On Mon 02 Jun 2008 10:28:16p, Zeppo told us...

>
> "Gregory Morrow" > wrote in message
> ...
>>
>> Blinky the Shark wrote:
>>
>>> Christopher M. wrote:
>>>
>>> > What's the black stuff in monkfish meat? Is it edible?
>>> >
>>> >
>>> >
>>> > W. Pooh (AKA Winnie P.)
>>>
>>> It may *be* pooh. What part of the monkfish are you looking at?
>>>
>>
>>
>> Hope these excerpts from a discussion thread [From a local Chicago
>> culinary forum] don't "turn you off" piscines forever, Blinky ;-) :
>>
>> http://lthforum.com/bb/viewtopic.php?f=16&t=19385
>>
>> "Worms in my monkfish! Still alive!"
>>
>> [excerpts from the thread]
>>
>> "So on Sunday I purchased 5 monkfish tails from my favorite Japanese
>> fish market.
>>
>> Skinning and filleting them this evening to recreate mapo fish fillet I
>> was shocked to find worms in the flesh and belly of the fish AND THEY
>> WERE STILL
>> ALIVE!!! WTF!!!!
>>
>> They were MOVING as I pulled them out (I can't believe I touched them).
>> At first I thought it was just part of the fish as I was prepping them,
>> but they immediately curled and moved when touched! ARGH!!!!
>>
>> Wikipedia identified them as anisakis (not diphyllobothrium).
>> http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Anisakis
>>
>> I know I've seen them "dead" on fish sold at other markets from time to
>> time (usually in the discount section of Asian fish markets - to remain
>> nameless).
>>
>> I'm shocked and disappointed as this market is one of my typical weekly
>> stops not only for seafood but sashimi-grade fish. They were the most
>> reputable and beautiful fish market I'd ever encountered in the states,
>> and now I'm disillusioned.
>>
>> I can't believe that they didn't know the fish had worms as they had
>> gutted the fish previously; It would have been worms galore (as each
>> fish had multiple worms in each).
>>
>> I'm just also really surprised that they were still living considering
>> freezing should typically kill them. They'd sat in my fridge since
>> Sunday as well.
>>
>> I'm so sad sad sad... I don't think I can bring myself to eat their raw
>> fish again nor to continue purchasing fish from them. I guess it's back
>> to Costco
>> for me..."
>>
>> -------------------------
>>
>> "Hold on a moment. This happened to me once, with Turbot. Grossed me
>> out. Hubby and I wound up eating out, but I saved the fish and returned
>> it to the supermarket where I had purchased it. They were non-plussed
>> about it -
>> they apologized, but said it does happen sometimes.
>>
>> Then, I called the local health department. And I learned that, unless
>> fish is sushi or sashimi grade, it is normal for it to sometimes have
>> small worms or other nasties. Had I cooked the whole filet instead of
>> cutting it up for stir fry, they would have shriveled up too small to
>> see in the cooking process and I wouldn't have even known they were
>> there.
>>
>> I still didn't quite believe it, so I did some research with the FDA
>> website - and gosh darn if it wasn't true! It was so many years ago
>> that I don't have the research handy anymore. And, despite everything I
>> learned, I've never bought turbot and I've never bought any fish from
>> that place again..."
>>
>> --------------------------------
>>
>> "Monkfish is notorious for parasite infestation. I love it(the
>> monkfish, not the infestation) but a friend, after years of working in
>> professional kitchens, won't eat it or several other fish due to the
>> prevalence of worms..."
>>
>> ------------------------------------
>>
>> "I often see the worms in cod and now scrutinize any cod steaks I buy
>> in Asian markets, but finding them in such abundance and still alive in
>> the monkfish was really very gross - something about them squirming
>> btwn fingers was not cool. In fact I think I found a "cyst or egg
>> collection" after I filleted one of 'em.
>>
>> I think I will have to swear off fish for a little while, before I can
>> regain my taste for it..."
>
> I watched a guy filleting a swordfish at dock in the Keys once. He
> pulled a 12" worm from the meat and tossed it over the dock. He looked
> around to see if anyone was watching then finished cutting up the fish
> and bagged it for the guy who caught it.
>
> It was a few years before I could look at a swordfish steak again.
>
> Jon
>
>
>

Ugh! Just how common is it to find worms in fish? I have a limited
appetite for various fish to begin with, and the thought of worms in them
just turns my stomach.

--
Wayne Boatwright
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Monday, 06(VI)/02(II)/08(MMVIII)
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Oh dear, I've gone and inflated my ego.
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