Current Waters: What's Cooking In August

It’s that time of year again when the Captain is too busy fishing (or hopefully sleeping) to be writing. This is his business partner, wife, and personal chef, Dr. Sarah Bois.

Being the wife of a fisherman has downsides and perks. The downside is him being on the water from before sunrise until after sunset almost every day. A perk? Delicious fresh fish fileted and delivered right to my fridge.

One thing people ask a lot about is how we cook the various fish that Topspin goes fishing for. Clients are psyched for their catch, but don’t always know what works best for which fish. I realize how spoiled we are with the bounty of fresh fish we have available. And that’s not just because we own a charter boat. Fishing from shore can be just as plentiful for some of these species. I thought I’d share some of my favorite ways to prepare the most common species caught in the summer on Nantucket. The general rule of thumb is that the fresher the fish, the simpler the recipe. Don’t over-sauce or smother something fresh from the sea.

Striped Bass - This is a fish that everyone seems to want; delicious eating and fun on the line. Stripers are great on the grill (on foil) or broiled in the oven with just lemon and butter when you do a whole filet. I like a few capers in there as well. It’s simple but delicious. I’ve also had “bass nuggets,” which were basically chunks of striper seasoned and then put in an air fryer. I do not have an air fryer, so I can’t tell you the method, just that it was delicious. Here is a great video that demonstrated the technique (but for tautog, another great-eating fish!): https://www.instagram.com/reel/DCHa9n_OmIt/?hl=en.

Bluefish - Even if you think you don’t like bluefish fillets, try them on the day of catch with a slice of tomato thrown on top before grilling to perfection. The acid cuts through some of the bluefish oils for a delicious fresh catch. And if you know the right people with a smoker, smoked blue fish pate is the way to go.

Black Seabass – I think this fish is a little underappreciated. These bottom fish provide plenty of action, and they are definitely delicious. The fillets are smaller than a striper or bluefish, but can be prepared similarly. I like to put a few filets together in a glass dish and add pats of butter and a sprinkling of panko crumbs – not a full coating. Mix in some fresh garden herbs and it tastes like summer.

Fluke - One of my favorite table fare, fluke are bottom feeders and often found along with the black seabass. Fluke is a delicious and delicate fish, so it's best baked in lemon butter or pan-fried with butter, garlic, capers, and thyme.

If you are going for a good old-fashioned fish fry, black seabass or fluke are the best. For that, I dredge the fillet in flour, then an egg wash, then panko with salt and herbs. I pan-fry and keep them crisp in a warm oven until ready to eat. Any of the above fish are also great as fish tacos (especially the bass). Make some fresh salsa fresca from garden tomatoes, a little farm corn, and crema. Yum!

Leftover fish? If you can’t eat all in one sitting, cooked fish can make fantastic fish cakes. This is the recipe I’ve been using (minus the celery), https://www.beyondthechickencoop.com/fish-cakes/. I’m going to experiment with freezing them before cooking and see how they defrost in the winter. Nothing like local fish in the middle of February!

The last of my summer fare is bluefin tuna. That is an embarrassment of riches. When giants are caught, they are sold to market. But the recreational-sized fish are shared among the boat, providing enough meat for a party. Having tuna is a good excuse for a dinner party. And it is better not cooked. Tuna tartar and poke bowls are standard table fare. But years ago, I took a sushi-making class at the Nantucket Culinary Center with Sean Durnin of Sushi Sean fame. That introduction, coupled with the right tools (especially good knives), has made for some fun family nights of sushi making. I go to Glidden’s Island Seafood for the best ingredients – perfect avocados, sushi rice, tamari, rice wine vinegar, wakame, various mushrooms, and fried wonton crackers. I’m hungry just thinking about it!

Of course, there are many other delicious things in the sea, but these are the tops.

Tip from Captain Carl: If you do go for a charter, have a talk with your Captain ahead of time about what you are willing (and able) to keep. It’s better for the fishery to only keep what you are able to use. We do want a future for these fish. Take what you can enjoy fresh.

I would be remiss if I didn’t end with a little bit about the August Blues Tournament, which runs the whole month of August. Last year, I made a big deal about using my new fishing rod to land on the tournament leaderboard. Spoiler alert – I didn’t even catch a single fish. Even getting tips and tricks from Captain Carl, other tournament anglers, and tackle shops, I just couldn’t seal the deal.

It only fuels my fire for this year. At my first opportunity to go this past weekend, I ended up with a lure (and line) full of mung. Mung, I learned, was what the anglers call the red algae seaweed washing up in the surf. It was so thick in parts of the south shore I almost couldn’t reel in after just one cast.

Moving further down the shore, I found some crystal clear water and even a seal to show me the way. I had hoped to find a few mole crabs, but they still weren’t there. Just one small one that wouldn’t fit on a hook.

That evening, cast after cast, several lure changes, and a walk down the beach didn’t produce a bluefish. Heck, it didn’t even produce a sea creature. What I did “catch” was a break. A little respite from the summer crowds and responsibilities from home. And wasn’t that the point? The only company, aside from the seal, was a few sanderlings and a couple of surfers down the way. Maybe that should have clued me into the fact that this wasn’t the fishing spot. But it was a really great evening.

Hopefully, though, I’ll have something to show for my effort by the end of August. Or else I might just need to hire a charter…

Until next tide!