Recipe courtesy of Saveur Magazine. Click on the button below to access the recipe.
GRILLED WHOLE SCUP WITH SUMMER VEGETABLES
Recipe courtesy of Jason Timothy for a Cook a Fish, Give a Fish class. Click the button below to access the recipe.
scup brining
PAN FRIED FISH: CHINESE WHOLE FISH RECIPE
Recipe courtesy of the Woks of Life. Click the link below to access the recipe.
This recipe is great with scup, black sea bass, tautog, acadian redfish, sea robin, or any other whole local fish.
Winter Citrus Roasted Whole Black Sea Bass
SALT CURED RHODE ISLAND BUTTERFISH
Video by John Lee and Kate Masury for the Fish Forward Initiative
INGREDIENTS
Butterfish
Salt
Oil
INTRUCTIONS
Gut your butterfish.
Butterfly the butterfish and cut out spine.
Pat dry and lightly salt butterfish.
Cover with paper towel and place in fridge for about 24 hours (allow air to circulate, don’t place in air tight container).
Remove butterfish from fridge. Lightly oil aluminum foil on a baking sheet.
Move oven rack to so that it is close to the broiler. Turn broiler onto high.
Place butterfish on baking sheet. Broil for about 7 minutes and enjoy!
Roasted Scup with Briny Herb Sauce
Recipe courtesy of Edible Boston magazine. Click the link below to access the recipe.
Photo by Michael Piazza
HOW TO BRINE BUTTERFISH
Courtesy of Hiro Uchida via New England Seafoodies
Instructions
Here is how I usually prepare Butterfish: brine and dry.
No need to fillet them (but a bit of cutting is involved), easy cooking, and best of all you can eat everything -- including all the bones! Just make sure to thoroughly grill the fish, so the bones become crunchy and easy to eat.
(1) Clean and cut open as in the first picture. Some recipe says to use 4% saltwater when cleaning; I just use the plain tap water b/c I'm lazy.
(2) Make 15% saltwater. Ex. for 1 quart of water, add about 6 ounces of salt (or if you prefer the metric system like me, add 176 grams of salt to one liter of water). Submerge the butterfish in this solution and let it sit for about 20 minutes but no more than 25 min (second picture).
(3) Pat the fish dry with a paper towel. Place them on a rack and dry them overnight. Here, I placed them inside the fridge and it worked beautifully (third picture). But the smell could be an issue. What they need is a cold and dry place. During the NE winter, maybe this can be done outside.
To cook, I prefer simple grilling. Because of its fattiness and drying process, you can't really overcook the fish (unless you burn it down, of course). As mentioned above, grill thoroughly, aim for well-done and a bit more so that all bones become crunchy, like crackers. I usually eat everything except the head. My friend ate everything including the head!
FRIED FISH WITH PLANTAINS, CABBAGE SALAD, AND PICO DE GALLO
Recipe courtesy of Alba Rabe and 41ºN. Please click the button below to access the recipe.
Recipe may be applied to any kind of fish small enough to fit in a baking pan or wok. Try it with local species such as scup, herring, whiting, mackerel, sea robin, sea raven, or small black sea bass.
FISH ESCABECHE
Recipe courtesy of Alice Rivera and 41ºN. Please click the button below to access the recipe.
Recipe may be applied to any kind of fish small enough to fit in a baking pan or wok. Try it with local species such as scup, herring, whiting, mackerel, sea robin, sea raven, or small black sea bass.
BAKED FISH WITH TOMATO SAUCE
Recipe courtesy of Gonya Jangaba and 41ºN. Please click the button below to access the recipe.
Recipe may be applied to any kind of fish small enough to fit in a baking pan or wok. Try it with local species such as scup, herring, whiting, mackerel, sea robin, sea raven, or small black sea bass.
Steamed Whole Fish with Black Bean Sauce
Recipe courtesy of Edible Rhody magazine. Please click the button below to access the recipe.
This recipe would be great with scup, black sea bass, acadian redfish, or any other whole fish.
