Striped Bass (Rockfish)
Rockfish with lemon-butter pan sauce
Striped bass, also known locally as rockfish, is a smart seafood choice because it is sustainably managed and responsibly harvested under U.S. regulations, according to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. Spending the majority of their life at sea and entering freshwater only in the spring to spawn, rockfish inhabit coastal waters and are commonly found in bays and rivers, feeding on a wide variety of fishes, crabs, squids, mussels, and marine worms.
To learn more about rockfish, visit the Delaware Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Control’s (DNREC) Division of Fish & Wildlife official species page. For a list of more seafood options and their suppliers, visit our directory.
CONTEST WINNER: Potato Crusted Rockfish with Lemon Herb Beurre Blanc and Smoky Chipotle Aioli
Recipe courtesy of Ray Sheehan. Serves 2-3.
Ingredients
1 ½ cups flour
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
5 eggs
1 ½ tbsp Dijon mustard
2 cups dried mashed potato flakes
3 tbsp safflower oil
2- 8 oz rockfish fillets
1/2 cup dry white wine
3 tbsp lemon juice
2 tsp minced garlic
1 ½ tbsp minced shallots
12 tbsp chilled unsalted butter, cut up
¼ cup heavy cream
1 tbsp finely chopped fresh parsley, chives, thyme, tarragon
24 oz baby spinach
1 lb. rainbow baby carrots
1 bunch edible flowers for garnish (optional)
4 scallions for garnish (optional)
2 tbsp pureed chipotles in adobo
¼ cup water
½ cup mayonnaise
Recipe instructions
Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
Toss the baby carrots with olive oil, salt and pepper and roast for 30 minutes or until tender. Place the flour in a shallow bowl and season with salt and pepper. In another shallow bowl, beat the eggs with the mustard. In a third shallow bowl, place dried mashed potato flakes.
In a large ovenproof sauté pan, heat oil. Dredge the fillets first in the flour, then the egg mixture, and then in the potato flakes. Add the fish to the sauté pan and cook for 2 minutes per side. Then place the fillets into the oven for 5 minutes, until the fish reaches an internal temperature of 145 degrees, is cooked through and golden. Transfer the fish to a platter and let rest for 5 minutes. Sauté spinach with olive oil, salt, and pepper to taste.
Lemon Herb Beurre Blanc Sauce
Set a large non-reactive saucepan over high heat. Add the wine, lemon juice, garlic, and shallots. Cook for 5 to 6 minutes or until liquid is reduced by 2/3. Add cream and reduce by 1/3. Over low heat, whisk in 6 tablespoons of the butter a few pats at a time. Remove from heat and whisk in the remaining 6 tablespoons of the butter 1 tablespoon at a time. Continue whisking until all the butter is incorporated into the sauce. Strain the sauce, pressing all the liquid into a bowl. Stir in the herbs. Serve immediately or keep warm for a few minutes until ready to use.
Smoky Chipotle Drizzle
Mix chipotle puree, water, and mayo to combine. Season with salt and pepper. To serve: Plate the Rockfish atop the sautéed spinach, mirror the beurre blanc sauce. Set the baby carrots in the sauce. Garnish with edible flowers, smoky chipotle drizzle, and scallions.
Crispy Skin Rockfish with lentils, sweet potato and shishito peppers
Recipe courtesy of Mark Schaeffer, sous chef at the Lewes Yacht Club in Lewes, DE. Serves two.
Ingredients
1 rockfish cut into 2 8 oz. portions
1 12 oz. beer
1 cup lentils
2 cups chicken stock
3 large sweet potatoes
Shishito peppers
1 green onion
2 banana peppers
1 quart heavy cream
Salt
Oil/butter
1 garlic clove
1 bay leaf
1 lime
Clean fish, leaving skin on.
Peel and cut sweet potatoes into small cubes. Place in pot covering with heavy cream. Cover and cook on medium heat until soft. Put in blender and puree, adding salt to taste. More cream may need to be added if puree is too thick.
Place one cup lentils in pot with two cups chicken stock. Add 3 pinches of salt, one bay leaf and a splash of beer. Bring to a boil reduce heat and cover. Cook until tender. Veggies can be added to lentils if desired.
Sauté shishito peppers in oil with garlic. Cook until soft with a nice blistered char look to them. Season with sea salt and lime.
To cook the fish, get a pan hot, add oil. Place fish skin side down and reduce heat every few minutes. With spoon, pour oil from pan over the fish to baste. Cook until skin is crisp. Add butter and flip fish. Cook until done, time may vary.
Chop banana pepper and green onion and sprinkle over plate as garnish.
Rockfish in a Lemon-Butter Pan Sauce
Recipe courtesy of Matt Hans. Serves two to three.
Ingredients
2 rockfish filets (approx. 2 8 oz filets)
1/2 cup white flour
Salt and pepper
6 tablespoons butter
Juice of 1 lemon
1 tablespoon fresh parsley
Vegetable oil
Pat the filets dry and check for and remove any small bones.
Preheat a medium size sauté pan on medium to medium-high heat with one tablespoon of vegetable oil. Season the fish filets with salt and pepper, then lightly coat them in the flour. Add 4 tablespoons of butter to the pan and when the butter stops bubbling place the lightly floured fish filets into the butter. Cook each side approximately 4 to 5 minutes until the fish is golden brown. Move the fish from the pan to a clean plate. Add the remaining two tablespoons of butter, lemon juice, and parsley back into the pan. Swirl the butter in the pan until it melts and combines with the lemon juice. It should resemble a light sauce and smell a bit nutty. Pour over the rockfish and enjoy.
We suggest serving this dish with rice and steamed vegetables. The sauce will compliment both of those side dishes. A great alternative to this dish is to add two tablespoons of sliced or slivered almonds to the pan when you flip the fish to brown the second side. They will be toasty and add a nice texture to the dish.
Easy Cornmeal-Crusted Rockfish
Recipe courtesy of Matt Hans. Serves two to three.
Ingredients
2 Rockfish filets (approx. 2 8 oz filets)
1 cup of cormeal
1 tablespoon seafood seasoning (for example, Old Bay or lemon pepper mix)
1 large egg
2 tablespoons milk
Canola or vegetable oil
Pat the filets dry and check for and remove any small bones. Mix 1 cup of cornmeal with 1 tablespoon of seasoning. Combine egg and milk until well-mixed. Dredge the fish filets in the cornmeal mixture until well coated, shaking off the excess. Dip into the egg wash and then back to the cornmeal mixture, again shaking off the excess. Move the filets to a clean plate.
Preheat a medium size saute pan on medium to medium-high heat. Add two tablespoons of canola or vegetable oil. Once the oil is hot, add the cornmeal crusted filet to the pan. Cook approximately 4 minutes per side until golden brown.
Suggest serving this recipe with your favorite spinach salad and with a quick tartar sauce. Quick tartar sauce: 2 tablespoons mayo, 1 tablespoon whole grain mustard, 1 tablespoon capers or chopped pickles.
This recipe can be prepared in an air fryer. Preheat the air fryer to 400 degrees. Cook the crusted rockfish on a sheet pan sprayed with non-stick cooking oil and make sure to lightly spray the top of the fish before it goes into the oven. Air fry approximately 4 minutes on each side until golden brown.