Whitefish

[BBQ Mikey]

I was at a sushi resteraunt with my grandfather today and we had a plethora of sushi and shashimi. We had california rolls, smoked eel, squid stuffed with salmon, and alot more. One of the platters had WhiteFish.

Ive never heard of Whitefish before, call me uninformed. We had it raw, but I would be curious of how to cook it and/or prepare it raw.

Has anyone here had it? I thought it was delightful.

[AllenOK]

Whitefish is a freshwater fish from the Great Lakes. When I worked in Michigan, we would get in a cold-smoked whitefish product. It was similar to Lox, but the fish doesn't have as much fat as salmon does, so it's drier. We would flake the fish, and mix it with wasabi, and stuff it into toasted phyllo cups for appetizers.

Most "natives" that I talked to considered whitefish to be a "trash-fish", and wouldn't touch it.

Goodweed could probably give you more ideas for using it, as it's caught from his general area.

[GB]

I am not sure if it is the same thing, but growing up we always had white fish and white fish salad for breakfast on our bagels. It was the most delicious stuff ever. I still get white fish salad every once in a while. You can find it in the super market by where they sell lox usually. When I go to NY/NJ to visit family and friends we usually have whitefish for breakfast.

[*amy*]

Originally Posted by GB

I am not sure if it is the same thing, but growing up we always had white fish and white fish salad for breakfast on our bagels. It was the most delicious stuff ever. I still get white fish salad every once in a while. You can find it in the super market by where they sell lox usually. When I go to NY/NJ to visit family and friends we usually have whitefish for breakfast.

I grew up w whitefish for breakfast/brunch w bagels, cream cheese, onions, lox, jelley donuts, etc. Bought it at a corner store on the lower east side of Manhattan. As I recall, the fish were golden in color. As a kid (from memory again), liked the fish, but hated picking out the little bones.

[GB]

Yes the fish skin is a deep golden color and very oily. Those little bones are a pain in the butt though, that is for sure Amy.

[Andy M.]

When I was in college, we went to NYC for a weekend and stayed at a friend's house. His mom served us creamed white fish for breakfast. I wasn't ready for it back then. The idea of fish for breakfast didn't work for me.

[Goodweed of the North]

Whitefish is a commonly caught fish around these parts. It's much like the freshwater herring, also common around here. It is a fairly mild flavored fish and is served in many of our local restaurants, usually as a deep-fried, batter-coated fillet. In fillet form, it's a pretty good fish.

Like carp, whitefish is shunned because it has so many bones. We have some truly great freshwater fish in these parts, such as wild speckled trout, walleye, muskellunge, small mouth bass, and both yellow and jumbo perch. Then there are the various salmon and trout that are caught. We have lake trout, rainbow trout, brown trout, coasters, and speckled trout, along with splake and steelheads. We have coho, chinook, king, and pink salmon. With all of these, whitefish, though a perfectly good fish, just isn't preffered. It isn't a seriously fighting game fish, and so isn't as fun to catch. It doesn't have the legendary status of the trout and salmon families. And in the spring, we have the small but tasty smelt. But there is nothing really wrong with it. We're just spoiled. And I'm sure I'm forgetting some other great fish.

Carp are not indigenous to the great lakes and were brought here by European settlers who thought of it as gourmet fair. Compared to the native species around here, it is a trash fish. Again, there is nothing really wrong with carp. It's eaten all over Europe. Oh, and we also have channel cats, and bullheads that are pretty tasty.

I would hesitate to eat any freshwater fish raw as they often contain parasites such as tape worm, or organisms that can make you seriously ill. I have never heard of eating whitefish raw. Smoked, poached, pan-fried, baked, broiled, grilled, deep-fried, planked are all great ways to cook whitefish. It is sometimes found in soups, or creamed as well.

Hope this helps.

Seeeeeeya; Goodweed of the North

[buckytom]

from what i've had, the whitefish served as sushi is not the same thing as freshwater whitefish.

sushi whitefish is really just a white fish; commonly fluke, red snapper, or striped bass.


as far as freshwater whitefish goes: whole smoked whitefish is my fave, followed by it as a salad on bagels with raw onions and radishes.

just avoid the ones from coney island...

[*amy*]

Originally Posted by GB

Yes the fish skin is a deep golden color and very oily. Those little bones are a pain in the butt though, that is for sure Amy.

So my memory is still intact. I also recall those little eyes looking up at me. Did like the fish though. My mom liked pickled herring, but I would never touch the stuff.

[ChefJune]

Originally Posted by AllenOK

Whitefish is a freshwater fish from the Great Lakes. When I worked in Michigan, we would get in a cold-smoked whitefish product. It was similar to Lox, but the fish doesn't have as much fat as salmon does, so it's drier. We would flake the fish, and mix it with wasabi, and stuff it into toasted phyllo cups for appetizers.

Most "natives" that I talked to considered whitefish to be a "trash-fish", and wouldn't touch it.

Goodweed could probably give you more ideas for using it, as it's caught from his general area.

I have NO idea where you heard that, Allen. Lake Superior whitefish is no way a trash fish, and is sought after in the area for its delicate flavor and lightness. It is the number 1 food I always want when I go back to Chicago. In fact, I love it so much that last fall I paid $17.95 per pound to have some overnighted to me. I have never seen in available on the East Coast except in Kosher fish markets around Passover as it is one of the favored fish for Gefilte Fish.

I prepare it simply broiled with a bit of lemon and fresh, light herbs like chervil, or sometimes sauteed in lemon butter.