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.
- Download Recipe:
South Pacific Grilled
- 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.
- Download Recipe:
Fried Bahamian Style
- 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.
Download Recipe:
Seared Greek Style
- 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
- Download Recipe:
Hot Lionfish Poppers
- 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
- Download Recipe:
Lionfish Taco
- 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.
Download Recipe:
Fluffy Battered Lionfish
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.
- Download Recipe:
Tempura Lionfish
- 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.
- Download Recipe:
Bahamian Fish Fry
- Submitted by:
LionfishHunter.com