We Were Gifted With A Fresh Caught Butterfly Peacock: Cichla Ocellaris

There's nothing better than eating fresh out the water seafood!

Our neighbor this past weekend offered us an extra Peacock Bass (or also known as a Butterfly Peacock). Below is a bit of information on this Florida nonnative species. If you are in south Florida, you REALLY need to try this delicious fish. It is very dense and exceptionally mild. The usual way to cook them are to saute with butter, garlic and lemon.

Here's a tip, descale your fish under running water. The helps reduce the flying scales. Another tip is to use a vegetable peeler if you do not have the proper tool. Note, we descaled our Peacock Bass but it was not needed as you filet them and then skin them. Their skin is exceptionally tough and discarded.

Butterfly Peacock: Cichla ocellaris

Appearance:

Body shape similar to that of a largemouth bass; color highly variable, but generally golden with three black vertical bars that tend to fade and are possibly absent in older fish; black spot with a yellow-gold halo on the caudal fin.

Range:

Introduced by FWC in large coastal canals of southeast Florida in 1984; low water temperatures and intolerance of saltwater prevent this species from becoming abundant outside of coastal Miami-Dade and Broward counties. Native range lies within the Amazon River basin of South America.

Habitat:

Successful in warm, slow flowing canals, ponds, lakes, deep rock pits, and lateral canals; frequently found in shady areas around bridges, culverts, canal intersections, bends, dead ends, and near fallen trees; spawns and often feeds in shallow water adjacent shorelines with overhanging vegetation; cannot tolerate water temperatures below 60^oF or salinities greater than 18 ppt.

Behavior:

Spawning Habits: Typically spawn from April through September with a peak in May and June; both adults prepare a flat, hard surface near shore, then lay between 4,000 and 10,000 eggs; young are guarded by both parents, sometimes for several months; males commonly develop a 'nucchal' hump on foreheads when reproductively active.

Feeding Habits: Feed almost exclusively on fish; tend to use great speed to capture prey; typically feeds only during daylight hours; this fish has helped reduce the number of undesirable exotic fishes, especially the spotted tilapia.

Age and Growth

Grow rapidly to 12-14 inches during the first 16-18 months, after which they become much heavier with each inch they add in length. A 17-inch fish will weigh approximately three pounds while a 19-inch fish will weigh up to five pounds. The largest butterfly peacock caught in Florida weighed 12.0 pounds and measured 25.5 inches, but this fish was not submitted for a state record. It is not known how long they live, but preliminary data suggests about six years.

Sporting Quality

One of the most popular sportfish in southeast Florida canals where it generates millions of hours of fishing pleasure for thousands of anglers who spend more than $8 million a year to catch them; available to both boat and bank anglers using the same basic tackle as largemouth bass anglers; small shiners are the preferred live bait; rarely take plastic worms like largemouth bass do, but top-water lures, minnow imitating crank and jerk baits, and marabou jigs are popular artificial baits; streamers, epoxy minnows and pencil poppers are favorites of fly fishers; daily bag limit of two fish, only one of which can be greater than 17 inches.

Edibility

Good but the real value of this fish is in its use for controlling over-abundant exotic forage fishes and its sporting qualities; therefore FWC encourages anglers to catch and release these fish, especially those longer than 14 inches.

Additional Information

State record: 9.08 pounds, but fish up to 12 pounds have been caught; current IGFA all-tackle world record is 12.6 pounds (caught in Venezuela); 13 of the 16 current IGFA world records caught from Florida waters

http://myfwc.com/wildlifehabitats/profiles/freshwater/nonnatives/butterfly-peacock/

personal chefs and event catering

Miami + Miami Beach + Fort Lauderdale + Palm Beach

www.yadachef.com

info@yadachef.com | 954-367-YADA (9232)

9 Wonderful Benefits Of Pistachios

The health benefits of pistachios include a healthy heart , weight management, protection against diabetes and hypertension, and improved digestion . The vitamins , minerals , fats, and protein found in pistachio are all good for health. What Are Pistachios? Pistachios are one of the oldest edible nuts and are commonly used all over the world. They are native to Asia, particularly Iran and Iraq. Archaeological evidence dates the association of pistachios and man as early as 6,000 BC. They were cultivated in Iran, Iraq, and Syria and were introduced to the Romans only in 100 AD. Today, apart from Iran, Iraq, and Syria, pistachios are being produced in many countries such as the United States, Australia, Turkey, and China, among others. Pistachio nuts belong to the Anacardiaceae family from the genus Pistacia . A pistachio tree takes about 10 to 12 years to produce the first crop. They are d...

