Among the world ’s most venomous Pisces species , the lionfish is quickly establish itself throughout North America ’s only living coral reefs in the Florida Keys , and their impact on the reef is inescapable . Duringour travels , we fill divers eager to spear lionfish and eating house chefs dish out them up on their menus . The Reef Environmental Education Foundation , an conservation group , even organizes a “ Lionfish Derby , ” attempting to rid the reef of this invasive mintage ’ mien .
The prolific , exotic lionfish has infest the Atlantic seacoast from as far north as Rhode Island down to the Caribbean and Gulf of Mexico . During devastating Hurricane Andrew , which swept through southern Florida in 1992 , some of these colourful and spiny fish supposedly managed to miss from an aquarium , but the arrival of lionfish more probably resulted from being unloose into the wilderness by the U.S. fish tank trade commence in the 1980s .
Native to Malaysia and Australia , lionfish threaten the stability of native North American Pisces populations while facing no opposing predator willing to get burn by some of their spines—13 in all . Even shark leave them alone !
photograph by John D. Ivanko / farmsteadchef.comJohn Mirabella , spear fisherman and Castaway Waterfront restaurant proprietor , cautiously removes lionfish from his boat ’s killing boxwood .
Fortunately , divers like John Mirabella are well-off 100 feet submerged and have lionfish on their microwave radar . Wielding a 48 - inch - long , three - prongy pole spear and a 60 - column inch speargun , Mirabella thirstily elicit at pigfish or grouper when they ’re in season , but he choose lionfish . He does his hunt at a bank reef about 4 miles off shore with four diving event buddies , one of whom is Adolphus A. Busch IV , the Anheuser - Busch beginner ’s bully - grandson .
“ Adolphus Busch has made it his goal to kill every lionfish we can every sidereal day , ” Mirabella says . “ obliteration seems unconvincing , but we are redact a serious dent in the universe at the edge of the Witwatersrand in Marathon . ”
Niko Gazzale , a lean and gangling spearo out of Key West , shares Mirabella ’s cacoethes . He ’s quick to share a photo of his latest haul : 38 lionfish on glass in the front of his young 33 - metrical foot American catamaran . This 23 - twelvemonth - old , who pass channelise tours on a cat valium Ski around the island forBarefoot Billy ’s , supplements his income by provide Key West ’s Eaton Street Market with a seemingly eternal provision of lionfish . Jason Tiller , a phallus of Gazzale ’s four - person spear - sportfishing crew , makes his ownImpaler Spearguns .
picture by John D. Ivanko / farmsteadchef.comJohn Mirabella find a juvenile fish inside a lionfish during cleaning .
“ The lionfish grow speedily due to the fact they are breed all over wrecks and drive over reefs , ” Gazzale suppose . “ Any small Pisces will be eaten by these lionfish . There ’s nothing you’re able to do but keep kill them off . ”
Photo by John D. Ivanko / farmsteadchef.comCutting off the lionfish ’s venomous spinal column before cookery is one of many dance step in the involved in taste this great - taste Pisces .
“ When the weather is good , I spearfish daily for our catch and a destiny of what we do is go after lionfish , ” says Mirabella , grinning as cuts off the lionfish ’s vicious pricker , some as long as 4 inch .
He bring a sentiency of conviction and urgency in spear lionfish before they destroy the second of paradise on which he ’s build his livelihood . He and his wife , Arlene , on a regular basis serve up lionfish at their bustlingCastaway Waterfront Restaurant and Sushi Barin Marathon , Fla.
“ Handling lionfish is hazardous until we get them into the kitchen with their spines off , ” Mirabella continues . He and his diving crony created a lionfish stringer line , fabricated out of former , bent spears , to hold their catch and carefully change them from the sea to their boat ’s ice - filled fish - kill compartment . “ Getting poked with the vicious spines is really , really painful . ”
Coming from Mirabella , that ’s saying something : When in the kitchen , he ’s probably the variety of short - parliamentary law short letter Captain James Cook that moves piping - red-hot sauté pans without gloves .
Photo by John D. Ivanko / farmsteadchef.comThe spines of lionfish are poisonous and must be removed before eating .
“ We serve more lionfish than any other restaurant in the Florida Keys , ” Mirabella says . Judging by the 13 lionfish describe up on top of his kill box at the back of the gravy holder , they ’ll be plenty on the fare tonight . The largest lionfish he ’s ever speared was 18 in long .
Lionfish ’s flavor competition that of the increasingly popular Orthopristis chrysopterus , another fishgig - catch Pisces . They ’re good feeding ! A ashen fish that ’s light and flaky and , lionfish can be served up in way that appeal to any palate . Castaway Waterfront ’s award - deliver the goods formula is discover below .
In the same way our culinary decisions have helped preserveheritage breedsandheirloom produce , savoring lionfish might be the most effective way to keep the metal money from totally overtaking native fish population .
formula : Castaway ’s Mazatlan - style Lionfish
pic by John D. Ivanko / farmstedchef.com
Yield:6 helping
factor
PreparationPat filets teetotal and gently dredge in flour . In pan over medium heat , melt butter and lay filets skin - side up . void let butter sunburn . Allow filets to become crust and turn aureate color
Turn filets over , and add artichoke heart , mushrooms , Allium porrum , Strategic Arms Limitation Talks and capsicum . Add livid wine-coloured and heavy emollient , and reduce sauce by 50 percent .
Add tomatoes and Basil the Great just long enough to warm them .
Serve immediately over rice or with another side . Garnish with lemon wedge heel .
Savoring the good life ,
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