Posts in Fish
California Halibut
California Halibut

Some of our members will enjoy one of our favorite seasonal treasures - local halibut reeled in by hook and line by Captain Dennis Amos. Look behind the scenes and see where your filet comes from and get to #knowyourfisherman in this SHORT VIDEO.

Be sure to read the halibut info page to learn more than you ever wanted to know about this delicious fish. And check out the Fishwife's halibut recipes. The trick with California halibut lies in not overcooking it! So mind that fork, and be sure to check it occasionally in the oven/broiler/grill.

INFO PAGE: Click for more fishery info!

ORIGIN: Captain Dennis Amos near the SF Bay Bridge

METHOD: Hook & line. Click “read more” for detailed fishery info.

RECIPES: Halibut with caper vinaigrette, Halibut with mustard sauce and hearty lentils, Halibut with salsa verde, Halibut with fennel and orange, Halibut ceviche, Sous vide halibut with beurre blanc, Fish pie.

Bon appetit!

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FishKirk LombardHalibut
Chinook "King" Salmon
Chinook "King" Salmon

AKA Chinook Salmon, Poseidon be praised! And since the local chinook salmon fishery is closed, we sourced some 👑chinook (king) salmon👑 from the F/V Avalon, Blue Sea, Miss Norma, Quiana and Wind Chime out of Hoonah, AK. These are FAS, or frozen at sea. This is incredible quality, and sushi-grade. Your salmon order will come in the form of fillets. Hip hip hooray! I have a lot to say about this precious fish, so check out my video and the links below to learn more.

INFO PAGE: click for more fishery info!

ORIGIN: F/V Avalon, Blue Sea, Miss Norma, Quiana and Wind Chime out of Hoonah, AK 

METHOD: Troll-caught (not trawl). Click “read more” for fishery info on one of our most important local fish.​

RECIPES: King salmon with miso glaze, 5 spice tea-smoked salmon, ginger-dill salmon, salmon burgers, fresh cured salmon, king salmon crudo, roasted dill salmon, salmon gravlax, salmon with curried orange butter, seared salmon with yogurt and dill, salmon with grapefruit and basil relish, ginger-soy salmon, salmon with wasabi-cream sauce, Lemon-Roasted Salmon With Escarole, Asparagus, and Potatoes, Five spice tea-smoked salmon, salmon burgers, ginger-dill salmon, salmon crudo, fresh cured salmon. But really, with fish this fresh and delicious, a little salt, pepper, grill, and squeeze of lemon is really all you need!

WINE PAIRING: our friends at tableWINE in Pacifica "love salmon because you can play the white or red card. With a miso glaze, I would go red and play off the savory umami of the soy, but still a light red with acid to cut through the delicious fattiness of salmon. We can even stay German and do a Spateburgunbder (i.e. Pinot Noir) from Weingut Knauss in the Baden region of Germany. Definitely more savory and mushroomy than any CA pinot, and also with that German acidity. This would rock with Miso Salmon!"

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FishKirk LombardSalmon
Nearshore Rockfish (Black Rockfish, Yellowtail Rockfish, Vermillion, Canary Rockfish)
Nearshore Rockfish (Black Rockfish, Yellowtail Rockfish, Vermillion, Canary Rockfish)

Reeled in by Captain Sergio aboard the F/V Bent Rod off of Morro Bay, CA. Most of the rockfish that end up in our local markets are drag caught, and the fact that these are not is really awesome. Of the rockfish species, this is a relatively short-lived, fast-maturing species that lives most of it's life on shallower water than many other rockfish species. Did I mention they're delicious?

This were all open access rockfish. The large size of the fish and the high numbers indicate the populations are doing exceedingly well. Try to remember folks, all these fish are being reeled to the boat (from several hundred feet down) by hand! Then filleted, packed and delivered a day after offload. I like to send a reminder about this occasionally. There is no part of the equation from fishing, to offloading, to cutting, to portioning to packing to delivery that doesn't take an extreme amount of luck, timing, hard work and dedication. Thanks!

