BajaNomad

what is this fish?

nbacc - 11-15-2010 at 06:38 PM

What is a Sierra?It is a type of fish. I bought one to cook tonight. It has no scales. I bought it in San Felipe. I hope it is good.

Russ - 11-15-2010 at 06:48 PM

Should be tastie. It's in the mackerel family. Great for ceviche.
here's more info. http://www.mexfish.com/fish/srra/srra.htm

[Edited on 11-16-2010 by Russ]

Diver - 11-15-2010 at 06:52 PM

Lightly breaded and fried makes for great fish tacos.

Cypress - 11-15-2010 at 06:56 PM

nbacc, It's good any way you fix it.;D

Pompano - 11-15-2010 at 07:08 PM

nbaac..

Sierra makes thee best ceviche, plus it's great in the pan by itself. A trifle oily, so plan on that...lots of great online recipes with which you can experiment to your tummy's content.

Great fun fish to catch inshore..as I did last year right in front of mi casa..but notice all the sharp teeth! Use a leader and you might bring in more than one...unlike me...:no:

The other small fish are cabrilla..and pretty much dropdead delicious, but fighters they are not. ;D




Campsite fish dinner

mcfez - 11-15-2010 at 07:42 PM

2 Lbs sierra fish fillets
salt
lemon juice
black peper to taste
1 clove garlic - finely chopped
1 cup of flour - to dredge fish fillets
1 1/2 cups oil - to fry fish

1) Marinade the fish in salt, lemon juice and pepper for 5 - 10 Minutes
2) Dredge the fish fillets in flour, so they are completely covered
3) Heat oil in sauté pan until very hot
4) Fry fish on both sides until golden brown
5) Drain on paper towels to absorb the excess oil

SFLowTide - 11-15-2010 at 07:46 PM

This is a great fish to smoke. A good brine and a heavy smoke works well. To me it's best smoked whole. It makes for an awesome "road snack" or a great finger food while panga fishing.

jeremias - 11-15-2010 at 10:29 PM




Cut this lucky one up into perpendicular slices, and then fried the cutlets in butter, garlic, some cajun spice and a little Modelo.......mmmmmmmmmmm

redhilltown - 11-15-2010 at 11:08 PM

A wonderful fish! Filleting it is like butter. Not the best fish to freeze though and the sooner the better as to eating.

Baja Beach Ceviche Recipe

Pompano - 11-16-2010 at 02:11 AM

How to make Baja Beach ceviche:


Note: This is one sierra.



For this Baja Beach recipe you will need about a thousand kilos of them…or this many:



Squeeze 25,000 limes - marinade in pickup box overnight.



15 bushels fresh tomatoes
800 green peppers, sweet, chopped
4 shovels chopped parsley
1/4 bucket salt
1/4 bucket pepper
1/2 gallon oregano
300 jalapeno peppers, chopped (or more to suit your taste)
2 gallons white vinegar
300 medium onions, finely chopped
1 teeny weeny sprig fresh cilantro, chopped (optional) - I hate the stuff.
1 gallon Tabasco sauce
300 heads of lettuce leaf (to line serving bowls)
250 avocados (optional)
1000 black olives, sliced (for garnish) (optional)


Throw all this into the pickup marinade box, hook up an outboard engine on the tailgate, and mix well.

Serve with 400 carton of crackers and 1500 icy-cold Pacificos.

Enjoy!

captkw - 11-16-2010 at 04:20 AM

NOW THAT WAS FUNNY!!!!! thanks ps..I learned a little trick,many yrs ago...ad na little catsup ,, just before serving and I do mean a little,,stir it in and it minimizes the acid of the lemon...fileskin triggers........best...and lb for lb are the toughest fish in the world..ok...go ahead and argue with me:lol::lol:

Cypress - 11-16-2010 at 05:29 AM

captkw, Triggers are tough, no doubt about it.

Skeet/Loreto - 11-16-2010 at 08:57 AM

Thanks for this excellent thread on the Sierra!!

In 1970 while spending a lot of time at San Nicholas, I could go out to the beach and catch 25 Lb yellow tail which were chasing schools of Sierra along the Beach.
In 1972 to 1974 the Fertilizer Boats from Guymaus started coming through and siened out all of the Sierra. It was dificult to find one after that.
The Yellowtil moved out and went deeper for bait , the mackrael.

