Redneck Chef Bluefish stew

I am sharing this never before shared top secret recipe since it is almost time to go out and chase the big blues. I love fishing for blue fish and I am looking forward to getting started this season. If you have never been you need to give it a try, it is a lot of fun. Remember to take a kid fishing, and pass it on.

I hear a lot of fishermen talking about people not liking to eat bluefish, I have found they just do not know how to prepare it. First of all you have to eat it fresh, never freeze it unless you cook it first. You can boil it for a few minutes and put it in freezer containers or you can smoke it. Blues are an oily fish and the oil will go rancid pretty quick. I like to filet my bluefish and take the skin off, I also cut the dark strip in the center out so you end up with 4 filets from each fish, where I catch them and then keep them on ice in a zip bag until you get home.  Some old timers will cut the fishes and let them bleed right after they get it off the hook I see no reason for this as I have tried both ways and the fish will taste the same either way. Cook them right away for the best fish you will ever eat.

The people I have cooked this for say it is the best soup they have ever ate, you should try it and let me know what you think.

½ lbs salt pork or good middlin’ meat

2 large onions diced

4 celery stalks chopped

5 or 6 Idaho potatoes diced

2 ½ lbs fresh bluefish filets

1 bottle clam juice

1 tablespoons Old Bay seasoning

Salt and pepper to taste

Fry salt pork until crispy, using slotted spoon remove pork and reserve drippings. Add onion and celery to reserved pork fat and sauté until tender about 3 minutes, add crispy pork and 4 cups of water, Bluefish filets, salt and pepper and Old Bay Seasoning cook over medium heat for at least one hour, add more water as needed. Add diced potatoes and cook for 15 minutes or until potatoes are done. Add clam juice, cook until just heated, and serve. The fish will break apart and have a very pleasant texture.

Serves 4 to 6

Blue Cheese Dressing

As a child I did not like Blue Cheese Dressing at all, but as an adult I absolutely love it. The best I ever ate was at the Ember’s Restaurant in Graham, North Carolina. This is my attempt to make a recipe that I think comes as close as possible. This creamy dressing is at its best when tossed with crisp romaine or iceberg lettuce. Use it as a dip for crudités like carrot and celery sticks, radishes and steamed asparagus spears, too.

8 ounces Maytag or better quality blue cheese

1 cup sour cream

1/2 cup buttermilk

2 tablespoons finely chopped chives or green onions

Double Dash Worcestershire sauce

1 lemon juiced

Dash hot sauce

Sea salt

Ground black pepper

Mash cheese with a fork in a bowl, leaving some large chunks. Stir in sour cream and buttermilk until creamy but with bits of cheese remaining. Stir Worcestershire and hot sauce and lemon. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Chill until ready to use.