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The Local Food Report

As we re-imagine our relationships to what we eat, Local Food Report creator Elspeth Hay takes us to the heart of the local food movement to talk with growers, harvesters, processors, cooks, policy makers and visionaries

Skate 101: Three Local Cooks Share Their Favorite Recipes

CAI | By Elspeth Hay

Published February 25, 2016 at 7:34 AM EST

For a long time, skate has been considered trash fish. But with local groundfish like haddock and cod increasingly off the menu, home cooks and local chefs are turning more and more to this tasty shark relative.

This week on the Local Food Report, Elspeth Hay talks with three outer Cape cooks about their favorite skate dishes. As promised, here are two of their recipes.

And you can hear more about the local skate fishery in this past Local Food Report.

TONY PASQUALE'S PAN FRIED SKATE WINGS WITH SALSA VERDE

Tony is the owner and chef at Terra Luna restaurant in Truro. This recipe serves 4.

for the skate:

1 and 1/2 pounds skate wings

flour

olive oil

salt and pepper

for the sauce:

1/4 cup fresh bread croutons

2 tablespoons red wine vinegar

1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil

1/4 cup lemon juice

1/2 cup fresh basil

1/2 cup fresh parsley

11 anchovy fillets

2 hard boiled eggs

salt and pepper to taste

Flour the fish and season with salt and pepper. Warm up a glug of olive oil in a sauté pan over medium-high heat. Pan fry the wings for 2-3 minutes per side, or until they look golden and crispy.

To make the sauce, soak the bread in the red wine vinegar for 15 minutes. Squeeze out excess vinegar, then combine the soaked bread with the remaining ingredients in a food processor and blend until smooth.

To serve, put a tablespoon of the sauce on top of the fish and serve hot.

LEE WOOTHERSPOON'S COCONUT FRIED SKATE CHEEKS

Serves 3-4

1 pound skate cheeks

1/2 cup coarse cornmeal

1/2 cup coconut flour

1/2 teaspoon fine grain sea salt

1/2 teaspoon pepper

1 cup finely shredded, unsweetened coconut

2 large eggs

extra virgin olive oil, for frying

Combine the cornmeal and coconut flour in a medium size shallow bowl. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Crack the eggs into another similar bowl and whisk well. Put the coconut in another similar bowl.

Cover the bottom of a large skillet with oil and warm up over medium heat. Dredge the skate cheeks by dipping them first into the flour mixture, then the eggs, and finally the coconut. Fry in batches for 2-3 minutes per side, or until golden and crispy. Serve hot.

This week's Local Food Report is a rebroadcast. It originally aired in April of 2015.