Ingredients
Opah
Other Names: Akamanbô, mandai (Japanese); chrysostome, lampris (French); fengarósparo (Greek); glansfisk (Danish, Swedish); gotteslachs (German); Hawaiian moonfish; luna real, opa (Spanish); moonfish; peixe cravo (Portuguese); pesce ré (Italian); sunfish. Lampridae.
General Description: The opah (Lampris guttatus), which can weigh 100 pounds or more, has long been regarded as good luck fish. Once Hawaiian fishers would give them away, but after Hawaii started to promote its native fish in the late 1980s, this practice stopped. Opah’s firm, large grained, fatty flesh works well with strong seasonings.
Locale and Season: Opahs are found worldwide in tropical and temperate waters. Opahs are not consistently available because they don’t swim in schools and aren’t easily harvested in commercial quantities. They are often taken as
bycatch by Pacific tuna longliners. Opahs may be found year-round from longline fisheries, but are most abundant from April to August.
Characteristics: Opahs have four different types of flesh, each a different color. The loin, from along the backbone, is light orange and tender. The side flesh tends to be stringy and tough and is the same color as the loin at the top but fades toward the bottom. The dense, luscious cheek meat is dark red, while the breast meat is bright red. Opah’s rich, creamy texture and firm, fatty flesh make it a favorite for sushi.
How to Choose: Opahs from Hawaii are larger with firmer, more lively meat, averaging 45 pounds. Those from New Zealand average 30 pounds and have softer, duller meat.
Storage: Store opah up to 2 days refrigerated.
Preparation:
Use the steaklike loin fillets for grilling, broiling, or pan-searing like a beefsteak and for sashimi and sushi. Other cuts are too stringy to be good raw but are tender when cooked.
Suggested Recipe: Macadamia-Crusted Opah with Citrus (serves 4): Beat 1 egg with 1 cup milk. Season 4 opah fillets with salt and pepper and then dip in the mixture. Roll in 1/2 cup crushed macadamia nuts, then dust with flour. Sauté in olive oil 4 minutes per side, until browned. Combine 1/4 cup olive oil with 1 teaspoon each lime, lemon, and orange zest and the juice of 1 lime, 1 lemon, and 1 orange, and ladle over the fish to serve.
Flavor Affinities: Brown sugar, cilantro, dill, garlic, ginger, key lime, lemon, lime, macadamia, olive oil, orange, oyster sauce, pineapple, rosemary, shiitake mushroom, soy sauce.
from Quirk Books: www.quirkbooks.com
