I see a lot of Bluefish throughout the year thanks to Brad, Ethan, and Steven - the fishermen in my life I. This past weekend Brad caught some small blues so it was the perfect occasion to pull out the grape leaves. This is our favorite way to eat Bluefish. I rely on the briny grape leaves to works some magic. And then once cooked, these little packages are unwrapped to reveal the juiciest and flavorful fish. They are then dressed with a wonderful mixture of lemon, capers, and a few other goodies. This technique would also work with striped bass and probably cod as well. I highly recommend it.
Ingredients for BlueFish in Grape Leaves:
serves 2-3
1 pound Bluefish fillets
1 jar grape leaves, rinsed and dried
back pepper
Kosher salt
1 tablespoon olive oil for baking dish
dressing:
3 tablespoons olive oil
1 clove garlic, minced
zest of 1 lemon
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
1/2 teaspoon Dijon mustard
2 teaspoons capers, rinsed and dried
black pepper
Time-saving Tip: The fish can be wrapped in the grape leaves about an hour or so before baking. The dressing can also be made an hour in advance.
Let's see what we need.
Now we can cook.
Combine all of the dressing ingredients together in a small bowl. Set aside.
Lightly salt and pepper the fish. Cut each fillet in half. Wrap each piece of fish with two grape leaves, overlapping when needed. The entire fillet should be covered.
Place each package in a lightly greased baking dish. Bake in a preheated 400-degree oven for 12 minutes. If the fillets are thick it might take a minute or two longer.
It's ready! You will be amazed just how succulent the fish turns out when cooked like this. It is truly delicious. I can't wait to make it again.
Enjoy!