Virginia Saltwater Fishing

Gyotaku is an art form that has gained recent popularity in Virginia. The fish rubbing process known as Gyotaku, began two thousand years ago in the Orient. The technique allows for a truly accurate image of all the details in each fish. The basic method remains relatively simple. Artists apply paint or ink to an actual fish, then lay paper or canvas on top of it. The paper or other media is rubbed over the fish and gently peeled off to expose the likeness.

Striped bass or “rockfish” can be a delicious fish for the table. A few simple steps are important in caring for the fish prior to cooking. The fish should be stored on ice and laid out flat until cleaned. Once the fish is home, it can be rinsed thoroughly and filleted.

Cleaning methods vary and either procedure can be used. The fish can be scaled and the skin left on, filleted and then skinned or the skin can be cut around the perimeter of the fish and pulled off with pliers.

The skin-on method works well for smaller fish which are baked or grilled. Skinning the fish before filleting has some advantages, the most important being speed. Filleting the fish and then cutting the skin off removes the most dark meat and leaves the highest quality portion, although some fish is lost in the process.

Striped bass can be enjoyed in several ways. Small rockfish are delicious fried, broiled, grilled or baked. Larger rockfish have beautiful firm white flakey flesh andare perfect for grilling, broiling, chowders, fish cakes and other cooking methods.

The following are a few Striped Bass recipes:

Dijon Rockfish

Ingredients:

1 lb striped bass fillets
2oz. white wine
2oz. mayonaise
2oz. dijon mustard

Instructions:

This one is real simple but it’s also really good.

Mix equal parts of white wine, mayonaise and dijon mustard and wisk until smooth.

Pour over fish fillets in baking dish and bake at 400 degrees for 20 minutes or until done.

Lemon Butter Rockfish

Ingredients:
1 lb. striped bass fillets
1/2 fresh lemon
1 tbsp. butter
1 tsp. olive oil
1/2 tsp. Old Bay crab seasoning or equivalent

Instructions:

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

Drain fillets and lay in a casserole dish basted with olive oil.

Squeeze lemon over fillets, drizzle with melted butter and sprinkle with crab seasoning.

Bake for 10 minutes or until fish is white on the outside and still slightly pink in the center.

Ingredients

8 oz. cooked fish – striped bass, black sea bass, tautog or other white fish with firm, flaky meat.
1 large potato, peeled and diced
1 small tomato, diced and seeds removed
1 small onion, diced
1 carrot, peeled and sliced
2 cups (1 can) chicken stock or fish stock
1 cup milk
2 tbsp. butter
2 tbsp. flour
salt to taste

1.  Bring stock to a boil and add vegetables, reduce heat and simmer 20 minutes, until vegetables begin to soften. Add fish and set aside.

2.  In a separate saucepan, melt 2 tbsp. butter, add 2 tbsp. flour and cook until browned slightly.  Add one cup cold milk and simmer until mixture starts to thicken. Simmer vegetables and fish, slowly adding the milk mixture.

3.  Simmer 5 minutes, add small amounts of milk to thin or flour to thicken.

4.  Remove from heat and serve. Sprinkle with a small amount of fresh chopped parsley, chives or cilantro and red pepper.

Note:

This hearty chowder makes a simple and delicious lunch. It can be improved by adding diced shrimp, crabmeat, scallops, clams, oysters or other seafood.

When cleaning fish it’s important to decide if you will scale or skin the fish as well as choosing to fillet the fish or simply gut and remove the head, tail and fins. Smaller fish may not be suited for filleting but most larger fish can easily be filleted in order to provide high quality boneless meals. Skinning the fish and trimming any dark meat can further raise the quality of your meal.

Prior to filleting fish, select the proper knives and check their edge. Sharpen and clean the blade if needed. For very large fish, a thick blade may be necessary to cut the skin. Once the tough outer skin is cut, it may be necessary to switch to a flexible fillet knife. Never use a knife to scale fish, instead use a fish scaler or an old kitchen knife that is dull and no longer useful for cutting.

To fillet fish, first scale the fish well (if using the skin-on method) and rinse thoroughly. Lay the fish out flat and make a cut along the top side of the fish, from the head to the tail. Follow the skeleton, cutting as close to the bones as possible. Make vertical cut just behind the gills, angled to match the gill plate. Continue slicing downward, working from top to bottom until the fillet is free from the carcass. Repeat the process for the remaining side of the fish.

