Food & Cooking Questions and Discussion Got a cooking question or something you want to discuss about food and cooking? This is the forum for you. Talk about anything related to food & cooking.


Reply
 
Thread Tools
  #1  
Old 07-30-2002, 06:46 PM
Cucina's Avatar
Cucina Offline
Registered User
 
Join Date: Jul 2002
Location: the "Hill" section of St. Louis , Missouri
Posts: 1
Question Escolar, good fish or bad fish?

We recently had a food critic write about a fish that we find very popular in our restaurant. The fish is Escolar and it is a by-catch of the Tuna. Some call it White Tuna and I have heard it named Oil Fish, but that was a name given in the Far East. Her view of the fish has people running for the toilet even before tasting it.
I was wondering what if any experience anyone has had, positive or negative, response to serving this fish. Our customers think it is the best fish they have ever eaten. My wife on the other hand cannot eat it as the oil content is too much for her. If people are not used to a certain cooking technic, they will have various issues from trying new cuisines. we use much olive oil in our cooking and this has the same effect on people that eat Escolar when they are used to eating Shrimp.
Thanks
Grouse
__________________
The Grouse
Reply With Quote


  #2  
Old 07-30-2002, 08:32 PM
Mezzaluna's Avatar
Mezzaluna Offline
ChefTalk Moderator
Culinary Experience: Cook At Home
 
Join Date: Aug 2000
Location: Wisconsin USA
Posts: 9,223
Smile

Hi Cucina, and welcome to Chef Talk. You'll find plenty of other culinary enthusiasts- pros and amateurs alike- to answer your question. However, I'm moving your post to the Cooking Questions forum, as that's where more people will be likely to see it.

Good luck! Please enjoy visiting and posting in our forums, and don't miss a look at our archives.
__________________
Moderator, Welcome Forum
***It is better to ask forgiveness than beg permission.***
Reply With Quote
  #3  
Old 07-30-2002, 11:06 PM
Pete's Avatar
Pete Offline
ChefTalk Moderator
Culinary Experience: Professional Chef
 
Join Date: Oct 2001
Location: Fond du Lac, WI
Posts: 3,271
Default

Hey there Cucina!! One of the chefs I used to work under loved Escolar. We used to serve it quite often and never had a complaint about it. From what I understand, it is not the oiliness of the fish that causes problems, it is the fact that it contains a high amount of histamines. It does cause issue with people who have a low tolerance of histamines, but again, in all the time we served it, I have never heard of anyone having a problem. About 2-2 1/2 years ago, a Chicago newspaper ran an article about Escolar, talking about both the pros and cons of the fish, but we didn't run Escolar for awhile after that. We just didn't want all the attention to influence our guests perception of it. After the hype wore down we were running it again, and people loved it!
__________________
From Man's sweat and God's love, beer came into the World-Saint Arnoldus
http://www.onceachef.com/
Reply With Quote
  #4  
Old 07-31-2002, 05:20 PM
fyfas's Avatar
fyfas Offline
Registered User
Culinary Experience: Can't Boil Water
 
Join Date: Jul 2001
Posts: 26
Default

An excellent fish. Extremely easy to prepare and very satisfying to consume (allergy issues aside; something I've never directly been aware of happening).

My only complaint is that away from larger cities, it is not always available.
Reply With Quote
  #5  
Old 07-31-2002, 06:26 PM
Jim's Avatar
Jim Offline
Forums' Administrator
Culinary Experience: Culinary Instructor
 
Join Date: Oct 1999
Location: New Castle, De USA
Posts: 2,604
Blog Entries: 10
Default

There was some discussion a while back about Escolar. Check out...
http://www.cheftalkcafe.com/forums/s...hlight=escolar
__________________
Invention, my dear friends, is ninety-three percent perspiration, six percent electricity, four percent evaporation, and two percent butterscotch ripple
Reply With Quote
  #6  
Old 08-01-2002, 06:37 PM
pollyg's Avatar
pollyg Offline
Registered User
 
Join Date: Mar 2001
Location: Melbourne,Australia
Posts: 139
Default

I love escolar.
I think for it to send you to the toilet you have to eat heaps of the stuff.
I only recently heard about this phenomenon, never had trouble with it myself.
I don't even find it too oily, but obviously you wouldn't deep fry it. It's great with acid based dressings and it can stand up to a bit of crispy pancetta and red wine sauce.
Reply With Quote
  #7  
Old 08-04-2002, 07:42 AM
miahoyhoy's Avatar
miahoyhoy Offline
Registered User
Culinary Experience: Professional Chef
 
Join Date: Jul 2002
Location: Vermont, USA
Posts: 250
Default

The biggest problem is finding a reputable source for Escolar. It's not properly regulated in the southern waters off of South America where the main catch is aquired. Many times a cousin of Escolar with even higher oil content is sold as the real deal. Peopl have been made sick from eating it and at least one person , in Texas I beleive died.

I ate it and had no problem then my head waiter ate it and was sick all night.

I leave it alone.

