Striped bass or “rockfish” can be a delicious fish for the table. A few simple steps are important in caring for the fish prior to cooking.
Striped bass should be stored on ice and laid out flat until cleaned. Once the fish is home, it can be rinsed thoroughly and filleted.
Cleaning methods vary and either procedure can be used. The fish can be scaled and the skin left on, filleted and then skinned or the skin can be cut around the perimeter of the fish and pulled off with pliers.
The skin-on method works well for smaller fish which are baked or grilled. Skinning the fish before filleting has some advantages, the most important being speed. Filleting the fish and then cutting the skin off removes the most dark meat and leaves the highest quality portion, although some fish is lost in the process.
Striped bass can be enjoyed in several ways. Small fish are delicious fried, broiled, grilled or baked. Larger fish have beautiful firm white flakey flesh and are perfect for grilling, broiling, chowders, fish cakes, and other cooking methods.
The following are examples of striped bass recipes:
Dijon Rockfish
Ingredients:
1 lb striped bass fillets
2oz. white wine
2oz. mayonnaise
2oz. Dijon mustard
Instructions:
This one is real simple but it’s also really good.
Mix equal parts of white wine, mayonnaise and Dijon mustard and whisk until smooth.
Pour over fish fillets in baking dish and bake at 400 degrees for 20 minutes or until done.
Lemon Butter Rockfish
Ingredients:
1 lb. striped bass fillets
1/2 fresh lemon
1 tbsp. butter
1 tsp. olive oil
1/2 tsp. Old Bay crab seasoning or equivalent
Instructions:
Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
Drain fillets and lay in a casserole dish basted with olive oil.
Squeeze lemon over fillets, drizzle with melted butter and sprinkle with crab seasoning.
Bake for 10 minutes or until fish is white on the outside and still slightly pink in the center.