Cape fishermen work to sell lesser-known fish

Source: Cape Cod Times, Hyannis, Mass.迷利倉Oct. 02--You can save a pretty penny buying fish and chips made with dogfish -- rather than cod or haddock -- at the Chatham Pier Fish Market, but you have to ask for it on a day when the market has it on hand.The mild, flaky white fish is common in Europe, so tourists are delighted when they -- rarely -- find it here. But the goal for Cape fishermen and chefs is to get local folks asking for the spiny dogfish shark that is so plentiful regulators recently increased catch limits."The limit isn't the problem, the price is the problem," says John Tuttle of Chatham, owner and operator of the Cuda. Casting long lines with hooks from his 40-foot vessel, Tuttle brings in dogfish and earns 13 to 14 cents a pound -- about 20 times less than the going price for cod.Tuttle, a fisherman for 35 years, says, "In the past, I haven't really brought (dogfish) in because cod and haddock were more profitable. But in the past few years, 8 out of 10 of my hooks are dogfish.""Dogfish fillets are very mild, but if you cook it with spices, it's very good. The texture stays together well. It's a nice white, flaky fish you can bake, stir-fry or deep fry," Tuttle says.Last week, Lyric Restaurant chef Toby Hill cooked for Tuttle and about 75 others at a reception the Cape Cod Commercial Fishermen's Alliance hosted to promote the use of dogfish and skate, another underutilized fish found in Cape waters.In a room at The Cape Codder Resort in Hyannis, Hill cooked Dogfish Tuna Melts; Pancetta-Wrapped Dogfish with Brussels Sprout Slaw; Pan-Roasted Skate Wing with Caramelized Cauliflower and Bacon Vinaigrette; and Smoked Skate Wing Salad. He also shared recipes, including the ones below."The pan-roasted skate was something I've served many times before. But the pancetta-wrapped dogfish I hadn't done before," Hill says. "You'll see skate in high-end restaurants, but dogfish is not really done."Hill says it's a battle for even good-tasting fish to get a fin in the market."You have some people who want to try everything, but most people won't order it if they don't know what it is," Hill says. "You have to create a market with people really wanting it and events like this help."If people were willing to eat underutilized species, Hill says, they could come to Cape Cod for local fish rather than eating Icelandic cod here. "Ninety-five percent of restaurants here are not using fish from Cape Cod. It's a travesty," he says.The Cape's dogfish is going to Europe."I buy almost all of the dogfish on Cape Cod," says Jared Auerbach, a Natick resident who owns Red's Best. The business has several loading stations on the Cape and a processing plant in Boston where fish are filleted and packed for shipping."We're really good at handling a lot of little boats," Auerbach says, explaining that he created, with a software engineer's help, a computer program that lets fishermen register their daily catch just once and then have the information follow the fish. "Keeping the story with the fish adds value to the fish," he says.Auerbach also supplies extra ice and encourages fishermen to treat the less expensive catch "as food," keeping it cosmetically appealing as they work to create more demand and a better price. One of those efforts is selling white fish to Boston hospitals, Auerbach says, with the amount guaranteed but not the specific type of fish.Bob Prescott, who attended last week's reception, is someone who likes to try new menu items as they become 自存倉vailable. "You can get a $10 fish and chips with dogfish at the Chatham Pier Fish Market, which is a great price."Prescott says he thinks restaurants are key to creating demand for unfamiliar fish because if patrons like it, they will ask for it at their local fish market. If market owners know they will sell it, Prescott says, they'll stock it.Tuttle thinks one more change might help dogfish: a new name."New England white fish is one of the names we talked about," he says.Lyric Restaurant chef Toby Hill shared these recipes:Pan-RoastedSkate WingWith Caramelized Cauliflower and Bacon VinaigretteServes 4-62 pounds skate fillets1 head cauliflower, cut into small florets and blanched in boiling, salted water for 3 minutes4 strips applewood bacon, chopped coarsely1 onion, chopped coarsely1/2 tablespoon dijon mustard1/4 cup white balsamic vinegar1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil1 cup panko bread crumbs, ground into powderCanola oil, as neededKosher salt and ground black pepper, to taste--In a saute pan on medium heat, add a little canola oil and cauliflower and cook until caramelized. Adjust seasoning. Set aside.--In another saute pan on medium heat, combine bacon, onion, mustard, vinegar and olive oil and cook until onions are caramelized and bacon is crispy.--Place bacon mixture in a blender and blend into a paste. Set aside.--Dredge the skate in the ground bread crumbs.--In a saute pan on medium-high heat, add a little canola oil and cook the skate fillets until golden brown on both sides (2-3 minutes each side)--Place cauliflower on a plate, top with skate and drizzle with bacon vinaigrette.Dogfish Tuna MeltsServes 3-5Dogfish salad:1 pound dogfish fillets2 cups extra virgin olive oil3 scallions, sliced thin1 tablespoon pickled red jalapenos, recipe below4 tablespoons mayonnaise, preferably homemade1 tablespoon parsley, finely choppedKosher salt and ground black pepper, to tasteAssembly:3-5 slices of bread, preferably brioche4 ounces farmers cheese, or another simple curd cheese, such as goat or feta--Place dogfish in a small pot with the olive oil and cook on a low burner until fish is fully cooked. Place fish on paper towel and allow to cool.--Shred the cooled dogfish and combine in a mixing bowl with scallions, red jalapenos, mayonnaise, parsley, salt and pepper.--Divide the salad between the slices of bread and spread evenly over the bread.--Top with crumbled farmers cheese and place in a broiler or oven until cheese is lightly melted and slightly brown.Pancetta-Wrapped Dogfish With Brussels Sprout SlawServes 12Pancetta Dogfish:1 pound dogfish fillets, cut in 12 chunks12 pancetta strips, 4 inches long, substitute bacon if preferredCanola oil, as neededKosher salt and ground black pepper, to tasteBrussels Sprout Slaw:18 Brussels sprouts, shredded1 carrot, grated3 tablespoons mayonnaise, preferably homemade2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar1 tablespoon parsley, finely choppedKosher salt and ground black pepper, to taste--Preheat fry oil to 350 degrees.--Wrap each chunk of dogfish with a piece of pancetta and skewer with a toothpick.--In a mixing bowl, combine all ingredients for the slaw and mix thoroughly. Refrigerate for at least 2 hours.--Fry the dogfish skewers until pancetta is golden brown and crispy, about 45 seconds.--Serve on top of a small bed of Brussels sprout slaw.Copyright: ___ (c)2013 the Cape Cod Times (Hyannis, Mass.) Visit the Cape Cod Times (Hyannis, Mass.) at .capecodonline.com Distributed by MCT Information Servicesmini storage