INFO PAGE: Click for more info! Mostly yellowtail rockfish

ORIGIN: Captain Sergio aboard the F/V Bent Rod off of Morro Bay, CA

METHOD: rod and reel

RECIPES: steamed whole rockfish, rockfish tacos & Mexican slaw; rockin' rockfish cakes, seafood stew a la Parkside, poached fish with tomato and saffron, convict chowder, tapenade packages, OR just grill it! Light marinade and a BBQ - you're golden. We have a slew of Lingcod recipes that would work great too!

PREP TIP: (optional) how to skin your fish fillet VIDEO

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FishKirk LombardRockfish, Black rockfish
Sablefish (aka Black Cod)
Sablefish (aka Black Cod)

We are happy to share buttery, flaky, deep-water sablefish aboard the Captain Sean Cross, F/V Smeagol out of the San Francisco. #KNOWYOURFISHERMAN! Caught via bottom longline in deep water, this fishery is doing very well and we are happy to have them for you. Hello, sablefish (aka Blackcod)!

To be clear, sablefish fishing is no easy task. The guys have to go way off shore (2-4 days) and each line or trap is baited, and a single snag, wherein they lose their gear, costs them thousands of dollars. Also consider that if the weather changes, the swell picks up, or anything goes wrong with their boat, they are a full day from a safe harbor. I only point this out so that we don't take the fish or the fishermen for granted.

​Be sure to read the Blackcod info page to learn more than you ever wanted to know about this delicious fish. And check out the Fishwife's sablefish recipes. I think you'll have some fun with this fantastically fatty fish, which is so moist that it is nearly impossible to overcook.

INFO PAGE: click for fishery info!

ORIGIN: Captain Sean Cross, F/V Smeagol out of the San Francisco. #KNOWYOURFISHERMAN!

METHOD: bottom longline

RECIPES: Easy miso marinated sablefish, Ginger-soy sablefish, steamed with ginger and scallions, cumin crusted sablefish, blackcod with roasted sweet and sour onions, sablefish cakes, broiled sablefish with anchovy butter, sablefish with hoisin and ginger sauce, blackcod and kimchi stew, sablefish-veggie stir fry, or add to your favorite stew!

PREP TIP: how to skin your fish fillet VIDEO

​WINE PAIRING: Our friends at tableWINE in Pacifica recommend a French gamay like Aliane Beaujolais since it's like Pinot noir, but a little lighter. Because of the miso glaze and some caramelization the dish is hearty enough to take on a light bodied red.

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FishKirk LombardSablefish, Black cod
Coho Salmon
Coho Salmon

AKA Silver Salmon, Poseidon be praised!! Reeled in aboard the F/V Wilma Mae out of Sitka, Alaska.. Your salmon order will come in the form of steaks. Hip hip hooray! Salmon time. Coho salmon is a delight, rod and reel from the northern waters of Sitka, Alaska, Fairweather Grounds. Flash-frozen on the boat and thawed for you to enjoy, it’s sushi-ready, or feel free to grill or pan sear it. Cook as you would king salmon, grilled, broiled, baked, or as poke or sashimi. Check The Fishwife’s recipes or just pan-seared a slab, squeeze a lemon on it and call it done!

INFO PAGE: click for more fishery info!

ORIGIN: Reeled in aboard the F/V Wilma Mae out of Sitka, Alaska.

METHOD: Troll-caught (not trawl).

RECIPES: salmon with miso glaze, seared salmon with yogurt and dill, salmon with grapefruit and basil relish, ginger-soy salmon, salmon with wasabi-cream sauce. But really, with fish this fresh and delicious, a little salt, pepper, grill, and squeeze of lemon is really all you need!

WINE PAIRING: our friends at tableWINE in Pacifica "love salmon because you can play the white or red card. With a miso glaze, I would go red and play off the savory umami of the soy, but still a light red with acid to cut through the delicious fattiness of salmon. We can even stay German and do a Spateburgunbder (i.e. Pinot Noir) from Weingut Knauss in the Baden region of Germany. Definitely more savory and mushroomy than any CA pinot, and also with that German acidity. This would rock with Miso Salmon!"

