Cleaning Lionfish and Lionfish Recipies

Cleaning Lionfish and Lionfish Recipies 2017-10-17T02:44:07+00:00

Prepare with Care!

Please view our video hosted by Vone Research’s Lionfish Czar, Christina Acevedo, who demonstrates the proper handling techniques used when cleaning and fileting a lionfish. A venom gland is located at the base of each spine. See the ‘Fin Locator’ to the left for the location of these spines.

Once the fish has died the venom in the spines remain active for up to an hour at which point they gradually start to denature, so please be cautious when handling and preparing the fish. This venom is only in the spines however, not in the flesh.

Lionfish Recipes Submitted by Local Divers

From Filet to Entrée!

These recipes have been submitted to our site by the local dive community and they are posted here for everyone to enjoy. Your favorite lionfish recipes can be submitted to us with a brief description and we will post them on this site.

All recipes can be submitted to Lionfish@LionfishHunters.org for consideration.

SOUTH PACIFIC GRILLED

  • Lionfish meat
  • olive oil
  • chillies
  • sea salt
  • calamnsi juice or lime
  • soy sauce

Preparation:
Briefly marinate lionfish filets in calamnsi juice (or lime) and salt. Make a dip by crushing 3 mild chillies in soy sauce and calamansi juice (or lime).

Cooking:
Flash grill in hot pan with olive oil or serve as ceviche.

Serve with sticky rice, grilled vegetables and mango chutney on the side. Eat with chop sticks.

  • Submitted by:
    LionfishHunter.com

FRIED BAHAMIAN STYLE

  • Lionfish meat
  • Oil
  • Flour

  • Cornstarch

  • Lime wedges

  • Favorite dip

Preparation:
Prepare the fish by lightly washing/lightly scoring and patting dry. Prepare Bahamian style marinade of lime juice, sour orange juice, garlic, goat pepper, salt and pepper. Prepare the fish by lightly washing and patting dry.

Cooking:
Heat oil. Coat fish in flour and cornstarch mix. Fry fish until lightly golden.

Serve with your favorite dip and lime wedges.

  • Submitted by:
    Scubaboard.com

SEARED GREEK STYLE

  • Lionfish meat
  • garlic
  • lemon juice

  • olive oil
  • fresh ground pepper
  • kosher salt
  • oregano

Preparation:
Prepare the fish by lightly washing and patting dry. Prepare the marinade, a mixture of garlic, lemon juice, olive oil, freshly ground pepper, kosher salt and oregano. Marinate as per your time allowance but up to 1 day

Cooking:
Heat cast iron pan to smoking hot (no additional oil is needed). Place fillet on hot pan. Sear until brown, flip and cook other side.

Serve with lemon.

  • Submitted by:
    Scubaboard.com

HOT LIONFISH POPPERS

  • Lionfish meat
  • olive oil
  • your favourite spice
  • flour
  • pancake batter
  • pickled cherry peppers
  • bacon bits
  • shredded jack cheese

Preparation:
Lightly grill Lionfish filets in olive oil and your choice of spice. Cook bacon and chop into bits. Slice a pickled cherry pepper half way through and take out the seeds. Stuff with shredded jack cheese, grilled Lionfish and precooked bacon bits. Sprinkle the stuffed pepper with flour and dip it in pancake batter.

Cooking:
Deep fry until golden brown.

Dip in marinara sauce

  • Submitted by:
    LionfishHunter.com

LIONFISH TACO

  • Lionfish meat
  • soft or hard taco shells
  • olive oil
  • blackened seasoning
  • shredded lettuce
  • spicy Pico de Gallo
  • black beans
  • shredded cheese
  • sour cream

Preparation:
Use soft flour or crunchy corn tortillas. Spice Lionfish Filets with blackened seasoning.

Cooking:
Sear on a hot pan with olive oil. Place Lionfish in tortilla.

Add shredded lettuce, home made spicy pico de gallo, warmed black beans, shredded cheese, top with sour cream

  • Submitted by:
    lionfishhunters.com

FLUFFY BATTERED LIONFISH

  • Lionfish meat
  • vegatable oil
  • pancake mix
  • lemon pepper
  • milk
  • egg
  • mayonnaise
  • hot sauce
  • salt and pepper
  • fresh cilantro

Preparation:
Prepare the fish by lightly washing and patting dry. Take pancake mix, lemon pepper, milk and egg and mix together.

Cooking:
Dip the lionfish with slits cut on the side in the batter then deep fry. Make a dipping sauce out of mayonnaise, hot sauce, salt, pepper, and finely chopped fresh cilantro.

Serve with fried shoestring potatoes, cole slaw, and a slice of lime.

  • Submitted by:
    LionfishHunter.com

TEMPURA LIONFISH

  • Lionfish meat
  • ginger
  • garlic
  • mirin

  • salt
  • rice vinegar
  • favorite tempura batter

Preparation:
Prepare the fish by lightly washing and patting dry. Prepare the marinade which includes a mixture of fresh ginger, garlic, mirin, salt and rice vinegar. Marinate as per your time allowance but up to 1 day. Make tempura batter (as per your favorite recipe)

Cooking:
Heat oil. Dredge fillet in flour and dip in batter. Fry until lightly golden.

Serve with your favorite oriental sauce.

  • Submitted by:
    Scubaboard.com

BAHAMIAN FISH FRY

  • Lionfish meat
  • peanut oil
  • sea salt
  • hot pepper

Preparation:
Grind a hot pepper in salt / cut slits in the side of the lionfish (head on) and rub the spicy salt all over the body of the fish.

Cooking:
Hard pan fry with peanut oil 1/4” deep.

Serve with peas and rice, home made macaroni and cheese, and cole slaw with hot sauce.

  • Submitted by:
    LionfishHunter.com