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Hunter Angler Gardener Cook

Finding the Forgotten Feast

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Fish Recipes

Grilled tuna with Sicilian salad on a plate
Photo by Holly A. Heyser

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  • About
  • Basics: Catching | Filleting | Barbecuing | Poaching | Ceviche | Sandwiches | Whole Fish
  • By type of fish: Halibut | Striped Bass or White Seabass | Tuna and Yellowtail | Northern Pike | Catfish | Salmon and Trout | Other Fish | Unusual Fish
  • Buy my fish cookbook – we sell signed copies.

About

These are recipes for the typical sort of fish you will see in a market or go out and catch yourself. “Normal” fish, meaning fish without extra sets of bones, that don’t have common food prejudices against them, are unusually ugly, slimy or otherwise visually disadvantaged. Recipes for these more unusual fish can be found here.

Keep in mind that these species designations are merely suggestions. One of the beauties of fish cookery is that you can always sub in one fish for another. So look at the recipes first, then the fish species.

And all my salmon and trout recipes are on a different page — I have so many they needed one. For salmon and trout recipes, click here.

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Basics

Some baseline techniques you will find useful as you come across various fish and seafood. Many of these apply to so many different kinds of seafood it’s worth compiling them here.

A vermillion rockfish.

How to Catch Pacific Rockfish

Before you can cook fish, you need to catch it. My tips and techniques on catching bottom fish, especially Pacific rockfish.

Read More about How to Catch Pacific Rockfish

Two flounder fillets cut and cleaned.

How to Fillet a Flounder or Halibut

Halibut, fluke, flounder, sole. This is how you fillet them. It’s simple, different from a regular fish.

Read More about How to Fillet a Flounder or Halibut

A plate of beer battered fish and chips

Halibut Fish and Chips

This is a basic fish and chips recipe you can use with any firm fish. Halibut, cod, haddock, redfish, walleye, perch, catfish, lingcod, shark… you get the picture.

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Fish Tacos Recipe

Fish Tacos

Baja California-style fried fish tacos you can use any white, firm fish to make. These are lightly battered, like tempura, and served with your favorite taco accompaniments.

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basic ceviche recipe

How to Make Ceviche Safely

Ceviche is great, and it works with all sorts of fish and seafood, but you need to know some things to make it safely.

Read More about How to Make Ceviche Safely

Two hands holding a fried fish sandwich

A Simple Fried Fish Sandwich

Who doesn’t love a fish sandwich? I used Pacific rockfish for this, but any lean, firm, white fish would work.

Read More about A Simple Fried Fish Sandwich

butter poached halibut on a summer salad

Butter Poached Fish

Poaching a fish in butter or oil is a wonderful way to enjoy a lean fish and actually taste its subtlety. A good skill to learn.

Read More about Butter Poached Fish

Whole fish on the grill

Simple Grilled Whole Fish

Grilling a whole fish is an important skill to know. It requires a clean, hot grill, some oil, and lots of finesse.

Read More about Simple Grilled Whole Fish

Barbecued fish with mustard based sauce

BBQ Fish, Fish on the Barbecue

Most fish can be barbecued, slow and low. It’s a great technique to learn.

Read More about BBQ Fish, Fish on the Barbecue

whole fried fish

Crispy Fried Whole Fish

This is what I do with whole bass-like fish, such as rock cod, bass, seabass, crappies, big bluegills, croakers, etc. This particular recipe is a light and fresh Asian take on a whole fried fish.

Read More about Hmong Style Crispy Fish

fish on the half shell recipe

Grilled Redfish on the ‘Half Shell’

This is how you grill fillets from large fish that have large scales, i.e., redfish or large rockfish or seabass — with the skins and scales on. It’s a good technique to master.

Read More about Grilled Redfish on the ‘Half Shell’

Butterflied trout with peas and parsley on a plate.

How to Butterfly Fish

This is how I butterfly and debone small fish like trout and small bass. You can either prep them for the pan, or for stuffing.

Read More about How to Butterfly Fish

pan seared grouper on a plate

Perfect Seared Fish

How to pan-sear fish fillets, skin on or skinless, perfectly every time. It’s not hard, but there are a few tricks to it.

Read More about Perfect Seared Fish

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HALIBUT RECIPES

Italian salsa verde served with saffron brined halibut

Saffron Halibut with Salsa Verde

Saffron brined halibut seared simply and served with an Italian salsa verde. You can skip the saffron and it’ll still be wonderful.

Read More about Italian Salsa Verde with Halibut

Halibut poke bowls, overhead view

Halibut Poke

Yep, you can eat halibut raw in this Hawaiian salad — just freeze it first. Every bit as good as ceviche… maybe better.

Read More about Halibut Poke

puttanesca sauce served with chunks of halibut

Fish Puttanesca

An old school Italian way to served very firm fish like halibut or swordfish or shark steaks. You need a thick, firm fish you can cut into cubes for this dish.