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FishKirk LombardCoho Salmon
Albacore Tuna
Albacore Tuna

Awesome albacore tuna is swimming your way! Your beautiful albacore tuna were reeled in off of Newport, OR by Captain Dan Albert, F/V Deacon using rod and reel using troll gear as opposed to the gigantic Pelagic long liners that are so destructive.

Your albacore tuna loin will come skin off, blood line removed. Because it's IQF it's sushi-ready, or feel free to grill or pan sear it. Please note that the albacore is skin-off, and the loin is a very tender cut and less firm than the ahi tuna that you may have had before.

This is the highest-grade tuna on the market, sustainably caught. Check out the info page for more details, and peep the recipes too!

INFO PAGE: Click for more fishery info!

ORIGIN: reeled in off of Newport, OR by Captain Dan Albert, F/V Deacon

METHOD: trolling (not trawling), using hook and line

RECIPES: Pan-Seared Albacore Tuna Loin, slap-dash albacore sushi night, Tahitian Poisson Cru, Tuna with red pepper sauce, Simple Poke, Albacore tuna skewers

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FishKirk LombardAlbacore tuna
Ocean Whitefish (Blanquillo)
Ocean Whitefish (Blanquillo)

We have a special treat for you this week – “Blanquillo”, or Ocean Whitefish, aka Caulolatilus princeps. The local storms mean there are no local fillets, so we're especially happy to source this Southern California treat. Your fish came in from F/V Circle Hook off of Newport Beach, CA. Blanquillo seldom shows up in our area, and are a favorite of many Southern California fishermen, so I leapt at the opportunity. Similar to rockfish, this is an important species for artisanal fishermen in Mexico, where it is very popular and known as “blanquillo.” Be sure to check the info page for more fishery info!

INFO PAGE: click for more info!

ORIGIN: F/V Circle Hook off of Newport Beach, CA

METHOD: rod & reel. Click “read more” for detailed fishery info

RECIPES: any rockfish or lingcod recipe, blanquillo in parchment paper, coconut curry sauce, teriyaki, grilled, poisson cru, miso glaze, or just salt, pepper, and lemon!

PREP TIP: Video tutorial how to skin your fish fillet (optional - feel free to keep it on)

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FishKirk LombardOcean Whitefish
Alaskan Halibut (aka Pacific Halibut)
Alaskan Halibut (aka Pacific Halibut)

Some of our members will enjoy one of our favorite seasonal treasures - local halibut reeled in by hook and line by F/V Lyndy Taku out of Juneau, Alaska. Alaskan halibut is a marquee item, highly sought after in restaurants. These meaty fillets are delicate and flavorful. It is an obsessively well managed fishery and these fish were caught by bottom long line, with little by catch and the stocks are considered to be in excellent shape.

Halibut is one of the finest fish fillets going, and these are different than California halibut - they are thicker and less prone to drying out. Anything that can be done to a slab of fish can be successfully done to a nice piece of halibut.

ORIGIN: F/V Lyndy Taku out of Juneau, Alaska

METHOD: Bottom set line.

RECIPES: Halibut with caper vinaigrette, Halibut with mustard sauce and hearty lentils, Halibut with fennel and orange, Halibut ceviche, Sous vide halibut with beurre blanc.

Bon appetit!

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FishKirk LombardPacific Halibut
Swordfish
Swordfish

Typically swordfish are caught by by super destructive gill nets and drift nets on boats that are out to sea for at least 30 days at a time, often with slave labor, and I've always abhorred it. But thanks to an experimental hook and line fishery permit and a thrilling movement to ban gill netting and encourage hook and line, rod and reel fishing, we have swordfish that we can feel great about. Photo by Ralph Pace.

The stocks are very healthy and our fishermen follow strict protocols, which means that this is the freshest swordfish you've ever had (caught on a short offshore boat trip as opposed to 30 days in deep water with horrible gear), and it's creating a sustainable swordfish fishery off the California coast. The ultimate goal is to transition out of the egregious drift nets and longlines and adopt this hook and line buoy fishing alternative. Let's encourage these guys!

INFO PAGE: Click for more fishery info!

