Ingredients
Wahoo
Other Names: Acantocibio, maccerello striato (Italian); barracuda; cavala da india (Portuguese); jack mackerel; kamasusawara (Japanese); kin fis (Creole); kingfish; malata; nguru-maskati (Swahili); ono (Hawaiian); paala (Samoan); Pacific king-fish; paere, thazard bâtard (French); peto (German, Spanish); queen fish; sierra (Spanish); serra-da-india (Portuguese). Scombridae.
General Description: Wahoo (Acanthocybium solandri) is closely related to the king mackerel. They have dark blue or electric blue upper bodies marked with waved stripes and a silver lower body, an overshot lower jaw, and razor-sharp
teeth. There are no organized fisheries for wahoo, perhaps
because the fish do not school. Wahoos are appreciated as game fish.
Locale and Season: Wahoos are distributed worldwide in tropical and subtropical waters and are caught off South America and in the Caribbean, both commercially with longlines and recreationally. They are a bycatch of tuna and swordfishing in Florida. Most wahoos in America come from the Caribbean, Hawaii, Australia, and Fiji and are more abundant in summer months.
Characteristics: Wahoos may weigh up to 100 pounds, but 8 to 30 pounds is average. Raw wahoo flesh is pale pink and
slightly translucent, cooking up white with mild flavor, firm, lean texture, and large, round flake.
How to Choose: In the areas where they are caught commercially, wahoos are marketed fresh, salted, spice-cured, or frozen. Day-boat wahoo from Hawaii is best. Wahoo
has been linked to ciguatera poisoning, especially in larger fish. To avoid the poisoning, do not eat fish caught in affected areas. Clean the fish very well and do not eat the roe, liver, head, or innards, because they contain higher levels of the poison.
Storage: Store whole wahoo hanging with its head down. Do not fillet this fish until ready to cook. Use immediately.
Preparation:
1. Fillet or cut into thick steaks.
2. Marinate, then grill, broil, sauté, or hot-smoke.
Suggested Recipe: Caribbean Wahoo (serves 4): Season 1 1/2 pounds wahoo cut into chunks with salt, pepper, and lime
juice and place in a baking dish. Combine 1 can unsweetened coconut milk with 1 finely minced Scotch bonnet or other hot chile, 1 each diced red and green bell pepper, 1 diced sweet onion, and 2 ripe plantains, sliced diagonally, and spoon over the fish. Cover and bake at 375°F for 20 minutes, or until
the fish flakes.
Flavor Affinities: Bell pepper, Cajun seasoning, chiles, cilantro, coconut, garlic, key lime, lemon, lime, mango, olive
oil, orange, sweet onion, tangerine, tomato.
from Quirk Books: www.quirkbooks.com
