We had a chat with Jenny Shea Rawn, Registered Dietician, who is the author of “Coastal Kitchen: Nourishing Seafood Recipes for Everyday Cooking”. Considering the Star 99.9 Surfside Hotel Greatest Bluefish Tournament on Earth is just around the corner, we wondered what tasty meals we could create with bluefish. Here are some delicious bluefish recipes from Jenny’s cookbook!

Find Jenny on Instagram, @jennyshearawn, and pickup her cookbook “Coastal Kitchen” wherever books are sold!

Easy Grilled Bluefish with Lemon and Dill

This simple blue fish recipe allows the full flavor of the fish to shine. The lemon and dill add freshness and brightness and complement the bluefish’s rich flavors. If you’ve never tried fresh bluefish, it is a fatty fish (rich in heart healthy omega-3 fatty acids) and has a strong flavor, not too dissimilar to salmon. Note: the raw flesh of fresh bluefish is brown or a light grayish blue – this is not an indicator of spoiling.

Total time: 30 minutes

Serves: 4

Course: Main Course

Ingredients:

·       1 1/2 pounds bluefish fillet, patted dry, cut into 4 pieces

·       1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil

·       Juice of 1 lemon

·       1 tablespoon whole grain mustard

·       2 cloves garlic, minced

·       1/4 teaspoon kosher salt

For serving:

·       Freshly ground black pepper

·       2 tablespoons chopped fresh dill

·       Lemon wedges

Instructions:

1. Add the bluefish to a shallow glass container or resealable bag. Pour in olive oil, lemon juice, mustard, garlic and salt. Let the fish sit at room temperature in the marinade for 15-20 minutes.

2. Meanwhile, preheat the grill to high heat. Clean and oil the grates very well – this will help prevent the fish from sticking.

3. Reduce grill heat to medium high and place fish skin side up on the grill. Cover and grill for 3-4 minutes. Flip and grill another 2-3 minutes until fish is opaque and flakes easily with a fork in the thickest part of the fresh. Remove from heat.

4. Sprinkle bluefish with black pepper and dill. Serve with lemon wedges.

Bluefish Taco Bites

Grilled blue fish topped with slaw, guacamole, pickled onions, jalapeno and sour cream stuffed into scoop-sized tortilla chips. These light fish taco bites are flavorful, fun and crowd pleasing. Note: the raw flesh of fresh bluefish is brown or a light grayish blue – this is not an indicator of spoiling.

Total time: 25 minutes

Serves: 6-8

Course: Appetizer

Ingredients:

For the bluefish:

·       1/2 pound bluefish fillet, skin on, patted dry

·       1 teaspoon canola or grapeseed oil or other high heat, neutral cooking oil

·       1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

·       1/8 teaspoon kosher salt

·       1 lime, cut into wedges (use two wedges for the fish, the rest for serving)

For the slaw:

·       3 cups shredded cabbage or cole slaw mix (without dressing)

·       2 tablespoons reduced-fat mayonnaise

·       2 tablespoon white wine vinegar

·       Kosher salt, to taste

·       Freshly ground black pepper, to taste

Assembly:

·       50 whole grain tortilla “scoop” chips (approximately half of a 10 ounce bag)

·       1/2 cup guacamole, prepared or homemade

·       1/4 cup quick pickled onion

·       1/4 cup reduced-fat sour cream

·       1 jalapeño, very thinly sliced

·       1/4 cup cilantro leaves

Instructions:

1. Preheat grill to high heat.

2. Place fish on a piece of tin foil. Brush fish with oil and sprinkle with black pepper and salt. Squeeze two lime wedges overtop the fish.

3. Reduce the grill heat to medium high. Place the foil (with fish) on the grill. Cover and grill for 6-8 minutes, until fish flakes easily with a fork when inserted in the thickest part of the filet. Cook time will depend on the thickness of the filet. Remove fish from heat. Flake fish.

5. Combine cabbage, mayonnaise and vinegar in a medium bowl. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

6. To assemble, place two scoop chips on top of each other.

7. Add a small amount of slaw to each chip. Top with flaked fish, guacamole and pickled red onion. Drizzle with sour cream, then top with a jalapeño slice and cilantro leaves. Serve with remaining lime wedges.

Recipe notes:

·       Do not prepare these bites ahead of time, as they will get soggy. Prepare right before serving and don’t allow them to sit.

·       Use either whole grain or regular chips, depending on preference.

image credit: Jenny Shea Rawn