return to 375 F before adding the next batch.

The high temperature will quickly form a crust that will seal in the juices and prevent the food from soaking up oil.

Seafood is done when golden brown. Remove from the oil immediately and drain on paper towels. Be careful not to overcook or the food will dry out. A minute can make a difference. It’s like that steak on the grill—give it just a few more seconds and it’s overdone.

Lean, firm fish such as flounder are more suitable for frying than fatty ones. Oily fish such as salmon are too rich in flavor to fry; they will probably taste too strong.

Thin fillets and dressed fish no more than three-fourths of an inch fry better than large or thick pieces.

The term “frying” includes pan-frying, deep-frying, sautéing and stir-frying. The methods are different for each.

Almost all seafood can be fried. If you enjoy fried seafood—and most of us do—it can be part of a healthy diet. By regularly limiting the amount of fat and calories in our diet, we can occasionally select and enjoy fried fish and shellfish. As with many other things in life, moderation is the key.

From: Mariner’s Menu: 30 Years of Fresh Seafood Ideas.

Contributed by Joyce Taylor

How to Select, Handle, Clean & Store Seafood

After a successful fishing trip at the coast, you can keep your catch fresh until you get home with this simple technique. First scale, head and eviscerate your fish or fillet them so they are ready to use or freeze when you arrive at home.

Next pack dressed fish or fillets in ice or even better, superchill the catch. To do this you need an insulated cooler with a drain. Before packing the fish, make a salt-ice mixture in a separate container, using about one-half pound of salt for every five pounds of ice.

Line the cooler with 3 to 4 inches of flaked or crushed ice. Layer the fish in the cooler, covering each layer with the salt-ice mixture. Eviscerated fish should be unwrapped and the body cavities filled with ice. Dressed fish or fillets should be wrapped in heavy, clear plastic film.

When the cooler is filled, top the contents with a generous layer of ice and tightly close the lid. Also close the drain plug. Place the cooler in a cool, shady area of your car. Check your fish and ice at the end of each day. Drain off the melted ice at night and add more ice.

After you have tried superchilling, you will be able to do it without mixing the ice and salt. Adding salt to ice lowers the holding temperature below 32 degrees Fahrenheit and extends the fresh quality of fish for several days.

From: Mariner’s Menu: 30 Years of Fresh Seafood Ideas.

Contributed by David Green