Kids Cooking Class - Palm Beach, Fort Lauderdale, Miami

YaDa Chef's cooking school JUST for kids! Teaching children of all ages that cooking can be creative, full of discovery, and a lot of fun! YaDa Chef provides hands-on cooking classes allowing kid's imaginations to run wild and free while discovering new science, math, reading, health and social skills. YaDa Chef offers a unique culinary experience offering cooking classes to children in an environment that encourages discover and creativity. Each class is a new experience. Themes chosen, either our one of YaDa Chef's chefs, by the child or parent assist in sharpening skills and taking the mystery out of the kitchen. Removing the fear of the unknown while incorporating subject matter which ties into each theme. Our highly qualified chefs, in coordination of nutritional experts carry out a mission to provide an interactive learning experience giving children the opportunity to develop a life-long love of the culinary arts. Each class is designed to fa...

Do you Remember Herman? Sourdough Starter and Recipe

In the late 1970s and early 1980s, Amish friendship bread, as well as an interchangeable starter referred to as Herman (the name varies), became a popular exchange among friends who shared the starter as well as recipes. Herman Starter Preparation time: 10 minutes Standing time: 5 days Yield: 4 cups 1 cup sugar 1/3 cup warm water 2 packages (2 1/4 teaspoons each) active dry yeast 2 cups each: milk, flour 1. Sprinkle 1 tablespoon of the sugar over the warm water. Sprinkle yeast over mixture; set aside until doubled in volume, about 10 minutes. 2. Combine milk, flour, remaining sugar and yeast mixture in a plastic or glass container. (Do not use metal.) Stir with a wooden spoon; cover loosely. Set aside at room temperature, at least 8 hours. 3. Stir mixture once a day for three days. On the fourth day, measure out 1 cup of Herman for baking; measure 1 additional cup to give to a friend as a gift. To replenish starter: Add 1 cup flour, 1 cup milk and 1...

Baked Apple Streusel Pancake Bars Recipe

Have you ever mixed up a batch of pancake batter, (because they sounded so amazing 15 minutes earlier when you were in bed), o nly to find yourself in front of the stove, spatula in hand, thinking "I really don't have the patience for this?" Yields: 20 Bars Adapted from: Martha Stewart's Buttermilk Pancakes 2 cups all-purpose flour 2 teaspoons baking powder 1 teaspoon baking soda 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt, or slightly less table salt 3 tablespoons sugar 2 large eggs, lightly beaten 2 3/4 cups buttermilk (whole milk can be substituted without any problems) 3 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted 1 small apple, diced into 1/2" pieces 2 cups Granola (we used an apple cinnamon granola from Bear Naked) For Topping: 1/4 cup all-purpose flour 1/4 cup brown sugar, firmly packed 3 tablespoons butter, melted 1 teaspoon cinnamon 1/2 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg Grease and Parchment your choice of baking dish. We used 2 8"x8" pans (for the straight s...

Colors, Flavors, Sizes & Seasons of Onions

Onions vary in color, size, the time of year harvested, and flavor. These differences make onions very versatile. The Color of Onions Bulb onions can be yellow, red, or white. Approximately 87 percent of the crop is devoted to yellow onion production, with about eight percent red onions, and five percent white onions. Yellow Onions Yellow Onions are full-flavored and are a reliable standby for cooking almost anything. Yellow onions turn a rich, dark brown when cooked and give French Onion Soup its tangy sweet flavor. Red Onions Red Onions, with their wonderful color, are a good choice for lots of fresh uses or for grilling, charbroiling, and roasting. White Onions White Onions are often used in prepared salads, white sauces, and is the traditional onion for classic Mexican cuisine. They have a golden color and sweet flavor when sautéed. personal chefs and event catering Miami + Miami Beach + Fort Lauderdale + Palm Beach www.yadachef.com info@yadachef.c...

Gluten Free Split Pea Soup Recipe

She loves to make soup--especially cream of yesterday. - Milton Berle Split Pea Soup Recipe Ingredients 1 medium yellow onion/1 cup/150g, chopped 2 cloves garlic, minced 2 tablespoons/30ml good olive oil 1/2 teaspoon/2ml dried oregano 1 1/2 teaspoons/7ml/9g Sea Salt 1 teaspoon/5ml/3g freshly ground black pepper 2 cups dic/128g diced carrots (3 to 4 carrots) 1 cup/122g diced red boiling potatoes, unpeeled (3 small) 1 pound/450g dried split green peas 2 quarts/2 liters chicken stock or water In a 4-quart/4 liter stockpot on medium heat, saute the onions and garlic with the olive oil, oregano, salt, and pepper until the onions are translucent, 10 to 15 minutes. Add the carrots, potatoes, 1/2 pound of split peas, and chicken stock. Bring to a boil, then simmer uncovered for 40 minutes. Skim off the foam while cooking. Add the remaining split peas and continue to simmer for another 40 minutes, or until all the peas are soft. Stir frequently to keep the solids ...