Jon
Reply With Quote
  #8  
Old 10-06-2009, 11:00 AM
Snookmachine Offline
Registered User
Culinary Experience: Owner/Operator
 
Join Date: Oct 2009
Location: Mexico City
Posts: 14
Default

what would you say would be the best way to cook escolar?, it is said that light oils displace heavy oils like the cerous esters that escolars contain, I guess grilling it with a little olive oil could do the job?, any experiences in how to cook it?, the main issue is to make sure we have Black Escolar in our hands, and not oilfish
Reply With Quote
  #9  
Old 10-07-2009, 07:42 AM
ED BUCHANAN's Avatar
ED BUCHANAN Offline
Registered User
Culinary Experience: Culinary Instructor
 
Join Date: May 2006
Location: PALM BEACH FLORIDA
Posts: 2,239
Default

Quote:
Originally Posted by Cucina View Post
We recently had a food critic write about a fish that we find very popular in our restaurant. The fish is Escolar and it is a by-catch of the Tuna. Some call it White Tuna and I have heard it named Oil Fish, but that was a name given in the Far East. Her view of the fish has people running for the toilet even before tasting it.
I was wondering what if any experience anyone has had, positive or negative, response to serving this fish. Our customers think it is the best fish they have ever eaten. My wife on the other hand cannot eat it as the oil content is too much for her. If people are not used to a certain cooking technic, they will have various issues from trying new cuisines. we use much olive oil in our cooking and this has the same effect on people that eat Escolar when they are used to eating Shrimp.
Thanks
Grouse
The nick-name for this fish is he Ex-lax fish. It's oil are not digestable by the human body. It is banned for sale in Japan, and in 1977 was banned by the USDA who since 1990 reversed itself. Why on menues? It is cheap . Tilepia was fish if choice when it was cheap now it has caught on and gone up. Who knows what they will sell next.?
__________________
CHEFED
Reply With Quote
  #10  
Old 10-07-2009, 09:45 AM
Snookmachine Offline
Registered User
Culinary Experience: Owner/Operator
 
Join Date: Oct 2009
Location: Mexico City
Posts: 14
Default

Ed, I canīt consume it, for I had a Gasrtic Bypass and would get into trouble, my wife has no gallbladder, so Escolar is banned from my house, however, I do know that you shouldn't eat more than 6 oz t a time, and that the best way to eat it would be grilled. I do buy my fish directly from the wholesale market, and as a fisherman and biologist, have sufficient experience to identify the exact species I am buying, in order not to buy oilfish, the problem is that my clients want to buy Escolar, and I really have to look for fresh fish, in order not to get specimens with aged serous esters, so I am looking for recipes which I could give to my clients, with a previous warn, what would be your best choice to do?, grill?

Best Regards

Eduardo
Reply With Quote
  #11  
Old 10-07-2009, 10:06 AM
ED BUCHANAN's Avatar
ED BUCHANAN Offline
Registered User
Culinary Experience: Culinary Instructor
 
Join Date: May 2006
Location: PALM BEACH FLORIDA
Posts: 2,239
Default

Quote:
Originally Posted by Snookmachine View Post
Ed, I canīt consume it, for I had a Gasrtic Bypass and would get into trouble, my wife has no gallbladder, so Escolar is banned from my house, however, I do know that you shouldn't eat more than 6 oz t a time, and that the best way to eat it would be grilled. I do buy my fish directly from the wholesale market, and as a fisherman and biologist, have sufficient experience to identify the exact species I am buying, in order not to buy oilfish, the problem is that my clients want to buy Escolar, and I really have to look for fresh fish, in order not to get specimens with aged serous esters, so I am looking for recipes which I could give to my clients, with a previous warn, what would be your best choice to do?, grill?

Best Regards

Eduardo
GRILL as you say or alternate in order, overhead broil, poach these 3 methods willo reduce fat and oil content . Somewhere in these archives I wrote a lengthy article on fish its called ''fish fish'' see if you can find it is mostly science related .Regards EJB

If you cant find give me e mail and I'll send it.
__________________
CHEFED
Reply With Quote
  #12  
Old 10-07-2009, 10:44 AM
Snookmachine Offline
Registered User
Culinary Experience: Owner/Operator
 
Join Date: Oct 2009
Location: Mexico City
Posts: 14
Default

I will look for it, thanks a lot for your time, one last question, after the fish is done, would you drain any excess liquid or juice?
Reply With Quote
  #13  
Old 10-07-2009, 01:29 PM
ED BUCHANAN's Avatar
ED BUCHANAN Offline
Registered User
Culinary Experience: Culinary Instructor
 
Join Date: May 2006
Location: PALM BEACH FLORIDA
Posts: 2,239
Default

If serving right away Yes if holding a while let it sit in cooking juices so as not to let it get to dry. Serve with a squeeze of warm lemon juice on top . Why squeeze cold lemon juice on hot fish?
__________________
CHEFED
Reply With Quote
  #14  
Old 10-07-2009, 03:24 PM
Snookmachine Offline
Registered User
Culinary Experience: Owner/Operator
 
Join Date: Oct 2009
Location: Mexico City
Posts: 14
Default

please tell me why, does it have something to do with acid dissolving grease?, or lemmon sealing the meat?

Best Regards
Reply With Quote
  #15  
Old 10-07-2009, 03:28 PM
ED BUCHANAN's Avatar
ED BUCHANAN Offline
Registered User
Culinary Experience: Culinary Instructor
 
Join Date: May 2006
Location: PALM BEACH FLORIDA
Posts: 2,239
Default

Citrus of any kind kills grease( thats why they use in detergents.) It also brings out flavour and is a recognized replacement for salt in many diets.
__________________
CHEFED
Reply With Quote
Reply

Bookmarks


Thread Tools

Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

BB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is Off
Trackbacks are On
Pingbacks are On
Refbacks are Off


Similar Threads
Thread Thread Starter Forum Replies Last Post
Fish Fry katsina Professional Chefs Forum 1 03-09-2006 11:26 AM
Want to eat fish but... liv4fud Food & Cooking Questions and Discussion 4 10-02-2005 07:43 AM
What is a good paperback book naming and describing fish veneno Food & Cooking Questions and Discussion 4 11-04-2000 04:10 PM
Histamines and fish- FISH SAFETY Bob S Food & Cooking Questions and Discussion 1 11-04-2000 03:55 PM
More bad fish??? Chef Joe Food & Cooking Questions and Discussion 8 09-12-2000 07:57 AM