Family Bluefishing For Adventure and Great Family Feast Memories

One of our favorite ways to spend time with our children every summer is to take a deep sea fishing charter out of Point Pleasant, New Jersey. It's one of the gifts of living in New Jersey; that we are close to the ocean. The sun, the waves and the camaraderie are great for flat-out fun and just enjoying each other; and let's not forget the competition factor. Fishing brings out the competitor in the mildest person. A sweet child becomes a top contender in the battle to land the biggest fish. It's great fun.
If you have never gone for bluefish, you're missing one of the great sport battles the sea can offer. Bluefish are fighters. Each fish weighs around seven to eleven pounds but some "pool winners" can weigh in at 30 pounds or more. What that means is, when they take your bait, you're in for an arm wrenching, heart pounding twenty minutes; and by the end of the day, your arms and shoulders are, at the same time, on fire and leaden with fatigue. With a little bit of luck though, a family of four can find themselves driving home with 20 or more fish.
Our kids know our family rule: you must eat what you take out of the ocean. Boy, do we ever! Twenty fish leaves us with forty fillets.
We happen to live close to a lot of extended family, so when they hear that we're out fishing, they prepare for a fish fry picnic party in our backyard. My sisters round up fresh, local Jersey corn, throw together a mega salad, mix up a few Margaritas and Mojitos and then everyone waits for us to show up.
When we show up at what has now become our "family fish fry extravaganza", I and the other ladies let our gourmet imaginations go crazy. Bluefish nuggets with panko breadcrumbs and lemon zest, Bluefish with tequila and lime, Bluefish Chimichurri, Bluefish with Thai Sauce, Mexican Bluefish, Bluefish with onions and tomatoes, Bluefish in butter and wine, and on and on.
With the exception of the bluefish nuggets, all the fish are wrapped in aluminum foil packets with whatever sauce was designated for that packet and then cooked on the grill.
Just grill, open the packet and chow down. At the end of the day, what isn't left over is frozen. But, boy oh boy, there is nothing like enjoying fresh bluefish just out of the water!
Fran Valle is partners with her sister, Sharon Grey and their friend Mary Meade in DinnerSmith; the first meal prep studio in Maplewood, New Jersey. Every day the three women dedicate themselves to bringing together fresh ingredients, cutting-edge recipes and the work space necessary for their friends and neighbors to quickly prepare as many delicious dinners as they need for that week or for that month. Visit http://www.dinnersmith.com for incredible meal ideas or, if you're in the neighborhood, just drop in and say "hi." Who knows? We might have a few gourmet bluefish dinners in our freezer that you can take home to your brood.

Fran