Cooking Your Catch

Of all the questions I repeatedly get asked during a charter there is one that comes up on just about every trip. How would you cook the fish we caught today? I usually reply with a kind of Forrest Gump answer. You can light fry, deep fry, batter fry, broil, bake, grill, saute or even make sushi out of your catch. After a few more questions I can usually narrow it down to one or two suggestions, give a simple recipe and send them on their way to enjoy a fresh seafood dinner. So on that note I thought it would be fun to share some of my favorite ways to cook the fish we catch and maybe give you some new ideas as well.

I think that baking fish is probably the easiest and quickest way to get fillets from the fridge to the table. First, line a baking pan with aluminum foil and then spray the foil with PAM. Place the fillets in the pan. Put a couple of tabs of butter, your favorite spices and some fresh squeezed lemon on each fillet and then put the whole thing in a 350 degree oven. The cooking time will vary based on the thickness of the fillets but I usually recommend checking them after about 15 minutes. The simplest way to check fish for doneness is to put a fork in the fillet and twist. If the meat cleanly breaks or flakes away then it’s time to serve.

If you like your fish with a crisper crust just follow the above instructions but instead of baking the fish, try broiling. You really have to keep an eye on this method because the oven temperatures are much higher for broiling vs. baking and this will speed up the cooking time. It also doesn’t work well for a real thick piece of fish but there is a solution. Start the cooking process on bake and then switch the oven to broil after 10 or 15 minutes of cooking. This will help cook the fillet inside and out without drying out the meat and then provide a nice crust.

I love grilled fish. A thick piece of grouper on the grill is one of my favorite ways to enjoy this local, top notch fish. Add a few tabs of butter, some lemon and a touch of spices and you are good to go. Another one of my grilled favorites is a dish I came up with years ago... fish smothered in shrimp. Make a pan out of aluminum foil big enough to hold the fish you are cooking. Peel a half pound of fresh shrimp and set aside. Put a small amount of butter, some salt and pepper and fresh squeezed lemon on your fillets of choice and put them on the grill. While the fish is cooking mix the raw shrimp with some melted butter and fresh garlic. Just before the grilled fish is done place the shrimp on top and cook until the shrimp is pink. Serve and enjoy!

The image most often brought to mind of fried fish is a fillet covered in batter and then deep fried. I’ve got another idea and it taste better because there is less batter on the fish. Instead of dredging the fillets in milk, eggs or both to create a batter I prefer to “dry” dredge. Wash the fillets and then pat them dry with paper towels. Put your favorite powdered fish coating in a small brown paper bag. I like Uncle Bucks, Cajun Fish Powder or Drakes. Drop the dried fillets into the bag, shake and then put them in about a 1/4 inch of hot oil in a frying pan. Cook each side for about 3 minutes and then test for doneness by using a fork to break the fish. Serve with lemon slices or tartar sauce.

The last but not least option is probably the easiest. There are many restaurants in our area that will cook your catch. I’ve tried this at The Fish House, Lazy Flamingo and Pinchers and all were excellent. Most require that you bring fillets and not the whole fish and they offer a number of ways to prepare your catch. You also have choices of vegetables, bread and salads to go along with your fish.

Get out on the water, catch a few fish and enjoy the day and a fresh caught dinner.

Capt. Rob Modys
SoulMate Charters