At that time the "The Nuts who claimed the Sea of Cortez was ruined, so they could get Money Donations, claimed that we would never see the Sierra again.

They were Wrong and they are wrong m,ost of the Time. Beware of sending any Money to those Yokels!!!

It is great to see the Pickup loads of Sierra back.. Hurrah!!!

BooJumMan - 11-16-2010 at 08:58 AM

That was a legendary post Pompano :lol:

24baja - 11-16-2010 at 09:12 AM

I have to say that I must give you a bad recommendation on Sierra. If we eat it again it will be all together too soon. It is the worst fish my husband and I have ever eaten. We throw them all back. We tried fried, smoked and ceveche, it is definately not to our taste. But if you like them and want the ones I catch they are yours!!! Happy eating.

güero - 11-16-2010 at 09:21 AM

Pompano, nice photos, thank you. Just curious, what is the skinny fish next to the sierra in the photo with the cabrilla?
thanks........g

Pompano - 11-16-2010 at 09:59 AM

Quote:
Originally posted by güero
Pompano, nice photos, thank you. Just curious, what is the skinny fish next to the sierra in the photo with the cabrilla?
thanks........g


Hi guero (are you a blonde or a redhead?)

The skinny fish next to the sierra in my photo is just another sierra, but a poor photo sample due to it's positioning. Good eye, though.

güero - 11-16-2010 at 02:30 PM

"Hi guero (are you a blonde or a redhead?)"

Used to be red. Now I would have to say that what's left has faded. So be it. All is good in Baja.........g

Barry A. - 11-16-2010 at 03:44 PM

"Sierra" ---- definitely one of my favorite eating fish. Man they are good, cooked lots of different ways. Yum, yum!!!!!!

Barry

nbacc - 11-16-2010 at 06:48 PM

thanks everyone..............we cooked it last night in foil with veggies and it was delicioso!!!! Oh, we did it on the bar-b-q. Had aa couple of good beers and it was a good night.

Hook - 11-16-2010 at 07:06 PM

Quote:
Originally posted by captkw
NOW THAT WAS FUNNY!!!!! thanks ps..I learned a little trick,many yrs ago...ad na little catsup ,, just before serving and I do mean a little,,stir it in and it minimizes the acid of the lemon...fileskin triggers........best...and lb for lb are the toughest fish in the world..ok...go ahead and argue with me:lol::lol:


I'm going to try this tip next time I make ceviche. Even when I resort to putting the chunks in a screen and rinsing them off after the acid bath, the lime flavor is more than I want. Catsup ought to be just perfect.

Oh, and I vote for yellowtail, lb for lb.

bajabass - 11-16-2010 at 08:01 PM

Just a little Tapatio sauce will do the same thing. A little bite:lol:

Sallysouth - 11-17-2010 at 08:14 PM

I never thought I would hear someone mentioning adding "a little catsup" to ceviche! My family has been doing this for ever! I swear, it just puts the icing on the fish!(just a tiny bit)Takes the sour out of the citrus and actually enhances the flavor of the fish!!Also a dash of tapatio, some fresh cilantro, and heaven..(don't rinse the ceviche!!!, just drain the limon juice off!)

[Edited on 11-18-2010 by Sallysouth]

[Edited on 11-18-2010 by Sallysouth]

Cypress - 11-17-2010 at 08:22 PM

Ceviche? It's OK, but nothing to get excited about. Will take my fish cooked.

Pompano - 11-17-2010 at 08:35 PM

Sallysouth...exactly what I have thinking. I have ALWAYS added ketchup/catsup to my ceviche, especially when making on the boat.

I kinda thought everybody did..guess I was wrong. :light:

Sallysouth - 11-18-2010 at 02:53 PM

Well Pompano, That confirms it! I am NOT nuts(well maybe a little)!! If a fisherguy such as yourself adds catsup to his ceviche also, then I feell much better! When in Baja and ordering ceviche in a restaurant or taco stand and I ask for catsup, they look at me real funny, like I am from another planet!!:lol:And there is nothing better than Sierra ceviche in my book.Gotta be fresh out of the water tho....