ORIGIN: Captain Nate Perez, F/V Bear Flag out of Santa Cruz Island, Channel Islands

METHOD: Harpoon

RECIPES: Lemon Garlic Swordfish, Mediterranean Grilled Swordfish, Swordfish-Like Steak with Crispy Capers, Grilled Swordfish and End of Season Tomatoes

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FishKirk Lombardswordfish
McFarland Springs Rainbow Trout
McFarland Springs Rainbow Trout

​Delicious McFarland Springs rainbow trout fillets are headed your way! One of our favorite (and priciest) fillets, "Sea Forager" and trout may seem incongruous, but please hear me out on this. McFarland Springs Rainbow trout are not only among the best eating fish I've had in the last 5 years, but these beautiful sparkling, rainbow-hued creatures, just may be the hope of the oceans and the answer to the global need for fish. You think I'm being hyperbolic? Overly dramatic? I'm not. Ask yourselves, what is going to happen to fish stocks when the human population reaches 50 billion? 100 billion? 500 billion? There are really only two outcomes: 1) The human species learns to harvest/farm sustainably and we have oceans full of fish, or 2) the human species learns nothing, continues to harvest and farm destructively and fish stocks are destroyed.

What if I told you that there is, within driving distance of San Francisco, a fish farm that produces a gorgeous, pink-fleshed native species? And that this farm invested millions of dollars to develop a feed pellet that does not contribute to the ongoing decimation of the three most important of all fish: sardine, anchovy and menhaden? A fish farm that recirculates all the waste from their raceways onto a 5 acre field of native grasses, where horses gambol happily in the cool Sierra breeze? What if I told you that despite the limited supply, I can get these trout to you during the fall and winter?

And the beautiful thing is that they're located in California. So I don't have to source outside the state. Anyway... I'm really hoping you guys will love and appreciate these fish as much as I do. You can read all about them on my trout landing page, and check out a great little video here.

ORIGIN: McFarland Springs Rainbow Trout Farm Susanville, California

METHOD: Aquaculture

INFO PAGE: click for fishery info!

VIDEO: see for yourself what goes on at McFarland Springs!

RECIPES: Trout with lemon dill sauce, Lemony trout with capers and wine, Pan-Fried Trout with Green Onions, Trout with curried orange butter, trout gravlax, trout miso soup.

WINE PAIRING: for the Lemony Trout with Capers and Wine recipe our friends at tableWINE in Pacifica recommend a a crisp Sicilian white such as Grillo (Paolo Cali “Blues”). Cheers!

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FishKirk LombardTrout Comment
Skipjack Tuna
Skipjack Tuna

AKA: Aku/katsuo/skipjack
We're super happy to provide delicious skipjack tuna (in Japan: katsuo, in Hawaii: aku)! These fish are fantastic as sashimi or poke. Aku is so popular (as poke in Hawaii and as sashimi in Japan) that most of it goes to markets in those areas. Of the tunas these fish are fast growing, and fast to reproduce. Their small size also keeps them from occupying a high position on the food chain so they are lower in the toxins that are often associated with the larger tunas. The source for these are small rod and reel boats using troll gear as opposed to the gigantic Hawaiian Pelagic long liners that are so destructive. During the winter we found a few Hawaiian small boat fishermen who use sustainable gear and are willing to catch and pack in ice and drive fish to airport so we can look forward to their catch. Several years ago on a trip to the Big Island I was shocked (shocked!) to discover that full sized skipjacks are primarily targeted for use as marlin bait. I was on one of those big charter boats operating out of Kona and though the water the was boiling with "skippies," the crew absolutely refused to drop a line for them. One of the more frustrating fishing experiences I've had in my life. Anyway, for those unfamiliar with this species, the Japanese is "katsuo." The Hawaiian: "aku." They'll arrive skin on, and are perfect for the grill, searing, or sushi. Enjoy!