Strawberry Breasts (Fragomammella) Recipe

This 'Two Fat Ladies' recipe is delicious. We did find before pushing the ricotta through the sieve to drain as much as the liquid out of it first. Made for a less runny consistency. Ingredients 1 pound/450g strawberries 1 tablespoon/15ml lemon juice 1 tablespoon/15ml caster sugar (superfine) 1 1/4/510g pounds fresh ricotta 1/4 pint (1/2 cup/120ml/120g) double cream 3 tablespoons/45ml Campari 4 to 5 tablespoons/8g icing sugar (confectioners') Directions Set aside 16 of the smallest strawberries and cut the rest into small pieces. Put in a bowl with the lemon juice and caster sugar and leave to soak for 1 hour. Push the ricotta through the smallest sieve of a mouli, add cream and Campari, mix well. Sieve the icing sugar into the mixture to your own taste, put a third of the mixture aside and mix the strawberries into the remaining ricotta. Prepare pink dessert plates and divide the mixture into 16 breast-shaped molds, 2 for each plate. With a moistened...

New England Iced Tea Recipe

While growing up in Massachusetts, my family spent summers at our cottage. These cocktails for the adults were a regional variation on Long Island iced tea, and they always showed up at clambakes on the beach. —Ann Liebergen, Brookfield, Wisconsin Ingredients 2 tablespoons sugar 1 ounce vodka 1 ounce light rum 1 ounce gin 1 ounce Triple Sec 1 ounce lime juice 1 ounce tequila 1 to 1-1/2 cups ice cubes 2 ounces cranberry juice Lemon slice, optional Directions In a mixing glass or tumbler, combine the sugar, vodka, rum, gin, Triple Sec, lime juice and tequila; stir until sugar is dissolved. Place ice in a highball glass; pour in the sugar mixture. Top with cranberry juice. Garnish with lemon if desired. private chefs and event catering Palm Beach + Boca Raton + Fort Lauderdale + Miami Beach info@yadachef.com | 954-367-YADA (9232) 561-285-7466 www.yadachef.com south florida catering and personal chefs

Braised Lettuce (Laitues Braises): A Take On Julia Child’s Recipe

You can use almost any lettuce, such as chicory, or frisee, or Boston Bib if you are busing large heads, cut them in half. We made these pescartarian because of the shrimp stock, but vegan is easy with vegetable stock, or if serving with beef, a beef stock and bacon. Braised lettuce is a delicious garnish for poultry, white meats such as veal or pork, or steamed white fish. It can be the main accompanied by a warm sweet potato salad. Serves 4 4 heads Romaine lettuce hearts 4 thick slices of bacon (if making not vegetarian or vegan), cut into lardon strips 1 small onion , diced 2 carrots, diced 1 tablespoon/15g plus 1/2 tablespoon/7 butter divided 1 teaspoon/5ml olive oil 1/2 cup/125ml shrimp or seafood stock (see notes above) 1/2 cup/125ml cup white wine or dry white vermouth bouquet garni: 1 parsley branch, 1 branch of thyme,1 bay leaf tied to a cheesecloth ½ tablespoon butter 1 tablespoon parsley Trim stems of lettuce and ...

Health Benefits of Ginger

What are the therapeutic benefits of ginger? Below are examples of some scientific studies on ginger and its current or potential uses in medical treatment. Inf lammation of the colon A study carried out at the University of Michigan Medical School found that Ginger Root Supplement administered to volunteer participants reduced inflammation markers in the colon within a month. The study was published in the journal Cancer Prevention Research. Experts say that inflammation of the colon is a precursor to colon cancer. Co-researcher Suzanna M. Zick, N.D., M.P.H., explained that by reducing inflammation in the colon a person reduces their risk of developing colon cancer. Zick said "We need to apply the same rigor to the sorts of questions about the effect of ginger root that we apply to other clinical trial research. Interest in this is only going to increase as people look for ways to prevent cancer that are nontoxic, and improve their quality of life in a cost-effect...

YaDa Chef Private and Personal Chefs

Search This Blog