That's My Story

There was a time when I first moved to Baja when I lived in an old adobe shack about 10 miles down a dirt road. I drank well water. I grew my own veggies. I somehow figured out how to connect up about 6 car batteries and a small solar panel to give me enough light for 3 hours from a single light bulb. I ate what I could catch, hunt, grow or trade for. And it was indeed a pretty grand life. Like that title of country singer Kenny Chesney…”No Shoes No Shirt No Problems.”

Visitors who would come to see me would sometimes tell me that I was living like a beach rat in squalor, but having been in a suit for a good many years, it was heaven. Sure there were bugs and snakes and I got bit by scorpions now and then, but can you imagine what it would be like to have not worn shoes for two months or to realize you had not touched money for a dozen weeks? Quite a change.

Anyway, there were times when I’d look in my fish box at the end of the day and realize that the fish gods had not been good and what I was bringing back to shore was not exactly going to be very good for barter. So, here’s a few Jonathan recipes from the bush and beach to turn junk fish into treats…Don’t get squeamish on me. Many of these are Baja delicacies!

Trigger fish or any fish with white meat – Trim out the bones from the fillet. Make a batter out of Bisquick (pancake and cake batter); some beer (somehow there’s always some of that around) and an egg (the neighboring ranch never missed it!). It’s not rocket science. Just mix it up until it’s thick. The egg helps bind it together. The beer helps aerate it and makes it fluffy. Colder beer makes for fluffier batter. If you have salt or pepper or any other spices throw some of that in there too. Cut the pieces of fillet into thin slices and batter. Drop into hot oil and fry. Even a small trigger fish or parrot fish fillet makes quite a few fish tacos.

Sardinias – Yes, you can eat your bait and you’d be lying if you tell me there aren’t times when even the best of you comes back with more bait in the bait well than gamefish in the box. Sardines are extremely tasty. Cart ‘em back to your kitchen or camp. If you can, scale them. If not, no biggie. Drop them into hot oil or lightly dredge in flower, cornmeal, corn starch or breadcrumbs and sauté in shortening or butter. If you have some garlic salt, hit ‘em with that and splash a bunch of fresh squeezed Mexican lime juice on them. Cook until crunchy and eat them like chips. If you have some mayonnaise, put some soy into the mayo and you have instant dip. Add a sunset and some guacamole too if you have ‘em.

Fish Heads, Fish Collars and Bellies – OK, you promised not to squish up your face. Ever see how much meat is wasted after your pangeros or skippers clean fish? Everyone takes the fillets and leaves some of the sweetest and healthiest parts of the fish for the pelicans to fight over. Any of the above can be barbecued on the grill and eaten with a simple hit of garlic salt, pepper and lime in their most simplest form. The ,meat is often oily with flavor and will often fall away from any bones. Fish collars are especially tasty.
Fish heads can be browned in the oven or on the grill then dropped into a stock pot with water, spices, onions, chilis, garlic, and other vegetables. Season to taste. Serve with fresh tortillas or cook it down until thicker and make a fish stock to use for other cooking. No body says you have to look at the fish head while eating. Leave the head in the pot. By the way, this works really well if you can hunt down a mountain goat too. Fresh goat-head soup will bring all the neighbors down from the hills. Instant par-tay!

Needlefish – Many of my Asian clients love to make soup out’ve this treacherous sinister critter that can be the scourge of any fishing day. Almost like a barracuda, it can be cut into oval steaks and has white, pink or bluish meat that turns white when cooked. The problem for many are the numerous bones. If dropped into a soup, the meat flakes away from the bones. One of my amigos, Pineapple Joe from Oxnard, CA, tells me that he fillets his needlefish and then sautés the meat in soy sauce and sugar to make a great teriyaki dish.

Roosterfish or Jack Crevalle – Soak fillets in beer for two hours. Pat dry. Cover with salt, pepper and lime juice. Place on board. Brush with butter. Place in oven for one hour per 10 pounds at 350 degrees. Take out. Throw away fish. Eat board. Sorry. Thesr are two fish I could NEVER make taste good no matter how hungry I got.

That’s my story..
Jonathan