Oven-Roasted Atlantic Butterfish with Fennel and Tomato
Recipe courtesy of Saveur Magazine. Click the button below to access the recipe.
Photo Credit: Maura McEvoy
GRILLED BUTTERFISH WITH SALSA VERDE
Recipe courtesy of Eating with the Ecosystem from Simmering the Sea
If you enjoy this recipe please consider buying the full cookbook to experience the full suite of recipes for all our favorite local seafood species while also supporting Eating with the Ecosystem!
RECIPE
Serves 4
SALSA
1 bunch parsley, stems removed
1 handful of baby arugula
4 garlic cloves, peeled
2 tablespoons capers, drained and rinsed
2 salted anchovies, rinsed
1 lemon, juiced
½ cup extra-virgin olive oil
Place all ingredients except for oil in a food processor. Pulse until chunky. While processor is running, drizzle in oil. Place salsa verde in serving bowl.
FISH
12 4-ounce whole butterfish, gutted and rinsed
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
Kosher salt to taste
Make slits in fish with a sharp knife. Rub fish with oil and season with salt. Grill for 2 minutes on each side over charcoal. Plate and drizzle with salsa verde.
This recipe can also be prepared with scup, black sea bass, or tautog.
STEAMED WHOLE SCUP WITH GINGER AND SCALLIONS
Recipe courtesy of Hiro Uchida via New England Seafoodies
RECIPE
One jumbo scup. Good quality scup, or any fish for that matter, won't smell fishy and this one certainly did not!
Cut a few slits on one side and tucked in some ginger slices for aroma (if the fish smells, this really helps). A few slices are thrown inside the belly too.
You will need a steamer big enough to fit the fish.
Place a sheet of parchment paper. This will be a great help when taking out the fish when it's done. And the fish won't stick to the pot.
There goes the fish! No seasoning needed at this point. The fish is quite squeezed in here, but that's OK -- they don't usually complain.
In the meantime, heat up 1/4 cup or so of vegetable oil. Here I used the canola oil. Heat it up until it just begins to smoke.
Steamed and placed on a plate! This was a jumbo scup so I steamed it for good 10-12 minutes. You can't really over-steam a fish (to an extent) so if in doubt keep it in the pot a bit longer.
Not shown: sprinkle some green onion, scallion, chives, or something similar.
Click on the image to watch video. Pour heated oil over the fish and scallions. That sizzling sound is what you want to hear! But not really part of cooking the fish per se.
The usual soy sauce will do, but this one really does the magic! The English label says "seasoned soy sauce for seafood" but the Chinese characters above suggest that it is particularly suited for steamed fish. Some grocery stores may have it; Asian grocery stores will definitely do.
Done! No cutting fish or filleting involved and ready in no more than 30 minutes. Bones will come right off so no hassle there either. Don't forget to eat the cheeks too!
OVEN-STEAMED WHOLE BLACK SEA BASS
courtesy of David Ford, one of our Eat Like a Fish Citizen Scientists
RECIPE
INGREDIENTS
1 whole black sea bass, about 2-3 pounds, gutted and scaled
1 cup rice wine vinegar
1 cup low-sodium soy sauce
¼ cup fish sauce
¼ cup sesame oil
¼ cup plus 2 tablespoons olive oil
2 inch piece ginger, minced
6 garlic cloves, minced
3 jalapeños, sliced
1 bunch scallions, green parts only, roughly chopped
1 bunch cilantro, chopped
2 tablespoons sesame seeds, toasted
Sea salt and black pepper (Tellicherry preferred) to taste
PREPARATION
Set oven to 450 degrees.
Make the steaming sauce. In a bowl, whisk together rice wine vinegar, soy sauce, fish sauce, sesame oil, ¼ cup olive oil, ginger, garlic, jalapeños, half of the chopped cilantro, and half of the chopped scallions. Pour into an ovenproof casserole dish. Liquid should cover the bottom at least half an inch deep.
Heat casserole dish on stovetop until sauce begins to bubble. Remove from heat.
