Black Sea Bass Preparations

[MikeD]

I had my first trip out of East Falmouth on Saturday and we managed to find a hot black sea bass spot. I did a very basic lemon pepper treatment to a couple of the fillets last night and they were absolutely fantastic. I've got 6 more in the fridge. Anyone have a killer seasoning or recommendation?

Thanks

Mike

[spence]

I've always found that some good olive oil, sea salt, fresh pepper and some lemon works just fine.

If they're whole I stuff the gut with herbs and lemon peel and grill'em.

If had skin on fillets and I was going to be fancy I'd crisp the skin on a cast iron pan but they'll cook fast.

-spence

[MarshCappa]

You could do a crab/seafood stuffing and wrap the filet around it. I caught a bunch on ACK one year and brought them back to the hotel and that's how they prepared it for me. I just marinated some striper in a recipe similar to what Spence is recommending. Take a look at the weekend wrap up thread for the ingredients I used.

[spence]

As an aside, I had some great black sea bass in LA last week. All the seafood on the menu aside from Alaskan halibut was from New England!

Must not be any good fish in the Pacific.

-spence

[MikeD]

Thanks guys, I don't want to get too cute with these either. I prepared it exactly as spence described and it was great. Probably don't need to go over board with the spices. I was thinking about getting some fresh salsa and guacamole and making a few fish tacos with it tomorrow night.

I love everything about these little guys. They are awesome looking. They were slamming metal jigs and putting up a good fight for their size. And they are delicious.

[spence]

Originally Posted by MikeD

I love everything about these little guys.

Agree, they look cool, have a great flavor and are perfect size for the grill. If you pan sear them they have a thin skin that is delicious.

Search on fish tacos and there's a link to a Bobby Flay recipe with a nice tomato and guac salsa that's really easy to make.

-spence

[fish4striper]

Gut em, scale em, season like Spence says and cook them whole on the grill. They're awesome!

[spence]

Originally Posted by fish4striper

Gut em, scale em, season like Spence says and cook them whole on the grill. They're awesome!

Just be sure to oil the heck out of the grill so all the skin doesn't stick and fall off.

Oh, and they'll take longer to cook than you think.

-spence

[RickBomba]

The real way to go is fillet them and make a macadamia nut crust with Blood Orange Beurre Blanc. This time of the year matches nicely with Blood Orange avaliability.

The old grapefruit-jalapeno-mint gastrique treatment works nicely on them, as well.

[saltyric]

Try blackening the fillets with some of Paul Prudhomme's Blackened Redfish Magic........and a piping hot skillet on the grill. Outstanding.

[Nebe]

I like to steam them in a bamboo steamer with fennel and ginger. Lots of ginger.
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[WESTPORTMAFIA]

UNREAL!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Fish Taco Platter Photo at Epicurious.com

[Moses]

Originally Posted by saltyric

Try blackening the fillets with some of Paul Prudhomme's Blackened Redfish Magic........and a piping hot skillet on the grill. Outstanding.

I use that blackening seafood magic on most of the fish I catch and especially like it on sea bass, fluke & tog!!

[Sea Dangles]

I finally broke down and bought a Presto pro fry. Fish taco heaven and then some.

[MakoMike]

Just gut and scale them, then stuff the body cavity with your favorite herbs and some lemon zest. Put them on a well oiled grill and based with a mixture of 1/2 extra virgin olive oil and 1/2 lemon juice. If you have one of those "fish griller" thingys so much the better.

[MikeD]

Awesome, Thank you all, we are going to shoot out there again and try to reload if we can get them to bite again. I'd like to try all these methods. Definately borrowing my uncle's fryer and trying the fish taco recipe, and the bamboo steamed one sounds awesome too, I love ginger.

I think I know the answer to this question but the limit on these guys is 10 per boat? Correct? not 10 per angler.

thanks,

Mike

[Jimbo]

I just printed the regulations of MA off The Fisherman site referenced in another forum today, and it says 14" Minimum, 10/angler, May 11-June 24.

[Got Stripers]

Love Blackies, like to dip the filets in egg, coat with panko bread crumbs and drop them in my skillet on the grille side burner for just about a minute per side until golden brown. Jigged up 10 in quicks hole yesterday.

[Adamfishes]

I like to fillet, dredge in flour s+p and cook them in brown butter. Sometimes I will add lemon and capers too it.