Just soak it in milk overnight, and you'll be amazed at how much of that fishy flavor can be removed. As for a good recipe, tempura batter and fry it, and use Soy Vey Veri Veri Terriyaki with a bit of wasabi mixed in as a dipping sauce. Simple and delicious. Works good for smelt too.
that sounds pretty good. im going to give it a try. i know there are others recipes out there. good tip on the milk.
the sushi bars also soak the saba in something overnite to reduce the fishy flavor. i think it has vinegar in it. i'll have to ask next time. i have had whole broiled smelt at a sushi bar that were awesome.
The cooking process only imparts that "fishiness" if you allow the juices to sit with the meat during the process. Try BBQing a few fillets some time. It comes out a lot like Wahoo. If you are gonna deep/pan fry or bake it, definitely soak it in milk overnight (if you have cats or dogs, they absolutely LOVE the runnoff when you drain the meat the next day). Another good tip is that lime juice kills a lot of that fishy flavor. We Californians can probably think of a few good uses for some lime-drenched fish, right?
BTW, yes, saba is the best way to eat it by far, but it's not really a "recipe" he he he. Nothing like going to the pier with a bottle of soy sauce, a bottle of Sriracha, and a tube of wasabi. Good times...
Last edited by Skyler; 04-14-2009 at 07:10 PM. Reason: typo
Clean them well and cut the heads off. Salt, pepper and garlic pwdr, then roll them on some cornstarch. Heat some oil in a frying pan, then brown some slices of ginger, fry fish until the skin turns crispy brown and enjoy. Ginger neutralizes the fishy smell and taste. If you don't believe me, ask a filipino grandma....