Place fish in casserole dish and let marinate for 10 minutes.
Remove and shake of liquid. Set a rack large enough to hold fish over casserole dish. Rub rack with olive oil. Place fish on rack.
Cut two diagonal slits on each side of fish. Spoon sauce into slits, and place a few chopped scallions into each slit.
Form a loose tent with aluminum foil over casserole dish.
Steam fish in oven for 10-12 minutes. Cooking time will vary with thickness of the fish. Flesh should look opaque, there should be no pink at the bone, and there should be little resistance when flesh is probed gently with a table knife.
Remove fish from oven and place fish on platter. Reserve steaming sauce for serving on the side.
Make the topping. Place a skillet or wok over high heat and add 2 tablespoons olive oil. When oil looks hazy, add remaining scallions and toss to coat. Sprinkle lightly with salt and pepper. Stir-fry until slightly charred, about 2 minutes. Set aside for serving.
Using two forks, separate fish from carcass. Remove and discard skeleton.
Scatter charred scallions, remaining cilantro, and toasted sesame seeds over fish.
Serve steaming sauce on the side.
Tip
Check that steaming liquid does not all evaporate while in oven. Add water if needed. This recipe would work well for any small whole fish.
HOW TO PREPARE A WHOLE SCUP
Courtesy of Cathy Pedtke, Eating with the Ecosystem
Cathy is our board vice president and she is also a chef and recipe developer! We asked her for some help with producing a few how to guides for the home seafood cook.
WHOLE SCUP FOR GRILLING OR BAKING
Servings: 2 Total time: 35 minutes
INGREDIENTS:
1 whole scup
0.5 lemon (fresh or preserved)
1 cup herbs (Use what you have: chives, thyme, rosemary, parsley or basil all work great!)
2-3 cloves garlic, smashed
2 tbsp salt
1 tbsp oil
DIRECTIONS:
Clean and scale your scup, trimming off top and side fins but leaving tail and head intact (Many fishmongers will do this step for you)
Rub the scup inside and out with salt - use finely ground salt for best results
Open the scup belly and fill with sliced lemon, herbs, and mashed garlic. Use a knife to cut further down the belly to make a little more room if needed.
Press the fish closed and brush the outside with olive oil. If you’re grilling the fish, add extra oil and lightly grease the grill grate as well to prevent sticking. This is less of a problem if baking the fish.
To grill, lay fish on the grill grate over low heat and cook 6 to 8 minutes per side, until fish is firm and flakes easily. You can also wrap fish in a single layer of foil to make it easier to maneuver on and off the grill, but this will prevent the skin from charring and lessen the smoky flavor.
To bake, lay fish in a baking dish and bake at 375 for 10 to 15 minutes, until the fish flakes easily. Carefully flake meat directly off the fish bones with a fork: scup has lots of small bones, so be wary while eating. Serve with rice and steamed or grilled veggies, and top with extra lemon juice and herbs!
TANDOORI SPICED BUTTERFISH
Recipe courtesy of chef Rizwan Ahmed, Rhode Rage Food Truck and Johnson & Wales University
RECIPE
Serves 4
INGREDIENTS
4 Whole Butterfish, scaled & gutted
2 cups oil, to fry
For the Tandoori Spice:
2 lemons, juiced
1 tsp cumin, ground
1 tsp coriander, ground
1 tsp turmeric
1 tsp paprika
1tsp black pepper, ground
1 tsp cayenne pepper
1 tsp ginger, finely minced
1 tsp garlic, finely minced
Salt to taste
Garnish:
1 Cucumber, thinly sliced
2 spring onion, thinly sliced
2 tbsp cilantro, picked
INSTRUCTIONS
Start by mixing together all the tandoori spices with lemon juice to create a paste. Wash and pat dry fish. Make approximately 4 to 5 slits on either side of fish. Gently massage paste over fish and into slits and let marinate for an hour. Shallow fry in oil over medium heat for 2 to 3 minutes on either side. Garnish with cucumber, spring onion and cilantro.
