Ways to Cook Butterfish

Characteristic of the butterfish is its very thin body. It actually looks like a flounder except that its eyes are on either side of its body. It has one dorsal fin and no ventral fins. It has a deeply forked tail. The color of the butterfish is usually leaden bluish with a silvery belly. It has markings on its body, which fade upon death. These fish travel in schools and feed on small squid, shrimp, and other small fish. They are warm season fish and the peak of their population depends on the warmness of the water. In some places, this is August but some can have this during October as well.

Since they travel in schools, they are caught using pound nets or floating traps. They are sourced mainly for food and better used fresh rather than commercially packed and filleted. Depending on which fish recipes, they are gutted and degilled and necessary cleaning done before cooking (again, make sure no traces of entrails are in the fish prior to cooking). In frying butterfish for example, the head and scales are discarded and the edible parts mixed with seasonings before fried. It can also be cooked in baked fish recipes, using just the fillets for easy cooking and other ingredients and vegetables like tomatoes, onions, lemon, and other spices both fresh and dried can be included in the baking dish and baked until the meat flakes easily and is readily eaten.

Raw butterfish contains vitamins such as vitamin D, vitamin A, B vitamins, folate, thiamin, and pantothenic acid. This fish also contains small amounts of calcium, selenium, phosphorus, and sodium as well as trace amounts of iron and magnesium, and copper. Unlike tuna and salmon, this does not contain much omega-3 fatty acids, which are characteristic of these fish. This, however, contains proteins, which are needed for other bodily functions and aid in muscle growth and repair.

Although this is a very delicious fish with a taste described to be out of this world, care should be eaten in consuming this not for health or toxicity reasons but for something to avoid embarrassment. The high levels of ingestible wax esters are collected in the anal cavity. In most butterfish healthy recipes, the serving size is very small. This is to minimize the effect of oil leakage, which still has a high risk even when the fish is properly cooked and prepared. The best solution to this? Still, everything in moderation and self-control.