Broiled Bluefish with Tomato and Herbs
This recipe was featured in Gourmet magazine in August 2006, and it’s a classic preparation method for bluefish. I recommend using a reduced fat mayonnaise if you are watching your cholesterol or trying to trim calories, and only using a very thin layer of the herbed mayonnaise on top of the fillets. I paired this with grilled asparagus and roasted fingerling potatoes with chive pesto to round out the meal. As written, this recipe makes 4 to 6 servings, so portion roughly 8 to 6 ounces of fish per person when filleting your fish.
About Bluefish: Bluefish is a popular gamefish here on the Atlantic coast. It has a rich, full flavor with coarse-textured, moist meat and edible skin. This fish has a relatively high oil content and a thin layer of fat just below the skin which make it a particularly good choice for grilling or broiling, in which the fat cooks off leaving behind crispy skin. Older, larger bluefish tend to be a bit oiler, and therefore have a stronger, more pronounced flavor, whereas younger, smaller bluefish (sometimes referred to as “snappers” because of their size) will be sweeter and milder (opt for these younger, smaller fish if you are particularly averse to “strong” or “fishy” flavors). Look for fresh, long line-caught bluefish when it’s in season, and cook your fillets the same day you bring them home, as this fish’s flavor tends to deteriorate when frozen or refrigerated for more than a day.
Ingredients:
Method:
Preheat broiler. Line rack of a broiler pan with foil.
Put fish skin sides down on foil and sprinkle with pepper and 1/4 teaspoon salt.
Whisk together mayonnaise, lemon juice, dill, and chives in a small bowl. Spread evenly over fish, then cover with tomato slices, overlapping slightly, and sprinkle with remaining 1/4 teaspoon salt.
Broil fish 3 to 4 inches from heat until just cooked through, 12 to 15 minutes.