How to Cook Your Fresh Caught Fish this Holiday Season

December 9, 2021

It’s the most wonderful time of the year! If you’re giving the gift of fishing with Tahoe Sport Fishing (we think it’s an excellent gift!) we have some recommendations on how to utilize your fresh caught fish throughout the holiday season.

Is there a prouder feeling than being able to say you caught your holiday dinner?

Fish for holiday dinners is quite common around the world, although in the US we tend to gravitate towards ham, turkey and sometimes even goose. The Italians have been serving up their Feast of Seven Fishes for ages, but fish is also a popular holiday dish in Denmark, Australia, South Africa, Mexico and England. If you are preparing a traditional Feast of Seven Fishes, the Mackinaw would make an excellent substitute for the salt cod course.

If a stew is more up your alley, we found this recipe for a Holiday Seafood Feast, that sounds pretty tasty to us!

4 tablespoons Olive Oil
2-3 Garlic Cloves, Finely Chopped
2 cups Cherry Tomatoes, cut in half or quarters
2 tablespoons plus 2 Teaspoons Finely Chopped Parsley, divided
½ – 1 teaspoons Crushed Red Chili flakes
1½ to 2 cups White Wine
½ – 1 cups Water (or more Wine…)
Pinch Salt, White Pepper
4 Mackinaw Fish Fillets, about ½ lb
8-12 Shrimp, cleaned & deveined
8-12 Clams/Mussels or both
1 pound Calamari &/or Octopus cleaned and sliced

In a large Paella pan with a lid or something similar, combine the olive oil and garlic and sauté until the garlic turns golden, about 5 minutes. Add the tomatoes, 2 tablespoons of the parsley, chili flakes, white wine and water and season with salt. Bring the mixture to a boil. Turn the heat down, carefully add the fish fillets to the pan, and then turn them to coat with the cooking liquid. Cover with the lid and cook for 5 minutes then add the remaining seafood. Cover the pan and simmer until the shrimp turn pink and the clams open. Season with salt, garnish with remaining parsley. Serve immediately in shallow bowls that have been warmed or right from the pan. Grilled or toasted bread goes great with this!

What could be more festive than Orange Pomegranate Mackinaw? We’re still thinking too. The original recipe called for salmon, but mackinaw is a great substitute for this fish as well!