Whole Fish Recipes
Sometimes you want to go for it and cook a whole fish, or sometimes you have fish too small to fillet. Either way, cooking a fish whole wastes less meat and offers a dramatic presentation at the table. Here's how to do it well.
Classic Fried Whitebait with Aioli
A recipe for fried whitebait, or tiny whole fish such as blue anchovies, served with a garlicky aioli sauce. A delicious appetizer ot simple dinner.
A recipe for fried whitebait, or tiny whole fish such as blue anchovies, served with a garlicky aioli sauce. A delicious appetizer ot simple dinner.
Baked Stuffed Cod or Haddock
A recipe for baked, stuffed cod or haddock. This is a traditional New England Thanksgiving recipe where you stuff a fish instead of a turkey.
A recipe for baked, stuffed cod or haddock. This is a traditional New England Thanksgiving recipe where you stuff a fish instead of a turkey.
Mediterranean Crispy Fried Fish
A recipe for crispy frying a whole fish in a Mediterranean style, with chickpea flour. Frying fish in chickpea flour gives the fish a hearty, savory crust without being overwhelming. This crispy fish recipe works well with rockfish, rock cod, bluegills, walleye, bass, porgies or any small fish.
A recipe for crispy frying a whole fish in a Mediterranean style, with chickpea flour. Frying fish in chickpea flour gives the fish a hearty, savory crust without being overwhelming. This crispy fish recipe works well with rockfish, rock cod, bluegills, walleye, bass, porgies or any small fish.
Fried Smelt with Vietnamese Dipping Sauce
A recipe for an Asian version of fried smelt with a Vietnamese dipping sauce. Fried whole fish are common in Asian seafood recipes, and this soy-lime dipping sauce goes well with the crispy smelt.
A recipe for an Asian version of fried smelt with a Vietnamese dipping sauce. Fried whole fish are common in Asian seafood recipes, and this soy-lime dipping sauce goes well with the crispy smelt.
How to Clean Fresh Anchovies
Step by step instructions on how to clean anchovies. Cleaning fresh anchovies is easy with a few simple tips.
Step by step instructions on how to clean anchovies. Cleaning fresh anchovies is easy with a few simple tips.
How to Split or Butterfly a Fish
Step by step instructions on how to butterfly, or split, a whole fish. Splitting a fish is a great way to prep a whole fish for stuffing because butterflying removes most of the bones.
Step by step instructions on how to butterfly, or split, a whole fish. Splitting a fish is a great way to prep a whole fish for stuffing because butterflying removes most of the bones.
Szechuan Sweet and Sour Crispy Fish
A Szechuan-style sweet and sour fish recipe where you crispy-fry a whole fish and serve it with a homemade, Chinese sweet-and-sour sauce. This recipe works great with rockfish, largemouth bass, black seabass, porgies, perch, bream or pompano.
A Szechuan-style sweet and sour fish recipe where you crispy-fry a whole fish and serve it with a homemade, Chinese sweet-and-sour sauce. This recipe works great with rockfish, largemouth bass, black seabass, porgies, perch, bream or pompano.
Oven-Fried Sand Dab with Summer Salad
A recipe for oven-fried Pacific sand dab with a fresh summer salad that uses tomatoes, avocado, fresh corn and sweet onions. Sanddabs are delicious little flatfish best cooked simply. This recipe uses less fat than the typical fried version.
A recipe for oven-fried Pacific sand dab with a fresh summer salad that uses tomatoes, avocado, fresh corn and sweet onions. Sanddabs are delicious little flatfish best cooked simply. This recipe uses less fat than the typical fried version.
Pan-Dressing a Sand Dab or Other Small Flounder
Sand dabs, also known without the space as "sanddabs," are small flatfish that are too small to fillet. Most cooks pan-dress their sand dabs by cutting off the head, guts and fins of the flatfish. To help you, here is a series of illustrations on how to dress a sanddab.
Sand dabs, also known without the space as "sanddabs," are small flatfish that are too small to fillet. Most cooks pan-dress their sand dabs by cutting off the head, guts and fins of the flatfish. To help you, here is a series of illustrations on how to dress a sanddab.
Fresh Sardines Grilled and Stuffed
Grilled, semi-boneless fresh sardines are a fantastic fish to serve in summer. This sardine recipe uses grape leaves to hold in a simple stuffing -- and keep the fish from sticking to the grill.
Grilled, semi-boneless fresh sardines are a fantastic fish to serve in summer. This sardine recipe uses grape leaves to hold in a simple stuffing -- and keep the fish from sticking to the grill.
How to Cook a Whole Fish
How to prepare and cook a whole fish on the grill. Grilling whole fish is a dramatic way to serve your guests, and for many fish, such as striped bass, you need little more than salt, lemon and olive oil to make them shine.
How to prepare and cook a whole fish on the grill. Grilling whole fish is a dramatic way to serve your guests, and for many fish, such as striped bass, you need little more than salt, lemon and olive oil to make them shine.
Fried Smelt with Garlicky Swiss Chard
A tried and true way to cook smelt is to fry them. This recipe for any type of smelt or whitebait uses seasoned flour and olive oil for a flavorful crust.
A tried and true way to cook smelt is to fry them. This recipe for any type of smelt or whitebait uses seasoned flour and olive oil for a flavorful crust.
How to Gut and Scale a Fish
Step by step instructions on how to scale and gut a fish.
Step by step instructions on how to scale and gut a fish.
Grilled Anchovies
A Spanish recipe for grilled small fish, which could be anchovies, smelt, sardines, herrings or even small mackerel.
A Spanish recipe for grilled small fish, which could be anchovies, smelt, sardines, herrings or even small mackerel.
Chinese Steamed Whole Fish
Asian cuisine makes the most of whole fish dishes. Here is a delicate one perfect for a lean white fish such as a seabass or snapper.
Asian cuisine makes the most of whole fish dishes. Here is a delicate one perfect for a lean white fish such as a seabass or snapper.
Indian Fried Mackerel
A spicy South Asian treatment for a strong-flavored fish.
A spicy South Asian treatment for a strong-flavored fish.
Spicy Greek Fish in a Red Sauce
This is a dish from Corfu, and it hinges on the spicy deep sauce. The fish are nestled in among the sauce for a quick braise.
This is a dish from Corfu, and it hinges on the spicy deep sauce. The fish are nestled in among the sauce for a quick braise.
Korean Broiled Mackerel
OK, if you have fresh mackerel -- I mean really fresh mackerel, as in you just caught it or it just came in that day -- try this Korean method of simple broiled macks.
OK, if you have fresh mackerel -- I mean really fresh mackerel, as in you just caught it or it just came in that day -- try this Korean method of simple broiled macks.