Butterfish are usually caught using trawl nets. Their schools are often intermixed with schools of squid, and the two species are often caught together. Despite their silver-dollar appearance, butterfish have not become a lucrative fishery. But chefs will tell you that their flavor is among the best of the sea.
Ingredients
- 1 bunch parsley, stems removed
- 1 handful of baby arugula
- 4 garlic cloves, peeled
- 2 tablespoons capers, drained and rinsed
- 2 salted anchovies, rinsed
- 1 lemon, juiced
- ½ cup extra-virgin olive oil
- 12 (4-ounce) whole butterfish, gutted and rinsed
- 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
- Kosher salt to taste
Preparation
Salsa:
Place all ingredients except for oil in a food processor. Pulse until chunky. While processor is running, drizzle in oil. Place salsa verde in serving bowl.
Fish:
Make slits in fish with a sharp knife. Rub fish with oil and season with salt. Grill for 2 minutes on each side over charcoal. Plate and drizzle with salsa verde.
This recipe can also be prepared with scup, black sea bass or tautog.
About this recipe
Excerpted from Simmering the Sea: Diversifying Cookery to Sustain Our Fisheries (University of Rhode Island, 2018) by Sarah Schumann, Kate Masury and Marie-Joëlle Rochet. Recipes by Rizwan Ahmed. Illustrations by Léa Tirmant-Desoyen. Used with permission.
For a delicious recipe for Smoked Whiting Chowder from Simmering the Sea, visit EdibleRhody.com.
