Maryland Fish Recipes

Grilled Maryland Bluefish
Courtesy Maryland Department of Agriculture

Ingredients:
2 pounds Maryland bluefish fillets
2 cups Italian salad dressing
2 lemons, cut in wedges

Instructions:
Place bluefish fillets in a baking dish. Pour dressing over fillets, cover and refrigerate for 2 hours. Place fillets on a hot, oiled grill. Baste fillets frequently with dressing and cook for about 10 minutes. Turn and baste again. Fillets are done when they just begin to flake when tested with a fork. Serve with lemon wedges. For convenient cooking on charcoal grill, cover grill with foil and poke holes in foil to circulate heat. Makes 6 servings.

Rockfish Stuffed with Crabmeat
Courtesy Maryland's Way - The Hammond-Harwood House Cookbook

A classic Maryland dish that combines two of the Chesapeake's most famous residents.

Ingredients:
3 to 5 lb. rockfish (striped bass)
salt and pepper to taste
2 Tbsp. chopped onion
1/4 cup chopped celery
1/2 cup butter
2 cups soft bread crumbs
1 cup flaked crab meat
1 Tbsp. chopped parsley
1 cup milk
1 large onion, sliced
parsley and lemon

Instructions:
Wash the rock (striped bass) and sprinkle it inside and out with salt and pepper. Sauté chopped onion and celery in 1/4 cup of butter until lightly browned. Mix together the sautéed vegetables, bread crumbs, crabmeat, chopped parsley, salt and pepper. Stuff fish and secure with skewers, or sew it together. Place fish in a shallow baking dish and put milk and sliced onion in the pan. Pour 1/4 cup melted butter over fish. Bake uncovered in a moderate oven at 350° for about 45 minutes. Garnish top of fish with thin slices of lemon dipped in chopped parsley. Serves 4 to 6.

Southern Maryland Perch
Courtesy Maryland Department of Agriculture

Ingredients:
3 pounds Maryland perch, dressed
1 1/2 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. pepper
3 medium sliced mushrooms
1/2 cup sliced onion
1/4 cup chopped green pepper
1 cup orange juice
3 tbsp. cream sherry
1 tsp. grated lemon rind
1 tbsp. flour

Instructions:
Preheat oven to 450°. Season fish with salt and pepper. Place fish in a baking dish. In a bowl, combine mushrooms, onions and green pepper. Spread vegetable mixture over fish. Combine remaining ingredients in a saucepan. Cook over moderate heat, stirring frequently until mixture thickens. Pour sauce over fish and vegetables. Bake at 450° for 6 to 8 minutes or until fish flakes easily with a fork. Makes 4 servings.

Bluefish Baybury
Courtesy From A Lighthouse Window Cookbook by The Chesapeake Bay Maritime Museum

Bluefish tip: remove the dark meat and soak fillets in milk before cooking

Ingredients:
1 fresh bluefish filet
2 Tbsp. butter, softened
1/8 tsp. each dried thyme, rosemary, oregano, basil, marjoram, and sage
1 tsp. minced green onion
teriyaki sauce
2 slices lemon

Instructions:
Lay bluefish fillet on the center of a large square of aluminum foil. Mix butter, herbs, and onion together. Spread on top of fillet. Shake on enough teriyaki sauce to have a "run-off" on the foil. Place lemon slices on top of fillet. Cover fillet with the rest of foil. Place on a barbeque grill or in a 350° oven for 15 to 20 minutes. Fish is done when it flakes easily.