BajaNomad

fish

cpg - 5-29-2006 at 04:20 PM

here is another

Tomas Tierra - 5-30-2006 at 11:08 PM

I don't think I've seen that fish before..

some sort of oddball cabrilla??juvenile leopard grouper??

Skipjack Joe - 5-30-2006 at 11:37 PM

Goldspotted bass. I always catch them in fairly deep water while fishing the reefs for yellowtail.

http://www.mexfish.com/fish/gspotbas/gspotbas.htm

Tomas Tierra - 5-31-2006 at 10:50 PM

How do they taste??

Sallysouth - 6-2-2006 at 12:22 AM

My guess would be verrry yummy! (bass, grouper ,cabrilla ,same family, all very tasty and my favorites but just my HO.

[Edited on 6-2-2006 by Sallysouth]

Tomas Tierra - 6-2-2006 at 08:13 AM

Sally South,

Almost the only exception to that,imho, is the Barred Sand Bass here in socal..Or verdio as it called in baja..(I call em puss bellies)....when I saw above fish called a sand bass I thought there may bea similarity....I am a picky bastard when it comes to fish though,lucky I guess..

Skipjack Joe - 6-2-2006 at 10:47 AM

Tomas Tierra and SallySouth,

I don't remember eating that specific fish and therefore didn't respond to the post. I usually let them go. When I bring back fish to the states my friends invariably compliment the cabrillas above all others. The mexicans call a number of fish cabrillas including leopard grouper, calico bass, and barred pargo. They're my favorites as well and if I was blindfolded I don't think I could tell a difference in taste.

Recently we've been eating a lot of sushi on our trips. Last year I tried a calico bass sashimi and it wasn't real good (too chewy). So I think preparation is a big part of it. Fried cabrilla is better than dorado but dorado sashimi is way better than cabrilla. That's my opinion, anyway.

One fish is constant, though. Halibut tastes great no matter where you catch them and no matter how it's prepared.

[Edited on 6-2-2006 by Skipjack Joe]

Raw fish consumption

Sharksbaja - 6-2-2006 at 12:15 PM

Skip, I am sure you understand what risks are involved in eating raw fish. This is for those who don't:
Quote:

"One fish is constant, though. Halibut tastes great no matter where you catch them and no matter how it's prepared."


Well, I hope the halibut that you eat raw doesn't contain those pesky
parasites.

Eating raw finfish:
What are the risks, the benefits?

Sashimi, thin slices of raw finfish, is now a popular dish in the United States. Originally from Japan, sashimi is commonly served molded over vinegared fingers of rice and called sushi. Many enjoy the taste of sushi and sashimi because of the delicate flavor and texture of the uncooked fish. An added plus is that raw foods have not lost any nutrients to cooking.
Nevertheless, some people are concerned about the presence of parasites in raw fish. These worms are killed by thorough cooking or adequate freezing. Only the ingestion of raw, lightly cured, or insufficiently cooked infected fish can transfer the live worms to humans. Most of these parasites cannot adapt to human hosts; quite frequently, if an infected fish is eaten, the parasites are simply digested with no ill effects.

Fewer than 30 cases of illnesses resulting from the presence of parasites in sushi or sashimi were reported in the U.S. during 1986, and most were on the West Coast. More fish are infected -- and therefore more humans -- on the West Coast than the East because the primary hosts for the parasites are marine animals commonly found in the Pacific, such as seals, porpoises, sea lions, and whales.

Take a look at the life cycle of a parasitic worm. The parasite matures and reproduces in marine mammals. Next, the parasite eggs pass with the feces into the water, and hatch into larvae. Then, small water creatures such as crustaceans swallow larvae. Fish eat small water creatures and thus become infected.

Finally, marine mammals eat fish, and then the whole cycle starts again. Humans interrupt this cycle by eating fish.

There are two types of parasitic worms that can infect humans. One type of infection, called anisakiasis, is caused by ingesting the larvae of several types of roundworm. Symptoms include abdominal problems and fever, and may resemble appendicitis and intestinal obstruction. Roundworms are found in saltwater fish such as cod, plaice, halibut, rockfish, herring, pollock, sea bass, and flounder.

The other type of infection is caused by a fish tapeworm. This infection occurs after ingesting the larvae of a species called diphyllobothrium, found in freshwater fish such as pike and perch, as well as anadromous (fresh-saltwater) fish such as salmon. An infection by tapeworm is known to deplete the supply of Vitamin B-12 and produces other symptoms including fatigue, diarrhea, weakness, numbness of the extremities, and a feeling of hunger.

It's important to remember that adequate freezing and/or cooking eliminates infection by the parasites. In commercial freezing, a temperature of -40 ?F kills any parasite in 15 hours. In a home freezer, at 0? to
10?F, it can take up to five days to kill all the parasites, especially in large fish. Fish is also safe to eat when it reaches an internal temperature of 145?F for five minutes. Thus traditional cooking methods such as baking, broiling, frying, grilling, poaching, and microwaving will kill any potential parasites providing the fish temperature reaches 145?F for five minutes. Similarly, hot smoking of fish, provides an effective method of eliminating parasites provided the fish is smoked at 150? to 200?F for four to six hours.
On the other hand, cold-smoked products may not be safe to eat unless they've been properly frozen first. Unlike hot smoking, cold smoking does not use heat and the fish doesn't reach the temperature required to kill the parasites. Likewise, ceviche, or raw fish marinated in lemon or lime juice, may contain parasites unless it has been properly frozen before marinating.