Read More about Fish Puttanesca

Nordic fish chowder recipe

Nordic Fish Chowder

You can use halibut for this Scandinavian take on chowder, but really any lean fish works, and it’s better with some seafood added in, too.

Read More about Nordic Fish Chowder

Crispy Vietnamese fish in a bowl with chopsticks.

Vietnamese Fish with Cilantro

While I used halibut for this recipe, any firm white fish will work: Catfish would be traditional. It’s a very simple weeknight recipe that carries a ton of flavor!

Read More about Vietnamese Fish with Cilantro

Thai fish curry with halibut in a bowl

Thai Fish Curry

A classic Thai green curry, good with any firm fish. I designed this recipe for halibut, but I’ve used a lot of other firm fish here, too.

Read More about Thai Fish Curry

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STRIPED BASS or WHITE SEABASS

fish with honey and ouzo on a plate

Seabass with Honey and Ouzo

Quite possibly my favorite fish recipe ever. Sweet, salty and fried. I could eat this every week.

Read More about Greek Fish with Honey and Ouzo

fish risotto recipe

Fish Risotto

I do this dish with any white fish, but striped bass is especially good. The secret to this dish is the broth you cook the rice in.

Read More about Fish Risotto

Fish collars on the grill

Grilled Fish Collars

Don’t waste the collars on your big fish! I almost always do this with striped bass, but any large fish will work with this recipe. Grilled, these meaty, fatty bits are like pickin’ chicken bones, only better.

Read More about Grilled Fish Collars

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TUNA and YELLOWTAIL

Tuna with red pepper sauce and potatoes

Tuna with Red Pepper Sauce

While you could use any tuna — or any firm fish — with this recipe, I designed it for bonito, a dark, rich tuna that can handle this spicy sauce from the Portuguese islands.

Read More about Tuna with Red Pepper Sauce

Grilled tuna steaks with Sicilian salad on a plate

Grilled Tuna Steaks Sicilian Style

A Sicilian way to grill tuna, served with a simple salad that is fantastic. Works with any firm fish, not just tuna.

Read More about Grilled Tuna Steaks Sicilian Style

sicilian tuna meatballs recipe

Sicilian Tuna Meatballs

Another Sicilian tuna recipe, this one is perfect for the tail ends of the tuna, which are pretty tough. Grind the trim off a tuna and you will not waste anything. And fear not: These meatballs are not “fishy” at all — they are shockingly meaty.

Read More about Sicilian Tuna Meatballs

Hamachi sashimi on a plate with shiso, wasabi and julienned daikon radish.

Hamachi Sashimi

Hamachi sashimi or nigiri is one of my favorite things to order when I go to a sushi restaurant. While nigiri can be very challenging to make, though, sashimi is much more accessible.

Read More about Hamachi Sashimi

Slices of tuna crudo on a platter

Tuna Crudo

Think of this as Italian sashimi. It’s made for tuna, but works well with amberjack, yellowtail, almaco jack, Spanish mackerel, wahoo and dorado. The key is quality, and a firm fish that you can slice easily.

Read More about Tuna Crudo

Mexican aguachile on the plate

Mexican Aguachile

Aguachile might seem like another take on ceviche, but it’s more a Mexican version of sashimi. Often made with shrimp, I like it with tuna or yellowtail.

Read More about Mexican Aguachile

Hamachi kama on a platter.

Hamachi Kama

Classic Japanese, this is marinated, grilled yellowtail collar. Also good with small tuna or wahoo.

Read More about Hamachi Kama

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NORTHERN PIKE

My tutorial on How to Fillet A Northern Pike, on Game & Fish Magazine’s site.

pickled pike recipe on the plate

Pickled Pike

A Northwoods classic. Think of this as ceviche, only from Scandinavia.

Read More about Pickled Pike

fish cakes wild rice recipe

Fish Cakes with Wild Rice

I do these Midwestern style fish cakes with pike, but any firm, white fish will work. Hell, you could even use trout if you wanted to.

Read More about Fish Cakes with Wild Rice

pike soup recipe

Pike Soup

A German-inspired pike soup with root vegetables, wild rice and a special broth.

Read More about Pike Soup

Pike dumplings in broth recipe

Pike Dumplings in Broth

Dumplings made of pike (or any other fish) that are light and lovely. The can be served in lots of ways, but I like this mushroom broth.

Read More about Pike Dumplings in Broth

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CATFISH

Blackened catfish with relish and rice

Blackened Catfish

A modern, sustainable take on the 1980s classic, blackened redfish. Of course if you catch your own redfish, you can use this recipe, too.

Read More about Blackened Catfish

Sichuan fish with garlic recipe

Sichuan Catfish with Garlic

An awesome sweet-spicy way to serve catfish. And yes, this dish is loaded with garlic, so beware.

Read More about Sichuan Catfish with Garlic

Vietnamese claypot catfish recipe in a bowl

Vietnamese Claypot Catfish

One of the most iconic catfish recipes in the world, this Vietnamese classic is especially good with smaller catfish like bullheads or channel cats.

Read More about Vietnamese Claypot Catfish

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OTHER FISH

Seared fish and asparagus on a plate

Seared Fish and Asparagus

Any fish will work with this lovely, light, springtime recipe. I used sturgeon here, but use your imagination.

Read More about Seared Fish and Asparagus

A bowl of perch chowder.

Lake Erie Perch Chowder

A classic fish chowder with a Great Lakes flair: Sour cream, dill and Polish kielbasa. It is fantastic with any firm, white fish.

Read More about Lake Erie Perch Chowder

Several ceviche tostadas on a platter with mahi mahi ceviche.

Ceviche Tostadas

An Ensenada-style tostada that uses ground mahi mahi. Yes, ground.

Read More about Ceviche Tostadas

A bowl of East African fish stew

East African Fish Stew

Sort of a curry stew with fish from East Africa. Easy to make yet exotic tasting.

Read More about East African Fish Stew

sweet and sour fish recipe on a plate

Sweet and Sour Fish

I normally make this with Pacific rock cod or lingcod, but any firm, white fish will work. It’s a little like General Tso’s chicken you get at Chinese places, but a little zipper.

Read More about Sweet and Sour Fish

smoked fish salad recipe

Vietnamese Smoked Fish Salad

You can make this with pretty much any smoked fish. It’s a light, tasty salad that’s best in hot weather.

Read More about Vietnamese Smoked Fish Salad

bacalao al pil pil in a cazuela

Basque Cod al Pil Pil

A classic Basque recipe that combines just a few ingredients into a magical sauce.

Read More about Basque Cod al Pil Pil

Southern fish and grits, made with tripletail

Southern Fish and Grits

Tripletail has a meaty texture like grouper, but any firm fish works with this Southern classic.

Read More about Southern Fish and Grits

Butter poached tripletail recipe

Tripletail Ooh La La

A little bit French, a little bit Alabama, this is a fun recipe for tripletail or any firm white fish.

Read More about Tripletail Ooh La La

speckled trout recipe

Fried Speckled Trout with Black-eyed Peas

A simple fried fish with a nice Southern-style salad of black-eyed peas, turnip or mustard greens, roasted red peppers, and yep, a bit of bacon. Any white fish will work here.

Read More about Fried Speckled Trout with Black-eyed Peas

A bowl of kelp pasta with fish and summer vegetables.

Kelp Pasta with Rockfish

A dish that looks fancier than it is. If you use regular pasta, this is an easy recipe that works great with Pacific rockfish, lingcod, or any firm, white fish.

Read More about Kelp Pasta with Rockfish

pan seared red snapper on a plate with roasted cherry tomatoes.

Pan Seared Red Snapper with Cherry Tomatoes

A light, fresh summertime dish you can do with Pacific rock cod, lingcod, snapper, grouper or any bass-like fish. Walleye and smallmouth bass is a good inland fish to use, too.

Read More about Pan Seared Red Snapper with Cherry Tomatoes

German fish meatballs

German Fish Balls with Green Sauce

Fish meatballs German style, gently poached and served with a tangy, herby green sauce.

Read More about German Fish Balls with Green Sauce

Closeup of fried snapper bites recipe

Fried Red Snapper Bites

Chunks of snapper or other firm fish, breaded with Saltines and fried, then served with New Orleans remoulade.

Read More about Fried Red Snapper Bites

Dorado fish with cilantro sauce on a plate with avocado and rice.

Dorado with Cilantro

A classic Mexican recipe for snapper or dorado. The key is lots of fresh cilantro to make a vivid green sauce. Green jalapenos add some bite, too.

Read More about Dorado with Cilantro

Smoked bluefish pate on crusty bread.

Smoked Bluefish Pate

Smoked bluefish mashed into a rough pate or rillette, this is a winner on crackers. One of my go-to appetizers when I can get my hands on bluefish. Mackerel, wahoo, skipjack tuna or jacks work well here, too.

Read More about Smoked Bluefish Pate

Hmong style fried fish cakes

Fried Asian Fish Balls

Sometimes, when you catch fish in warm water, they can be mushy. This happened to me with some crappies. So I decided to chop up the fillets and make them into Asian-style meatballs — deep-fried, of course.

Read More about Fried Asian Fish Balls

Whole fish on the grill

Grilled Rock Cod with Basil

Oftentimes rock cod, perch or black seabass are too small to really fillet properly without losing too much meat. My answer, especially in summer, is to grill them whole with an herby dressing.

Read More about Simple Grilled Whole Fish

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Hank Shaw holding a rod and reel in the American River

Hi, my name is Hank Shaw; I’m a James Beard Award-winning author and chef. I started this site back in 2007 to help you get the most out of all things wild: fish, game, edible wild plants and mushrooms. I also write cookbooks, have a website dedicated to the intersection of food and nature, and do a podcast, too. If it’s wild, you’ll find it here. Hope you enjoy the site!

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