Sushi?

Sushi? originally published on Food and Fond Memories on July 26, 2016 by sandyaxelrod 0 Comments (Edit)

Sushi?

I was sitting working at my computer when I noticed I had an email from my friend Barbara. So I clicked over to Mail to discover a picture of her husband holding a gorgeous Wahoo that they had just caught and the caption was “Sushi?”

Fresh Caught Wahoo is the Catch of the Day!

Wahoo Filet with Spicy Vegetables and Corn

I have actually never cooked or eaten Wahoo before. I remember many years ago, when we still lived up north, that my husband caught one while fishing with his Uncle Eddy. His uncle took it to a restaurant that he frequented often, The Lagoon in Brigantine, New Jersey, and had them smoke it for him. Uncle Eddy and Aunt Ruthie were served portions of that smoked Wahoo for dinner at the restaurant but the rest stayed in the kitchen. I am sure many diners enjoyed that fish but not us.
So for at least 40 years I have been curious about the taste of Wahoo. This was my opportunity and I seized it. I immediately emailed my friend and asked if they were willing to part with any. Graciously Barbara gave me five gorgeous filets. When we discussed cooking methods she cautioned me not to over cook the fish. She said it is so good that she frequently just sliced it thinly and eats it raw. She has never smoked it!
Knowing that it took me eons to get Steve to taste raw ahi tuna, I figured I better cook the Wahoo. I kept the preparation simple. I liberally seasoned it on both sides with salt and pepper and added a sweet and spicy seafood rub to only one side. After getting a pan with olive oil good and hot I added the filets rub side down and listened to that lovely sizzle sound as the fish hit the pan. When the first side was golden I flipped the fish over and let the other side cook until the fish was completely opaque. The whole thing only took about 4-5 minutes. I served the Wahoo with a mix of vegetable with spicy sambal olek and super fresh sweet corn on the cob.

Wahoo Filet with Spicy Vegetables and Corn

When I served dinner Steve asked me to taste the fish first and let him know if he was going to like it. I laughed, but obliged. Men can be such little boys sometimes. The fish was fabulous! It was meaty like swordfish but a little more tender. It certainly met Steve’s approval. Now we both can’t wait for our friends to catch more!