It's also important to observe proper sanitation when preparing fish. Cooked fish should not come in contact with uncooked fish or with any package that held the uncooked product. Also, before serving canned seafood, check for indications of spoilage. Discard jars with bulging lids, broken seals, or leaking contents. After opening, check the contents for mold or an off odor. If any sign of spoilage is present, throw it out! Proper canning will destroy parasites and Clostridium botulinum, a bacteria that causes botulism food poisoning. In addition, people with liver disease shouldn't eat raw fish because they are particularly susceptible to a bacteria, Vibrio vulnificus, that may be present.

If you do choose to eat raw fish, a process called candling reduces the risk of infection by parasites. Candling means holding each fillet in front of a light so that any parasites can be seen and then removed. The parasite is a tightly coiled, clear worm, 1/2 to 3/4 inch in length, that imbeds itself in the flesh. Candling is required by any good packing house. The process is quick and inexpensive and avoids much grief. Candling also reveals any pinbones left in a product intended to be boneless.

Finfish is a versatile and delicious source of nutrition. Most fish is low in calories, sodium, and total fat, saturated fat, and cholesterol. Fish is high in protein and a good source of many vitamins and minerals such as thiamin, niacin, phosphorus, potassium, iron, iodine, fluoride, zinc, and copper. The different varieties of finfish are easy to prepare, especially when served raw.

Even though incidences of parasitic infection are rare, there are certain risks associated with eating raw or insufficiently cooked fish. Once consumers are aware of these risks, they can make educated choices about their seafood consumption habits.

Paula - 6-2-2006 at 12:46 PM

Thank you for the information, Sharks:)

I love sushi, and I worry about eating it. I haven't eaten it in Baja because of a possible lack of training and inspection in restaurants. But I do eat ceviche here, mostly home prepared-- by people other than myself. My sushi consumption happens in Montana and Minneapolis-- go figure!

So should I stop worrying and have it down here? Or worry more and not eat it up north:?:

Sharksbaja - 6-2-2006 at 01:10 PM

Quote:
Originally posted by Paula
Thank you for the information, Sharks:)

I love sushi, and I worry about eating it. I haven't eaten it in Baja because of a possible lack of training and inspection in restaurants. But I do eat ceviche here, mostly home prepared-- by people other than myself. My sushi consumption happens in Montana and Minneapolis-- go figure!

So should I stop worrying and have it down here? Or worry more and not eat it up north:?:


If you want to feel safe, DON'T eat raw fish in Mexico. Fish does not have legs when it comes to fresh, raw. Unless it's pickled(properly) I would stick to cooked fish when eating out. I was checking out the ingredients on the package of store-bought sashimi. Lo and behold..... other ingredients like soy, sugar. sorbitol etc. So you see, some of that stuff is treated or preserved but most folks don,t realize it.
Of course, a little knowledge is in order for those wanting to consume their own fresh catch.
#1. All fish are not created equal. ...Which means, like mushrooms, stick to species which you know and can identify. The risk is not from poisoning because nearly ALL fish are edible. Some just taste like the seafloor, or worse.
You should experiment with fish high in oil. Tuna sp., salmon and others. Always keep fish as cold as you possibly can. Also ertain fishes will release high levels of lactic acid when traumitized. This can cause fish to take on a funny taste. Halibut is suseptable to this condition. Commercial fishermen store the iced flatties in such a way as to minimize this. A condition known as "chalky" occurs and renders the flesh an unusual white chalky color. I won't serve a fish in this condition.
I would hate to see you discard a fresh fish because the taste and texture was not what you expected. If you decide to try a new fish, cut very thin strips midships near the lateral line. This is where most oils and flavors occur. Inspect the tissue and then whip out the wasabe, soy sauce and other dipping sauces.

Heaven in the making!:yes:

Skipjack Joe - 6-2-2006 at 02:43 PM

No wonder this group looks so hesitant!

This scene occured after a day of fishing at the Las Arenas fishing resort. Each day, at 5:30, we had tuna sashimi from the day's catch. It surpassed anything the chef prepared in the kitchen. Sashimi, chips, and margaritas. Nothing like it. I wondered why we bothered paying for meals when we essentially caught our own food.

Bummer Sharksbaja! I just came back from a sushi restaurant in time to read your post.

Thought you should know

Sharksbaja - 6-2-2006 at 03:17 PM

Not too many people realize it but it would be extremely difficult if not impossible to move enough fresh raw fish for those corporate chains that do this type of fare feasibly.
Don't folks realize that when you live in Michigan and the (place item here:_______) menu says octopus that it doesn't come from Lake Superior. How old do most folks think the fish/seafood is? I'm talkin' mass-marketed pre-prepared sushi or sashimi products? If you can add preservatives/salt/sugar/bla bla then you extend the self-life therefore increasing your bottom line. Scary for those not-so-busy-establishments. I still wonder about how they (chains) unload ALL their perishable seafood. I can tell you how long REAL fresh fish will last that I get. Like I said, I don't know how they do it. :?: