Park Slope rec's for bluefish?

Visiting from the West Coast next week, staying with friends in Park Slope. I grew up on the East Coast and I love bluefish. Can anyone recommend a restaurant or retailer that has fresh or prepared bluefish? I’m willing to travel a couple of miles outside of Park Slope if necessary. Thanks in advance all.

Our fish store Mermaid’s Garden on Vanderbilt Ave in Prospect hts. carries high quality blue fish - we had some in our weekly fish share from them last week - Here is a recipe for blues that they recommended - it was absolutely delicious though a little involved.
https://cooking.nytimes.com/recipes/1014082-sauteed-bluefish-with-spicy-salad-and-ginger-rice?action=click&module=Global%20Search%20Recipe%20Card&pgType=search&rank=13

As far a cooking the fish is concerned, I did not skin the fillets - I salted it lightly as instructed and cooked it with a little oil in a hot cast iron pan - 5 minutes on the first side and 3 on the second side. It was perfectly delicious without the lovely accompaniments Moskin recommends.

The Montauk fish vendor at the Saturday Farmers Market in Grand Army Plaza is very good as well. I believe they usually have blue fish in season

1 Like

Thank you so much! Have you seen any blue’s in restaurants? I may be forced to cook it myself and your tip is greatly appreciated

I don’t recall ever seeing bluefish on a menu in the city. I love bluefish and catch and eat it regularly but it has a bad reputation around here. Many people say it’s too fishy which is strange to me as I find fresh bluefish to be less fishy than the ubiquitous salmon. I find it hard to find even in fish markets along with another favorite mackerel. I think you will have to make it. Good luck.

2 Likes

The only place I can recall seeing it on a menu was in diners, but not for a long time. I get mine at Union Square Greenmarket, and if the OP wants any recipes, I have several nice ones.

2 Likes

The only place I’ve found it in the city, pre-pandemic, was the Grand Central Oyster Bar. It’s got to be immaculately fresh and prepared carefully. Once you’ve had it done right then you know how fabulous it is. Conversely, if it’s done wrong, it tastes “fishy.” It’s a shame more people can’t enjoy it.

Thanks everyone for your time responding to my query.

Would love to see recipes for blue fish, thanks!

Bluefish In a Mushroom Crust

¼ c minced mushrooms
2 tsp minced onion, white part only
½ stalk minced celery
1 tsp minced garlic
1 tbs olive oil
Salt & pepper
2 tsp chopped fresh parsley, divided
1 tsp fresh lemon juice
1 tsp grated Parmesan
2 tsp fresh bread crumbs
bluefish fillet

Preheat the oven to 400°F. Heat the olive oil in a large nonstick skillet. Add the onion, celery, and garlic and mushroom, and cook the vegetables, stirring, until the mushrooms release their liquid. Remove the skillet from the heat, and blend in ½ the parsley and the lemon juice.

Sprinkle the flesh side of the fish with the salt and pepper. Place the fish on parchment in a baking dish, skin side down. Spoon the mushroom mixture over the surface of the fish, smoothing the mixture as you go.

In a small bowl, mix the Parmesan with the bread crumbs, and sprinkle the mixture over the mushroom topping, patting the bread crumbs down to make sure they adhere. Spray the breading with oil to help it brown. Place the pan in the hot oven, and bake the fish for 15 minutes or until it is cooked through and the topping is evenly browned. Sprinkle with remaining parsley.


Bluefish with Chanterelles and Corn

1 cup extra virgin olive oil
1 long sprig of rosemary
1 pound chanterelles (or black trumpets, shiitake or mixed wild mushrooms), cut to bite-
sized
3 tablespoons unsalted butter
2 tablespoons shallots, finely diced
2 pounds bluefish fillets, skin on, in 4 pieces
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
3 cups fresh corn, sliced from 4 large ears
Balsamic vinegar, optional.

Heat oil and rosemary in a medium pan over low heat. When oil begins to simmer, turn off heat, cool to room temperature, and strain. Set aside. Melt butter in a large skillet over medium heat, add shallots, and cook until translucent, about 2 minutes. Add mushrooms, season to taste with salt and pepper, and cook until tender, stirring occasionally, 5 to 7 minutes. When mushrooms are almost completely cooked, turn heat to high and reduce liquid in pan until almost evaporated. Remove from heat and transfer mushrooms to a parchment-lined pan to cool.

