How to Cook Garfish

Garfish Recipes - 2  Ways to Cook Gar Fish

1. Fried Gar Balls
2. Smoked Alligator Gar Roast

The garfish is a prehistoric fish.

Its natural skills and ability to quickly adapt to harsh environmental conditions; its slender and elongated armor-plated body which gave it agility and speed; and, its two rows of sharp teeth on a long and protruding snout, all came together millions of years ago to make the garfish a formidable candidate for survival without evolving.

They are, in essence, living fossils which come equipped with an inner air bladder. This means the gar fish can stay alive, out of the water, longer than most other types of fish. Even in low-oxygen conditions the garfish will come up out of the water for air much like some aqua-mammalians  (whale, dolphin and sea cow).

I prefer the smaller species of garfish (long-nose gar) for my table because they are easier to handle, clean and cook.

On the smaller fish, after removing the outer armor, I use a large metal spoon to scrape the meat out from between the connective tissue, which is common to all species of garfish, and set it aside in a bowl to mix with my other ingredients.

Warning: Under NO circumstances should you consume the eggs of a garfish (roe) because it is poisonous to humans and other warm-blooded animals.

I like to use the more-tender meat of a smaller fish to prepare fried gar balls. I usually go half 'n half (half fish meat and half crumbled baked potatoes) to prepare mine.

I add a couple eggs, chopped green onions, as well as salt and seasonings.

In a bowl mix everything together well and form the mixture into golf ball size spheres. Finally, coat them well by rolling the balls in Italian bread crumbs and fry at 365 degrees F. until they are golden brown in color.

I have also prepared alligator gar fish (3 - 5 lb. roasts) on the barbecue.

I use enough aluminum foil to completely wrap the fish roast, but only after I have smoked it and seasoned it enough.

By setting the alligator gar fish roast on a couple sheets of heavy-duty aluminum foil, (open-face),  I  can manipulate the amount of smoke I want my fish roast to absorb. The temperature should be between 120 and 180 degrees F. I always use hickory chips to create the smoke for my roast, but other hardwood chips will do just as well.

I gauge how much smoke I need by observing the naturally white meat of the garfish as I am smoking it.

When it reaches a slightly smoky color (dull-gray), I wrap the roast with the aluminum foil and continue cooking it until it's done, but not before dousing it with gobs of melted lemon butter and DIY Cajun seasoning. The larger roasts should not take more than an hour to cook after smoking.

I've also used lemon and orange peels on occasion to enhance the taste of the gar fish roast.

Garfish is a good-tasting fish and its meat is somewhat sweet. Some folks like to compare it to crab meat.

I like it for what it is. Try it some time. You might like it, too.

Ahheee!!!

Maque Choux

Ingredients

• 1 stick butter
• 15 ears tender fresh corn
• 1 large onion, chopped
• 1 bell pepper, chopped
• 1 can whole tomatoes
• (or 2 fresh tomatoes diced)
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• 1 cup milk
• salt and pepper to taste

Instructions

1. cut corn off the cob and scrape the cob to remove all the juice
2. in a Dutch oven combine 1 stick butter, onion, bell pepper, and garlic
3. sauté until tender
4. add corn and tomatoes
5. season to taste
6. cook over medium heat for 1 hour, stirring constantly
7. add a little milk from time to time
8. keep mixture soft to avoid sticking
9. serves 5 to 6

MI'KMAQ INDIANS AND THE ACADIANS

Prior to 1755, a time before the Acadian expulsion from their homeland in Nova Scotia by British forces, a peaceful co-existence and assimilation between the two peoples (Mi'Kmaq and Acadians) led to cultural sharing, some of which can be experienced in today's Cajun foods culture.

I want to further explore the subject, so if anyone has information about this, would you please send it my way?

Mi'kmaq, also spelled Micmac, was the largest of the North American Indian tribes traditionally occupying what are now Canada's eastern Maritime Provinces (Nova Scotia, New Brunswick, and Prince Edward Island) and parts of the present U.S. states of Maine and Massachusetts.

The Cajuns, prior to settling Nova Scotia hailed from a rural area of the Vendee Region of Western France. They began to settle in North America in 1604.

The Acadians brought with them excellent farming and fishing skills and literally transformed saltwater marshes into arable lands to grow their food crops.

The Mi'kmaq lived off the land and occupied a bountiful swath of the Northeastern Woodlands of these Canadian provinces.

It is a very interesting subject and I'd like to learn more about some of today's traditional Cajun cuisine... and perhaps a historical gem or two about how this unique food culture has evolved.

Note: To make chicken Maque Choux, cut chicken into bite size pieces and fry until brown and add to the Maque Choux. Cook 10 minutes.