ORIGIN: Fisherman: Alapai Tulon, FV Open sea sport fishing, Port Allen, Kauai, Hawaii

​METHOD: trolling (not trawling), using hook and line

QUICK TUNA RECIPES: Basic ahi tuna poke, Pan-Seared Tuna Loin, Tuna with Wasabi Cream Sauce, Tahitian Poisson Cru, or simply grilled, or enjoyed as sushi

PREP TIP: how to skin your fish fillet VIDEO

WINE PAIRING: our friends at tableWINE in Pacifica assure us that if you're making poke, a DRY riesling is super fun. Great acidity but yet a little stone fruit to keep things from being to mineral driven- Clemensbusch Riesling Trocken (German word for dry) from the Mosel, GR.

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FishKirk LombardTuna
White Seabass
White Seabass

The bite is hot and some of our members will be enjoying white seabass! These giant fish are not really bass, but members of the croker family, and an open-access fishery. The only ones we get are hook and line caught, and when you see the size of these fish it’s remarkable to think that the fisherman is pulling in each one by hand.

BBQ, Broil, Bake. Thick, white, flaky slabs of total awesomeness. Be sure to read the white seabass info page for more fun facts, and send us your food photos and you could win a Sea Forager oyster shucker!

METHOD: Hook & line, rod & reel

ORIGIN: Captain Cory Otto on the F/V Yellowtime off of the Channel Islands, CA

SEABASS RECIPES: White sea bass with coconut-curry sauce, baked white seabass with lemon herb sauce, easy miso-marinated seabass, or any halibut recipe would work well too!

PREP TIP: how to skin your fish fillet VIDEO (optional - it’s also great and easy to cook skin-on)

Bon appétit!

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FishKirk LombardWhite seabass
Pacific Mackerel
Pacific Mackerel

Spanish mackerel, caught by Captain Pete "the Greek" on the F/V Sardella out of Half Moon Bay. Pete hand pulls his lamara net in the ancient Greek method aboard his 14' whaler. Taste the heritage! Bold, awesome, high in Omega 3s... enjoy these delicious and beautiful species.

Your mackerel will come whole, approximately 2 lbs, so you can practice your skills, in the spirit of the Neptune's Delight. There will be some bones that are easy to eat around, but you need to gut them (the fish are healthy but the guts are not). Gut 'em and grill (or bake) them, then pull the meat off as you would with a whole trout. You can stuff them with herbs, lemons and bake, or salt them and toss it on the grill, you can't go wrong. And send us photos of your fish! You could win a Sea Forager apron!

PREP TIPS: You got a whole fish! What to do:

  • Sharpen your paring knife. Like, really sharp.

  • Place your fish on the cutting board and slice into the fish’s “vent” (poop hole) and up to the “neck.”

  • Use your hands or a teaspoon to scrape out the innards and gills. Or you can cut the head off if you like too. Pause, and ponder the wheel of life.

  • Rinse your gutted fish, and cook that beauty!

ORIGIN: F/V Sardella, Half Moon Bay, CA

INFO PAGES: Click for fishery info! SARDINES - MACKEREL

SARDINE & MACKEREL RECIPES: Roasted sardines with garlic and paprika, broiled sardines with lemon wedges, stuffed sardines, broiled sardines wrapped in bacon, roasted sardines stuffed with herbs

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FishKirk LombardMackerel
True Cod
True Cod

AKA true cod, tonight you get to enjoy some beautiful IQF hook and line-caught pacific cod from the frozen northlands by way of F/V Artic Prowler out of Hoonah, AK. These line caught fish are handled one fish at a time, with care, for the benefit of the fishery and your supper. 

....and talk about balls of steel. These guys fish Kodiak all winter! Here's a video of some other pacific cod fishermen, just to get a taste of the work that goes into it. This is a deeply awesome fishery, and there are several reasons why I am happy to support this fishery… for one thing, these guys are pulling up true cod in 2,000 feet of water in Alaska right now, which is badass in itself and a truly sustainable alternative to typical trawling. For another, this is one of the few fish on the West Coast that's called a cod and actually is a cod! ("rock cod," lingcod and black cod are not true gadiformes). Visit the info page for more info on this tasty and sustainable slab.

Perfect for fish and chips or any "cod" recipe, it's perfect for frying but also versatile. Be sure to check out the Fishwife's true cod recipes, and let us know what you do with it - remember, our fave fish photo wins a Sea Forager oyster shucker!