Preheat the broiler with the rack close to the heat. Brush bluefish skin with olive oil, season flesh with salt and pepper to taste, and broil, skin side down, 4 to 6 minutes (depending on thickness). Carefully flip and cook flesh-side down 1 to 3 minutes.

Heat 1/4 cup rosemary oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add corn and mushrooms, stirring until fragrant, about 4 minutes. Remove from heat, divide among four plates, and top with bluefish, skin-side up. Drizzle with rosemary oil, and garnish plates with drops of vinegar, if using. Serve remaining rosemary oil at the table.

Notes: Seriously not worth the trouble and expense (chanterelles - $7.99 ¼ lb). Made this with black bass instead of bluefish, and dried rosemary instead of fresh, and in the oven instead of on the grill, but even that shouldn’t have caused this dish to come out so dull and uninspired. Suspicious that this is the “home” version of a “restaurant” dish and leaves out some stuff.

I gave this another go because there’s something about the recipe that made me think I should. This time, used bluefish, and fresh rosemary, but substituted oyster mushrooms for chanterelles (1/4 the price) and vidalia onion for shallot (ditto). Also didn’t bother splitting the vegetable saute process into two steps (what’s the point?). It came out a lot better. Now I’d make it again.


Bluefish with Herbed Mayonnaise

1 tablespoon garlic, minced
3 tablespoons fresh rosemary and thyme leaves, minced
3 tablespoons lemon juice
1 large egg yolk
1 teaspoon lemon zest
1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
Pinch of salt
1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
1/2 cup, or more, canola oil
2 lemons, sliced into thin rounds
5 sprigs each of rosemary and thyme
2 pounds bluefish fillets, cut into 4 pieces
Salt and freshly ground black pepper.

Using mortar and pestle, pound garlic, minced herbs, and one tablespoon of juice into rough paste. Transfer to bowl with egg yolk, remaining juice, zest, mustard and salt. Slowly whisk in olive oil, increasing speed to a slow, steady stream once mayonnaise emulsifies. When olive oil is finished, whisk in canola oil to desired thickness. Adjust seasonings.

Heat broiler with rack 6 inches from heat. Line medium baking dish with lemon slices, and top with herb sprigs and bluefish, skin side down. Slather fillets with a thin layer of mayonnaise and broil for 8 to 12 minutes (depending on thickness). Bluefish is done when the thickest part of the fillet flakes easily with a fork. Season to taste and serve with a ramekin of herb mayonnaise.


Bluefish with Oregano and Vegetables

1 bluefish fillet
Salt and pepper
½ c fresh tomatoes, chopped
¼ c shishito peppers, slivered
2 thin slices red onion
½ grated garlic clove
olive oil
1 tbs fresh oregano, chopped

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Rinse fish, pat dry and place on lightly oiled parchment in a baking dish. Season with salt and pepper. In a bowl, mix together the tomatoes, peppers., onion, garlic, olive oil, and oregano. Season with salt and pour over fish. Bake for 18 to 25 minutes, depending on the size of the fish, until flaky or easily pierced with a fork.

1 Like

The herbed mayo one is super easy and comes out great. You don’t need to make your own mayo, and you can use pretty much any herbs you want.

I have others, but they’re more involved and include ingredients that are out of season now.

1 Like

We had dinner at Noodle Pudding in Brooklyn Heights last night & it was on the menu. Lightly coated with breadcrumbs, I’ve had it many times when he has it. Always fresh & very good.

1 Like

Thank you for the recommendation!

Found fresh bluefish last night at Diner in Williamsburg.


Roasted in a lightly spiced bath of olive oil and cherry tomatoes. Delicious with a glass of orange wine.

3 Likes

Pardon this Bostonian butting in. As a native Rhode Islander, I adore bluefish, but it is an oily fish, like mackerel, so it may be an acquired taste. My absolute favorite prep is from a well-regarded Boston area chef, Steve Johnson, which was published years ago in the NYT. I can’t paste in the link to the article nor to the recipe.

Article: A Chef in his Getaway Galley; recipe:
Sautéed Bluefish With Spicy Cucumber-Red Onion Salad and Ginger Jasmine Rice

Does this work?

Yeah, it works for me because I’m an NYT and NYT Cooking subscriber. I kept getting forced to the app and couldn’t C/P.

I’m also a NYT subscriber, but not NYT Cooking. It’s been allowing me to “gift” a certain number of articles a month, and I’m hoping that this will make the recipe accessible for non-subscribers.

2 Likes