Stripers are damn tasty! Here’s how to cook ’em up right:
Striped bass have firm, white flesh that’s mild in flavor and extremely versatile. My favorite is fish tacos followed grilled with garlic butter…Yum! However, I decided it was time for a little change. Time to go with something a bit more interesting.
That, of course, led me to Scott “The Sporting Chef” Leysath (www.sportingchef.com) who shared with me his poached striper and peppercorn vinaigrette recipe, which I once cooked with him on his show (but of course have long since forgotten).
“First off, you have to remember to remove all of the dark flesh before marinating or cooking,” he says. “The texture and flavor of the dark stuff is just not going to make you happy.”
He says to also keep in mind that poaching actually cooks faster than most other cooking methods. Make sure you cook the fish until just done…but be careful not to over-do it.
Okay, here’s what you need:
Peppercorn Vinaigrette
1 cup
1 tablespoon crushed peppercorns
1 1/2 tablespoons white wine vinegar
3/4 cup olive oil
1/2 teaspoon Dijon mustard
pinch sugar
2 garlic cloves, minced
2 tablespoons fresh chives, minced
salt
Scott says to combine the crushed peppercorns and vinegar in a medium bowl and marinate for 2 – 3 hours. Whisk in the oil, mustard and sugar. Stir in garlic and chives and season with salt to taste.
Okay, now for the poaching part…
Poaching liquid
1 medium onion, thinly sliced
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 stalk celery, chopped
1 carrot, thinly sliced
1/2 teaspoon peppercorns, crushed
1 teaspoon kosher or sea salt
1 cup dry white wine
1 cup water
1. Heat in a large deep skillet over medium heat. Simmer for 10 minutes.
2. Add a 2.5- to 3-pound fillet (skin and dark meat removed) to poaching liquid and cook at just below the boiling point until fish is flaky. As soon as fish starts to flake apart, it’s done.
To serve, arrange fish on plate and drizzle vinaigrette over.
Yum!
John says
Only fish saltwater ! No mercury in the ocean ? !!
Shawn says
Always trim the darker meat before preparing any large fish. Typically, that part of the fish has the highest concentration of mercury.
Ransom says
One caution about eating stripers, they typically have the highest concentrations of methyl mercury of any freshwater fish species in the central valley. The state office of environmental heath hazard assessment is in the process of finalizing new consumption guidelines for the sac river and northern delta, including those for stripers (http://www.oehha.ca.gov/fish/so_cal/srnd041108.html). Basically, women of child-bearing age, nursing mothers, and children should really limit, if not altogether forgo, striper consumption. If you do keep stripers for the table, make sure they are on the small side; the larger the fish, the more the mercury. More details can be found at: http://www.oehha.org/fish/hg/index.html