IQF = Individually Quick Frozen. If what one intends to do is run a sustainable seafood company that is fully committed to high standards, one must occasionally dip into frozen supply, especially in the off-season when big swells and closed seasons are a reality. I should also add that these fish are the same quality that goes out to the top four star restaurants in the country. I am proud to support these fishermen and delighted to offer it to you. We're excited about this fish because it's so damned delicious, mouth-watering, one of the best products we've ever offered, and we know the guys who caught it. Enjoy!

ORIGIN: F/V Artic Prowler out of Hoonah, AK.

METHOD: hook and line

INFO PAGE: click for fishery info!

RECIPES: Beer battered cod, pan fried true cod with breadcrumbs and herbs, easy-peasy cod in parchment paper, true cod with mustard-caper sauce, herb crusted true cod, true cod chowder with leeks

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FishKirk LombardCod, True Cod
Sand Dab
Sand Dab

​These lovely local fish are the pride of San Francisco, and if you haven't yet, you'll find out why. Your dabs will come pan-ready.

The Mr. Morgan is the only Scottish Seiner on the west coast of North America. Typically, sand dabs are caught by drag netting. This is seriously unique and allows us to enjoy this fish with ethical ease. Check out my epic post about the Mr Morgan on the sand dab page, and the Fishwife's recipe for this glorious flatfish. These are the ONLY TRULY sustainable sand dabs available anywhere, except when I catch them myself by hook and line.

Sand dabs, by the way, are probably the most uniquely San Francisco fish in the Pacific Ocean. Other cities get local halibut, salmon, rockfish, tuna… but nowhere is the tiny sand dab treated with such reverence as here. Yet another reason that Bay Area people are so superior to everyone else ;) Sand dabs are exactly the kind of fish that we should be eating more of. Low on the food chain, able to reproduce quickly and extremely abundant. We've got some great recipes and fishery info on Sea Forager so, again, if you haven't checked that out… please give it all a read through.

ORIGIN: F/V Mr. Morgan out of Half Moon Bay

INFO PAGE: click for fishery info!

RECIPES: Sand dabs with bread crumb batter.

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FishKirk LombardSand Dab
Lingcod
Lingcod

​Some of our members will enjoy lingcod reeled in by F/V Aimee June off of Eureka. As you can see in this photo, many lingcod have a brilliant turquoise color, so do not be alarmed. It actually goes away when you cook it, and it turns into a very tasty and versatile white fish.

Lingcod are caught by bottom trawl, Scottish seines, long lines, and by hook and line. Lingcod are famous for following hooked fish to the surface, and will often bite a fish as the angler reels it, spitting it out moments before capture. This phenomenon is called “hitch-hiking” by local fishermen. If you ever want to see a deckhand move real fast scream “hitchhiker!” next time you're on a party boat, and see what happens.

Check out the Fishwife's lingcod recipes for inspiration, and be sure to send us photos of your own culinary concoctions - you could win a Sea Forager apron! For more detailed information about lingcod, how the stocks are doing, how they are caught, and other fun facts, check out the lingcod info page and impress your friends!

ORIGIN: Reeled in aboard the F/V Aimee Juneoff of Eureka

METHOD: Hook and line

INFO PAGE: Click for more fishery info!

RECIPES: Easy teriyaki lingcod, coconut panko lingcod, mandarin lingcod, tahini baked lingcod, lingcod tapenade packages, lingcod fish tacos

PREP TIP: (optional) how to skin your fish fillet VIDEO

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FishKirk LombardLingcod
Deep Water "Red Banded" or Blackgill Rockfish
Deep Water "Red Banded" or Blackgill Rockfish

We have a line on some beautiful red banded and blackgill rockfish from F/V Yellow Time off of Santa Barbara, CA and we're happy to have them for you today. Caught by bottom longline, these stocks are doing really well, and these specific fish will be in top condition and as fresh as can be.

