White Seabass Tacos

May 28th, 2020

It's that time of year again for dreams of catching or spearing a white seabass consumes the minds of many fishermen, including my husband's. Whenever I notice his attentions drifting away from our conversation and out to the direction of the Pacific Ocean, I know exactly what he is thinking about; White Seabass! So, the WSB season starts with me trying to find new and delicious ways of cooking this elusive fish.

Since we live on a boat, cooking smells seem to get trapped inside and enter every crevice of the interior. Because of this, and my sensitive smeller, I do not allow him to cook any fish inside. So, when this time of year hits, he is relegated to the BBQ grill on the fly bridge...until I found this recipe! This delicious fish wrapped in spicy seasonings didn't smell up the boat or disappoint any of our hungry tribe.

It's a simple one bowl prep dish that can be put together in minutes. The first time we made it was just after a family surf session when everyone was de-sanding their bodies and rinsing off boards.

It also works with any mild white fish. Give it a go, it's our new favorite!

Cook at 400 degrees F

Ingredients:

1 lb White Seabass or other mild white fish

1/2 tsp seasalt

1/4 tsp black pepper

1 1/2 tsp cumin

1 1/2 tsp chili powder

1 1/4 tsp paprika

1/2 cup bread crumbs (optional)

1 Tbsp Avocado oil

10 small corn tortillas

1. Cut fish into small cubes

2. Place in large bowl and toss with oil, seasalt, pepper, cumin, chili powder, paprika and bread crumbs. Make sure the fish is coated really well on all sides.

3. Transfer fish to parchment lined baking sheet, spread out in one layer. Bake for 10-15 minutes.

4. Prep sides such as sliced radish, cilantro, avocado slices, lime wedges, and sliced jalapenos.

5. When fish is baked, squirt aioli sauce on each tortilla with two pieces of fish and top with radish, cilantro, avocado, jalapeno, and squirt with lime wedge.

Eat immediately.

(Aioli sauce: 1 cup mayo, 2 T chipotle hot sauce or crushed chipotles in adobo sauce from a can, 2 T lemon, 2 t maple syrup, 2 t avocado oil, pinch paprika)

*recipe adapted from Minimalist Baker baked tacos recipe.

White seabass or white weakfish, Atractoscion nobilis, is a species of croaker occurring from Magaelena Bay, Baja California, to Juneau, Alaska. They usually travel in Schools over deep rocky bottoms (0–122 m) and in and out of kelp beds. They are very hard to spearfish and even harder to catch with a hook and line. Commonly, these young fish are mistakenly called "sea trout" because of their sleek profile and vertical bars or "parr marks." To add to the confusion, these bars fade as the fish grows. Underwater, these fish make "croaking" sounds that can be heard from a distance, but often can not be seen. This is why spearfishermen call these fish "Ghosts" and they are really exciting fish to hunt. they sleep with their noses in the kelp. They typically hang out in 100 feet of water and come to the shallows to mate in the Spring.

They also have otoliths (ear bones) help fish orientate themselves and maintain balance, acting like our middle ear. Otoliths are composed of a form of calcium carbonate and protein which is laid down at different rates throughout a fish's life. This process leaves bands (alternating opaque and translucent bands) on the otolith like the growth rings in a tree.

The otoliths are located within the skull behind the eye and directly below the brain. Otoliths come in different sizes and shapes depending on the species of fish. These bones are often kept by fishermen as a keepsake.

Written by Cynthia Issel

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