Hoki Fish - Recipe and Info

The almost sprat-shaped Hoki fish, is in fact quite sizable. It can grow to 1.5 kg.

Apparently it is a sustainable resource which means - it will be fished to extinction (joking).
 
It is abundant around the South Island of New Zealand (in fact the main Hoki season is about to start - fancy a job gutting them at 3 in the morning?).

Not only do we (human baked beans) - like the Hoki - but so do both seals and huge bluefin tuna. These large tuna often hang out behind the Hoki trawlers on the West Coast - looking to eat squashed hoki scraps. This in in turn has created a Bluefin Tuna fishery - check out some of the action in this video below (they use whole hoki as a bait).

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PobGQMZZpoA

The flesh is delicate, white and moist. It does flake very easily though - so don't overcook it.

Mostly Hoki seems to get turned into Surimi (which is a disgusting fake crab stick - the Hoki is blended into toothpaste - mixed with thickeners- reconstituted - and the outside died red (to look like crab)). This wasteful should be illegal - just use Tofu or some shit like that.

I once caught a huge Hoki up the Waikane river during a storm. I sent it to the Wellington Museum as I had no idea what it was.

Recipe - Crumb Top Hoki

  • 300 grams Hoki fillets
  • 1/2 teaspoon grated lemon rind
  • 2 tablespoons chopped parsley
  • 1/2 cup fresh breadcrumbs
  • Freshly ground pepper
  • 3 tablespoons melted butter
  • Lemon wedges
  • Parsley
Mix together lemon rind, parsley, breadcrumbs and the melted butter.

Cut hoki fillets into serving-sized lengths. Place on grill rack. Brush hoki with melted butter.

Grill for 3-4 minutes (on each side).

Turn over, sprinkle with breadcrumb mixture.

Place under grill for 3-4 minutes or until fish is cooked and breadcrumbs are golden.

Serve hot garnished with lemon wedges and parsley.



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