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Want to know what is the coolest fish to cook right now? Well it's Opah.
Never heard of Opah? That's because it's the coolest fish to cook right
now!

We all want to save the world's endangered species, don't we? So eating
some of the traditional (and now somewhat endangered) fish such as cod, haddock, tuna etc. may be a little unfriendly. The more we fish these species to eat, the less breeding stock is left and the more endangered the species become.

Opah is a native Hawaiian fish, though it can also be found in the colder
waters of Norway. Not a great deal is known about its ecology, but until now
it hasn't been much fished for its food properties.

The Opah is colloquially known as the Sunfish or Moonfish because of its
round shape and maybe its colour (orange with some markings with a brighter red area of fins). You can read more about the fish and see a drawing of it at http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/O pah

Opah can grow to around 200 pounds, so there is a lot of fish. According to
connoisseurs, the best cut is the top loin.

The traditional Hawaiian cooking method is baking, though the fish can also
be steamed or poached. Here's a recipe to try:

Take a fillet of Opah (around six to eight ozs per serving) and brush it
with oil (olive oil is best) Lay it on some cooking foil in a baking pan,
but don't cover it over.

Make a mixture of one crushed clove of garlic and some mixed herbs (you can
use dried herbs, but if you do, just moisten with a drop of olive oil) and
some coarsely ground black peppercorns. Smooth the mixture over all the
fish to cover the surface.

Bake at 450 degrees Fahrenheit (230 degrees Celsius) for around 20 to 25
minutes (check the fish is cooked by digging in a sharp knife or if you are
a perfectionist, check with a meat thermometer - the inside temperature of
the fish should reach 140 degrees Fahrenheit (60 degrees Celsius)

Serve your opah with fresh steamed green vegetables such as sugar snap peas, broccoli or courgettes (zucchini) and pasta (better to flavour the pasta
lightly so as not to drown out the more delicate flavour of the fish)

If you like a wine accompaniment, try Entre Deux Mers or a similar dry
white. If you really want something special, try Pouilly Fume or Sancerre,
though you will pay quite a lot more for these.

Learn more about this author, Colin Morley.
Click here to send this author comments or questions.

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