Cook Your Catch on the Forgotten Coast

Whether you booked a successful charter trip or had a bountiful day of shore fishing, you caught fish! Now what?

The last thing you want to do is to trash this vacation rental by experimenting in the kitchen. Let’s face it, this isn’t your kitchen, and you don’t have all of your spices, oils, and other basics on hand. You don’t even know where anything is.

Take a deep breath of salty ocean air—you’ve got this. We’ve provided some easy, delicious, low-mess recipes you can prepare in your vacation rental with minimal hassle and equipment. Your gang will appreciate home-cooked seafood, even the tiny, picky eaters in your group. The pickiest eater in my family “loves” flounder now (after he caught one and we cooked it).

Now, if that is just too much effort for you (no judgment here–you are on vacation, for goodness sakes), we’ve got another solution that doesn’t involve cooking. But first…

Nothing says Forgotten Coast Vacation like eating fresh fish that you strategically plucked from our bountiful waters. These scrumptious recipes are easy to prepare and don’t require a lot of mixing or extra parts. Some simple sides to add would be cheese grits, coleslaw, salad, Spanish rice, or steamed veggies. So, stop by one of our local grocery stores, grab a couple of items and head back to your vacation rental to prepare a seafood feast.

Panko Parmesan Fish Fillet
4 fish fillets
¼ cup butter (melted)
1 clove garlic (minced)
1 cup panko
1 cup grated parmesan
Preheat broiler. Combine melted butter and minced garlic in a shallow bowl. Combine panko and parmesan in a shallow bowl. Coat both sides of the fish fillet with butter mixture and dredge through the panko mixture. Place on greased broiler pan. Broil 6-8 inches from heat for 8-10 minutes or until fish flakes easily.

Panfried Lemon Caper Fish
Olive oil to drizzle
2 4-oz fish fillets
2 Tbsp butter
Small jar of capers
Lemon, cut into wedges
Heat a drizzle of olive oil in a pan on medium heat until shimmering. Season fish fillets with salt and pepper (or any seasoning of your choice). Sear fillets on one side for 2 – 3 minutes and flip. Drop a pat of butter and 1 tbsp of capers on each fillet. Cook until done, 2 – 3 minutes more. Serve with lemon wedges.

Grilled fish
4 fish fillets, preferable with skin on one side
6 Tbsp butter or olive oil
4 garlic cloves minced
2 lemons: one juiced and zested, the other cut into slices
Salt and pepper to taste
Preheat grill to medium-high heat. Whisk together butter/olive oil, garlic, lemon juice, and zest (and any other green spices like chives or parsley), and let sauce marry for 10 minutes. Spoon or brush sauce on top of each fillet and top with 1 – 2 lemon slices. Carefully place fish on the grill, skin side down. (If you are worried about the fish sticking to the grill, you can place fish on a piece of greased tin foil and place the tinfoil on the grill.). Cover and cook 5 – 6 minutes until the fish is flaky and white. The edges will begin to sizzle when done—drizzle the remaining sauce on fillet before serving.

Now, you may not want to cook. You are likely exhausted from fishing all day, and that rocking chair with the ocean view is calling your name. We get it.

There is another way to eat the fish you caught. Most restaurants in our area will cook your catch. You will need to call ahead and let them know you’d like the kitchen to cook your catch. Most will charge a small fee, and you can purchase any side items you’d like with your meal. This link will take you to an extensive list of restaurants (with phone numbers) on the Forgotten Coast. With this option, all you have to do is bring your cleaned, filleted fish.

The Forgotten Coast is blessed with bountiful waters, and fishing (catching) is one of the best activities around here. Any angler will tell you there is an absolute satisfaction gained from eating what you caught. Cooking what you caught makes memories and delicious enjoyment for all—and let’s face it, it’s a good way to get your kids to try fish.