This recipe can also be used to grill or bake the fish.
Grilled Whole Black Sea Bass and Vegetables with Charred Red Onion Vinaigrette
SCUP WITH COCONUT AND POBLANO SAUCE AND GRILLED CUCUMBERS
SCUP WITH COCONUT AND POBLANO SAUCE AND GRILLED CUCUMBERS
courtesy of chef Andrew McQuesten, north
“Scup (porgy, sea bream, or whatever you want to call it) is a fish that is dear to me. It’s something I remember using as bait as a kid fishing with my father and uncle and as a professional chef I’ve cooked scup in a litany of ways. The main thing that impresses me with such a “lowly” fish is its versatility. Between raw applications, whole roasted, grilled, or taking filets like in this recipe and roasting them in a pan with butter, scup can hold up to most flavors and not be overpowered but also not be “fishy” (as is the common misconception). Scup will forever hold a place in my heart and because of that I am happy to share the way that we prepare it at north. Feel free to give it a try at home and also don’t be afraid to try this as a whole or raw preparation. The accompanying sauce will pair well with any version of scup, and also with a tart white wine or a bold tequila cocktail.”
RECIPE
Drink pairing: Pair with a tart white wine (think pinot grigio) or a bold tequila cocktail.
Ingredients
2 larger scup, can be prepared filleted as per the instructions (or ask your fishmonger to fillet it), raw, or whole
1 can coconut cream
½ can coconut milk
1 tsp salt
Generous pinch of black pepper (15 turns if using a pepper grinder)
4 tsp sugar
3 poblano peppers
1 English cucumber or 3 small cucumbers
2 tbs pickle brine
2 tbs lime juice
Instructions for the fish
Filet the scup (or ask your fishmonger). Filleting scup is much like any other round fish (see our guide to filleting round fish). Start by making a cut just behind the head and going down past the gills and out through the belly. Continue by making an incision at the dorsal fin toward the head and with gentle downward pressure and using the length of your knife, slice until you reach the spine. Turn fish and slice from the tail up to the spine in the same way on the bottom of the fish. Use kitchen shears to cut through the ribs. Where the ribs meet the spine is where most of the pin bones are. Cut ribs out with a knife going toward the belly and then use tweezers to pull out the pin bones.
At this point the filet is ready to cook. Salt both flesh and skin of your filets and place skin side down on a hot grill. If using gas, once you get a good sear on the fish, turn the heat down and cook until flesh is firm. Be sure to spray your grill with nonstick to ensure you get to enjoy the skin.
Note: This dish may also be prepared with raw scup or whole roasted scup. Raw preparation: If you would like to try eating scup raw, have the skin removed and cut into any size pieces you want. Thinly sliced would be best for a chilled version of the coconut poblano sauce. Be sure to follow USDA guidelines for preparing raw fish — for example, freezing to kill parasites. Whole preparation: Have your fishmonger scale and gut your scup. Score skin with a sharp knife, and salt generously. Place on a well-oiled sheet pan and roast the fish in the oven at 450 for 10-15 minutes.
Instructions for sauce
To make the coconut poblano sauce, first put poblanos on flame and char on all sides.
Place in Tupperware with lid on to steam them. Soak in water to peel off charred skin and remove the seeds. Blend in a food processor for a few pulses until it breaks into small chunks.
Put coconut cream, coconut milk, salt, black pepper, and sugar in pot. Bring to a boil on high heat, then reduce to medium heat. Add poblanos and simmer on medium for 10 minutes. Pull off heat and let cool to room temperature. Mix in pickle juice and lime juice. Adjust as needed with salt and sugar.
Instructions for cucumbers
Halve cucumbers and grill dry, cut side down. Grill until face is charred but cucumber is not cooked all the way through. Cut into bite size portions.
Plating
Spoon coconut poblano sauce in a shallow bowl to cover the bottom. Arrange grilled cucumbers on top. Place scup filet on cucumber pieces.