Over the past few weeks. I've noticed there's a lot of blue fish in the waters of New England. And even more controversy over them. I thought I would add my 2 cents.

For more than 20 years now I've been a part of food service. I've cooked more fish than I can shake a stick at. There's nothing like a well prepared piece of blue fish. Here's a couple of recipes that might help change your mind and maybe even tempt you to keep one this weekend.

Bluefish Bellavista

Take a skinned bluefish fillet
Season with sea salt and fresh ground black pepper
(regular salt and pepper will work as well)
Lightly coat the fillet with extra virgin olive oil
Alternately top the fillet with a thinly sliced garden tomato, red onion, green pepper and fresh lemon.
Try to get two of each on top on the fillet

Place fillet over indirect high heat if you cook with charcoal try to keep the fillet toward the edge of the grill. Make sure you keep it covered, because you won't turn the fillet and this will ensure that the vegetables cook. If you like adding a little smoke any good hard wood chips will work it really adds a nice flavor.

Bluefish Oreganato

Skinned Bluefish fillet
Season with sea salt and Fresh ground black pepper
Coat the filet with olive oil
Roll the fillet directly in dry oregano this will completely cover the fillet.
Cook this over medium-high heat try to keep away from the flame don't worry if it gets a little brown it will only add flavor. Although if it starts to burn keep some olive oil and a basting brush around
that will help keep the fish moist.
This fish can be served with a robust tomato sauce such as a marinara, throwing a little red wine in gives the sauce a nice, rich flavor. If you use store bought you may want to throw in a splash of red wine and let it cook for a few minutes to burn off the alcohol.

Herb Marinated Bluefish

1 cup olive oil
2 Tablespoons of fresh squeezed lemon
1 cup of fresh herbs such as Parsley, oregano, rosemary, thyme.
use these herbs alone or in combination
2 Tablespoons of minced or pressed garlic
Salt
Fresh ground black pepper > Season these 3 to taste
Optional Cayenne

Marinate the bluefish for up to 3 hours no less than an hour
Cook this fish with high heat and direct flame
Baste the fish with extra marinade

BTW this marinade is fantastic with shrimp. I like to use medium to large shrimp, leave the shell on. Marinade at room temperature for an hour or in the fridge up to 3. A couple ounces of beer in this marinade really adds to it. Cook the shrimp over high heat usually no more than 5 minutes. This is a great appetizer while you're waiting for the main course. If the shrimp are too small and fall through the grate you may need to put them on a skewer.

This is just a small attempt to save the good name of the Mighty Bluefish! Happy Eating!!

Wow - Thanks Fishguts... One ABSOLUTE when it comes to the quality of cooking bluefish. When you catch it, near immediately, slice behind the gills and drain the blood from the fish. Then place the fish on ice. The quicker it is drained, cleaned, and iced - the better the fillets will taste. This is common with just about all fish (that I can think of anyway) and is imperative for sucessfull bluefish....

I'll see if the wife is up for giving some of these a whirl.

I hadn't added the link yet but the recipe page is up at http://www.striped-bass.com/recipes.shtml
All of these were submitted by you folks and I hope to get a few more up. Fishguts, do you mind if I put your recipes up as well?

I couldn't agree with you more on bleeding the fish and keeping it on ice it makes all the difference.
adding the recipes is no problem at all.

Thanks Fishguts... When is the next opportunity you'll have to come "Back East"

We are actualy looking at the possibility of moving in the spring
it's sad but our children that rarley see their grandparents cousins uncles ants etc. so who knows.
I try to get back to the east about every other year to visit the family and do a little fishing on the off years I visit my brother in florida and hit the gulf the fishing the gulf is incredible Cobia, tarpon, seatrout, yellowtail jack, shark, redfish. freelining pinfish greenbacks or live shrimp. you never know whats going to hit!

The best recipe i have found for bluefish may be a little complicated.. dig a hole on the beach appx. 1-2 feet deep and build a fire, charcoal can be used. let it burn down to embers. next take your bluefish fillet, season with whatever spices that will float your boat, tightly wrap up in aluminum foil and lay it down on top of the hot coals, then cover with some rock weed and cover with the sand. after appx 45 minutes dig up the bluefish and unwrap.. discard the bluefish and eat the foil..
But seriously folks, essential to use the freshest possible bluefish bled of course(if you can leave them in the water while bleeding out, does a much nicer job.. fish trys to pump it out for ya). i actually will cover the fillets with salt for a few minutes, rinse and salt the fillets again for a few more minutes ( it helps to draw some of the oil from the flesh). have your grill going . I pat dry the fillets with a paper towel, and cover the fillets with lemon pepper (both sides). make sure you oil the grate on the grill , and
cook till done.. this recipe took me years of trying to figure out how to get rid of some of the gamey/oily taste of the bluefish...ENJOY

hehehe - LMAO discard the bluefish and eat the foil..

Raspberry Buerre Blanc Sauce

Ingredients
2 shallots, finely diced
1 cup white wine
2 sprig of fresh dill or tarragon or 1/2 teaspoon dried dill weed or tarragon
1 cup creme fraiche or whipping cream
2 Tablespoons red raspberry jam
2 cubes butter (1/2 pound) - keep cold until ready to use.
1 pint red raspberries (fresh or frozen)
2 Tablespoons fresh dill or tarragon, leaves only, finely chopped or 1 teaspoon dried dill weed or tarragon

Put shallots in heavy sauce pan with wine and herbs. Boil over medium heat until the liquid is reduced to 1 tablespoon or less. Be careful to avoid boiling dry!

Add creme fraiche or whipping cream and continue to boil to reduce by 1/2. Remove sprigs if you used fresh herbs. Add raspberry jam and whisk into cream mixture. Cut butter into Tablespoon-size slices and over very low heat whisk the butter into the cream one Tablespoon at a time, allowing each slice to melt into the sauce. Continue until all butter is incorporated into sauce. Add 1/2 of raspberries and whisk in. Add herbs and whisk in. Keep over very low heat until ready to serve. (If sauce gets too hot, the butter will start to melt out. If this happens, add 1 tablespoon of cold butter and whisk in to rebind sauce).

Just before serving, add remaining raspberries and gently stir in. Then pour it over the fish. yummy
:p