Bonita Fish

[Jalapeno]

My son went fishing today and caught 2 bonitas. Is this a fish that is good to eat? If not can I cook it up for my dog, she LOVES fish.

TIA!

[PAMMELA]

Looks like it's fine to eat!

Bonito, a member of the mackerel family, is a favorite at my house. My son is allergic to fish with scales, and bonito has no scales - great for the allergy and much easier to clean! This recipe for baked bonito seasoned with garlic and oregano is cooked with potatoes.

Prep Time: 30 minutes
Cook Time: 1 hour, 30 minutes
Ingredients:

1 bonito, approximately 3 pounds
1/2 cup of olive oil
5-6 cloves of garlic, sliced
sea salt
freshly ground black pepper
Greek oregano (rigani)
juice of 2 lemons
2 1/2 pounds of potatoes
1 1/3 cups of water
Preparation:
Preheat oven to 355°F (180°C).

Remove and discard head and intestines from the fish. Carefully cut the fish in half lengthwise, cutting along the back. Sprinkle the fish with salt, pepper, and oregano. Insert slices of garlic into the meatiest parts of the fish.

Clean potatoes and cut into equal size wedge-shaped pieces. Sprinkle with salt, pepper, and oregano.

Place fish in a large roasting pan, and surround with potatoes. Add remaining slices of garlic over the potatoes. Whisk together the oil and lemon juice and pour over the fish and potatoes, and add water.

Bake at 355°F (180°C) for 1 1/2 hours.



Charred Spiced Bonito tacos

For some reason, small tunas like the bonito are not as popular fresh as the large yellowfin and bigeye tunas. Bonito has a delicate yet rich flavor. In this recipe, the fish is highly seasoned, grilled, and then broken up into pieces with the tines of a fork and used as the filling for tacos. The slight bitterness from the grilling combined with the smoky richness of the seasoned fish is a perfect excuse to experiment with several salsas as accompaniments. I particularly recommend Charred Tomato Mint Salsa. Don't forget to have plenty of soft, fresh tortillas on hand.

Serves 4.

1 pound bonito, mackerel, or yellowfin tuna fillet, cut into 2- by 4- by 1-inch strips, or 1 small whole mackerel
2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lime juice, plus more, if necessary
1/4 cup olive oil, plus more for oiling grill
2 tablespoons chipotle rub
2 tablespoons diced radish
2 tablespoons very thinly sliced scallion, white and green parts

charred tomato mint salsa
8 small tortillas, heated

Light the grill. In a medium-sized, nonreactive bowl, toss the fish with lime juice, 1/4 cup olive oil, and Chipotle Rub. Cover, refrigerate, and let marinate about 1 hour. Oil grill and cook fish over a hot fire until lightly charred and medium-rare (it should still be pink in the middle), about 3 minutes.
In a warm bowl (so fish does not cool too much), shred fish.

Taste for seasoning and sprinkle with a little more Chipotle Rub and lime juice, if needed. Top with radish and scallion and serve warm with salsa and tortillas.

[Jalapeno]

Ah thanks Pam!