Most of the rockfish that end up in our local markets are drag caught, and the fact that these are hook and line caught is really awesome. To put it in perspective, a boat dragging for ocean perch, thorny heads or chilis can catch 40,000 pounds in one outing. By contrast a guy fishing hook and line is lucky to catch 250 to 500 pounds. Of the rockfish species, this is a relatively short-lived, fast-maturing species that lives most of it's life on shallower water than many other rockfish species. Did I mention they're delicious?

ORIGIN: F/V Yellow Time off of Santa Barbara, CA

METHOD: bottom longline

RECIPES: rockfish tacos & Mexican slaw; rockin' rockfish cakes; convict chowder, OR just grill it! Light marinade and a BBQ - you're golden.

PREP TIP: (optional) how to skin your fish fillet VIDEO

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FishKirk LombardRockfish, Red Banded Rockfish, Deep water rockfish
Pacific Herring
Pacific Herring

Huzzah! The herring are running! FV Captain Midnight, Captain Chris Cameron found these in our own waters. ​ The fishery is very healthy, as are the fish - they are short lived and do not bioaccumulate toxins and are full of omega-3s. Awesome pickled, fried, broiled, or baked.

Of all the fish that end up in the Neptune's Delight orders, herring require the most work. They will need to be scaled and gutted, or filleted. For pickling do not chunk the herring, fillet them. There's no easy way around this. Crack a beer or pour yourself a glass of wine and embrace the process of getting intimate with your fish! Remember, if you find eggs inside the females you can brine them and make your own kazunoko--or something close to it!

Herring meat is strong in flavor and soft in texture. It firms up really nicely when pickled. Herring can be grilled, pickled, smoked, broiled or pan fried. De-boning a herring is a tad more difficult than de-boning a sardine, but I suggest you just fillet it and leave the bones. If you're smoking your herring remember, our herring have much less fat than the Atlantic herring that are typically used for "kippers." So when marinating your local herring make sure to add a touch of oil or fat to the mix.

ORIGIN: FV Captain Midnight, Captain Chris Cameron

INFO PAGE: click for videos and more!

METHOD: Seine net

PREP TIP VIDEO: begins at 0:2:18

RECIPES: Kirk's pickled herring, oat-crusted fried herring, bacon-wrapped herring, herring milt & roe, Chinese-style steamed herring, roasted herring stuffed with herbs, or simply dredged in flour and pan fried - easy and delicious!

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FishKirk LombardHerring, Pacific Herring
Sardines
Sardines

Easier than a trip to Greece! IQF Sardines, caught by the F/V Sea Wave out of Monterey, CA. Taste the heritage! Bold, awesome, high in Omega 3s... enjoy these delicious and beautiful species.

Your sardines will come whole, approximately 2 lbs, so you can practice your skills, in the spirit of the Neptune's Delight. There will be some bones that are easy to eat around, but you need to gut them (the fish are healthy but the guts are not). Gut 'em and grill (or bake) them, then pull the meat off as you would with a whole trout. You can stuff them with herbs, lemons and bake, or salt them and toss it on the grill, you can't go wrong. And send us photos of your fish! You could win a Sea Forager oyster shucker!

INFO PAGE: click for more fishery info!

PREP TIPS: You got a whole fish! What to do:

  • Scale your whole fish by holding it by the tail and then using the back of a knife or a spoon, scrape against the "grain" of the scales. I recommend laying out newspaper and doing it on top or scaling into a bag (place it in the sink for ease, but then toss the bag in the trash.) Rinse when you're done.

  • Sharpen your paring knife. Like, really sharp.

  • Place your fish on the cutting board and slice into the fish’s “vent” (poop hole) and up to the “neck.”

  • Use your hands or a teaspoon to scrape out the innards and gills. Or you can cut the head off if you like too. Pause, and ponder the wheel of life.

  • Rinse your gutted fish, and watch the video to see how to pull out the spine and bones.

  • VIDEO: here’s a cleaning video, minus the scaling. You got this!

  • Cook that beauty!

ORIGIN: F/V Sea Wave, Monterey, CA

SARDINE & Mackerel RECIPES: Roasted sardines with garlic and paprika, broiled sardines with lemon wedges, stuffed sardines, broiled sardines wrapped in bacon, roasted sardines stuffed with herbs.

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FishKirk LombardSardines, sardines