If the fish will be skinned, lie the fillet down flat, skin side down. Using a SHARP fillet knife, make a cut from the tail section towards the front using a slicing motion. Continue working forward, parallel to the skin. A clean skinning process should not be wasteful, but will leave a thin layer of dark meat on the skin.

Fish should always be kept cold! Store fish in an iced cooler and clean them right away after your trip. Fillets will be best if rinsed, placed in zipper bags and placed back on ice immediately after cleaning.

For small panfish, filleting may not be practical. Just as with filleted fish, scaling is the first step of the process. While holding the fish firmly with one hand, use the tool to remove all scales. You must run the scaler or knife from tail to head in order to get the scales off. The skin should be smooth when all scales are gone.

Next, cut the fish’s head off. make the cut at the back of the fish’s gills. Cut through at this point. Make a cut from the belly back to the vent, avoiding all organs. Remove all organs, saving the roe if any is found. Cut off the tail and fins. Rinse the fish and place on ice immediately.

Don’t want to waste anything? You can use kitchen shears and remove the gills from the head, then rinse the head, skeleton, skin and scraps of dark meat for use in making a delicious fish stock. Any parts not used can be added to a compost pile. Fish scraps are excellent sources of minerals and other nutrients for your garden.

Vacuum bags are an excellent choice if you plan to freeze part of your catch. Vacuum bags work by removing air from freezer storage bags. You simply place your food in the freezer bag, seal the bag, and use the vacuum tool to air from the bag. Removing excess air cuts down on freezer burn.

Several types of bags and vacuum devices exist, ranging from inexpensive hand pumps to large models for bulk freezing. One of the most popular options is an economically priced, hand-held vacuum sealer which removes air from the specially designed food bags. To purchase a manual or electric vacuum pump and bags, shop online or visit major grocery stores and mass retailers. The average cost of a kit is very affordable and refills of quart or gallon size bags are available.

These pages have specific tutorials and other information on cleaning fish, shelllfish and other seafood:

Cleaning and Filleting Flounder

Cleaning and Filleting Tautog

Cleaning Black Drum Fish

Cleaning Scaling and Gutting Pan Fish

Fillet Knives and Other Kitchen Accessories

Freezing Fish and Other Seafood

Fish and chips is a traditional meal, popular in Virginia and much of the East Coast. The meal, which originated in the United Kingdom consists of battered, deep-fried fish and sliced, deep-fried potatoes.  The meal gained a strong urban following that continues to present day.

The original British fish and chips used cod or haddock, but Virginia cooks can choose any white fish that is available locally. Favorite fish may include summer flounder, sea bass, striped bass, monkfish, hake  or others. Malt vinegar and a heavy coating of salt is traditionally sprinkled over fish and chips when served.

Virginia Fish and Chips Recipe

Ingredients

4 large potatoes, peeled and cut into strips
1 cup all-purpose flour
1 tsp baking powder
1/2 cup milk
1/2 cup beer
1 tsp kosher salt
1 tsp ground black pepper
1 egg
1 quart vegetable oil
1-1/2 pounds fish fillets

Directions

1. Peel potatoes and halve lengthwise, then cut lengthwise into 1/2-inch-thick wedges, transferring as cut to a large bowl of ice and cold water. Chill several minutes. Drain potatoes and dry thoroughly with paper towels.

2. Preheat oil in a large pot or electric skillet to 325-350 F.

3. Fry small batches of potatoes, allowing oil to re-heat between batches, cooking each batch until edges are just golden. Transfer to fresh
paper towels to drain.

4. In a separate bowl, mix together flour, baking powder, salt, and pepper. Stir in the milk, beer and egg; until mixture is smooth. Let
stand for 20 minutes.

5. Dredge fish in batter, one piece at a time and immerse in hot oil. When batter is set, turn fish over and fry until golden brown.

6. Serve hot, sprinked with malt vinegar and sea salt.

A FREE printable 2009-2010 calendar from NOAA features images of American seafood and commercial fishing.

Download the calendar at: http://www.nmfs.noaa.gov/docs/2009_2010_calendar.pdf