# In Deffense of Skate



## davehunt (Mar 27, 2003)

Skate seem to be universally hated. Catching skate usually means a) There are no game fish around or b) the damn skate are stealing your bait and keeping you from catching something better.

One way to alleviate the aggravation is to keep one or two to make into a meal. Their delicious and do taste slightly like scallops.

I had a tasty meal of skate for dinner last night. It's a fish that my Sicilian in laws make on a fairly regular basis. Last nights were bought at the fish market and cooked by my mother in law.

I'd been eating it for years and didn't realize that I was enjoying skate wing because neither my in laws nor my wife knew what the English translation for the fish was. As a result I've thrown back many potential meals!

I finally figured it out one Christmas Eve when I saw them labeled in a Brooklyn fish market. Ever since I will occasionally keep a good sized skate for the table.

Very easy to prepare. Remove the wings and pull off the skin (the hardest part). You can cut belly strips for bait or save the carcass for crabbing.

Season with salt and pepper, dredge in flour and sauté in olive oil until golden brown. Dress the cooked fish with big slices of garlic. Keep warm while the garlic has a chance to flavor the fish.

Buon Appetito


----------



## Kozlow (Oct 25, 2002)

*Have to Agree*

People just don't know what they are missing. Cook a Skate Today is what I say. 
A way to skin the fillets is to poach them for several minutes in a solution of three parts water to one part vinegar. The skin should peel off easily after poaching. 


Skate with Anchovy Sauce

4 small skate wings 
Seasoned flour 
Butter

Anchovy Sauce

Chopped garlic 
1 tbs. anchovy paste 
2 tbs. Dijon mustard 
2 tbs. capers 
3 tbs. line juice 
3 tbs. olive oil 

Coat Skate Wings in seasoned flour. Fry wings in butter until brown, about 3 to 4 minutes on each side. Serve the Skate Wing with an Anchovy Sauce. Anchovy Sauce Heat all ingredients over low heat until well blended. Pour sauce over the skate wings. To add color to the dish, serve with stir-fried red, green, and yellow peppers and onions.


----------



## davehunt (Mar 27, 2003)

Kozlow,

Great tip, I'll give it a try next time a catch a skate.

Thanks.


----------

