food The Catch of the Day

A lot of us here on THP like to cook with the chiles we grow, and quite a few also like to go out there and procure their own animal protein. I thought it might be a good idea to start a thread that looks to this aspect of cooking. If you like what you see and want to post a dish you made, feel free!

For ground rules... let's say that to post your recipe here you have to have harvested the meat in question yourself. Many of us who hunt and fish live in urban areas or don't get to go out as often as we'd wish, so I wouldn't put a time limit on how long ago you had to have caught it, and we're on the honor system here... I really don't want to get into finger-pointing games about whether or not somebody actually did or didn't get their own fish/game. Let's just give each other the benefit of the doubt and have a good time. Obviously, props to the people who also post pics of their animal "On The Hoof" and we'll drive on from there. Also, it's gotta be packing heat. This is The Hot Pepper after all.

I don't hunt myself. The cost of a gun permit here in Massachusetts is more than I can afford, and I prefer to fish anyway. I do like to shoot... I qualified expert in the Army and continue to target practice with an air rifle. I love game meat too. Quite a few of my family and friends hunt, and supply me with fur and feathers to tie flies to fish with, and occasionally with meat too. I live in the Connecticut River Valley about an hour's drive from the coast, and I like to fish in fresh and saltwater. Mostly fly tackle in freshwater unless I'm ice fishing, and mostly spinning tackle when fishing from the surf.

To get the ball rolling, Here's some pics of a few Bluefish I caught in Rhode Island this fall...
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For those of you living down under, I understand these are called "Tailors" out your way.

Today I'm going to cook a Bluefish filet with Fresh Tomato Coulis and Saffron Rice.
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First, I coarsely chop 2 cups of fresh ripe tomatoes, put them in a colander in the sink, sprinkle with a quarter tsp of salt and gently toss. Let drain for half an hour.
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Peel and mince a small clove of garlic and a shallot. chop two tbsp of fresh cilantro and add 1 tbsp of good olive oil and 3 tbsp of red wine vinegar and stir together with the tomatoes.
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Let the Coulis marinate at room temperature for half an hour or so, and start the rice and fish while that's going down.

For the rice, I put a cup of long grain white rice in a pot with a tbsp of light olive oil and cook together for a minute or so until the rice absorbs some of the oil and becomes translucent. While the rice is still hot I add a pinch of saffron.
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Stir in a cup and a quarter of chicken stock, bring to a boil and reduce heat to low. Simmer, covered 20 minutes until all the liquid is absorbed and the rice finishes cooking. Stir in a quarter tsp garlic powder and a tbsp grated parmagiana.

While rice is cooking, rinse and pat dry with paper towel one bluefish filet. Cut a clove of garlic in half and rub the cut side against the filet on both sides. Discard the garlic clove. Rub the filet on both sides with light olive oil and season with salt and pepper to taste. Sprinkle the filet with fresh lemon zest, and I also use a liberal coating of stc3248's smoked Manzano powder.
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Broil the fish for 8 minutes until it flakes easily.

Bon Appetite!
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I'll be second to say, that looks amazing! Personally, I would have used only half that about of saffron. The phrase "a little goes a long way" certainly applies to that for me. ;)
 
Oh Stick - that's a beautiful plate of food!
I always enjoy your recipes - and appreciate your instructions!

What is Bluefish like? It looks moist and meaty....
Comparable to Rockfish maybe?
 
Thanks folks... I had fun doing it!

What is Bluefish like? It looks moist and meaty....Comparable to Rockfish maybe?

I'm not really sure what you call "Rockfish"... here in New England that usually means Tautog. In the Middle Atlantic states it usually means Striped Bass. Bluefish is an oily fish like Salmon or Tuna. It is meaty because the fish is so muscular, but the flesh tends to be much softer than it is in lean fish like Cod or Stripers. It also tends to go bad quickly if left out in the sun. It's always best if absolutely fresh or kept very cold until cooked. That's one of the reasons I go after them in late fall.
 
yum! i've only had bluefish smoked but this recipe looks like a good one to try. there isn't anything like a school of frenzied bluefish in the surf, fish till your arm gets sore...awesome times.
 
Great thread, I'll be contributing for sure!

Bluefish is VERY FISHY, best way to eat it is smoked or sashimi. It is like comparing a brick to a filet of beef when looking at blue fish to rock fish.
 
Two things:

1. Great looking meal. Damn!

2. Great idea for a thread. It's long overdue. I like that you included fishing and hunting.
The THP locals we be all over this, for sure!
 
Sorry I do not have all the prep detail but I hope this is OK to post. I head back to the woods the 27 - 29th of this month and hope to have plenty to show! This is from my 1st trip this season (opening day for guns) a few weeks ago!

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Simple loin steaks on the grill with salt, pepper and one of my powders with a bed of mixed greens with a balsamic vinegar dressing.

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Hi Chris
What do you have there... a spikehorn and a button buck? I think the young ones are the least gamy and the best eating. Good luck when you go out again. Will it be primitive weapons season? That's what follows shotgun season here.
 
Actually it would have been an 8 pointer, 1/2 his rack was broken off in a fight and he was about 140 lb. That is a 60 lb doe, I used a spoon to cut the loins,butter!
 
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