Hubby: “What’s žralok?”
Me: “Hold on I’ll look it up on my phone.”
Hubby: “Maybe it’s swordfish”
Me: “No žralok means shark.”
Hubby: “Really? Let’s get it.”
Me: “Are you serious? I don’t know if I want to eat shark.”
Hubby: “It’s really good, kinda meaty. Remember that shark sandwich I got at the Spanish restaurant? You liked it, it was really good. Let’s get it.”
Me (trying to come up with excuses not to buy it): “But I don’t know how to cook shark.” (Like that’s ever stopped me before.)
Hubby: “I want to cook it. You’ll see how good it tastes.”
Me: “All right, so you cook it them.”
Next morning
Me: “So how are you going to cook that shark?”
Hubby: “First I want to find out what kind of shark it is. Could be Mako but I want to make sure first. I’ll look up some recipe ideas.”
Me: “Okay”
Midday
Me: “So do you know what you’re going to do with the shark? What kind is it?”
Hubby: “Yes, I have some ideas. I think it’s either Mako or Blue shark.”
A few minute later
Me: “Do all sharks eat people?”
Hubby gives me a long nerdy explanation about sharks. My brain filtered out most of the information and hung on to the parts where he mentioned some species do or will eat people.
Me: “WAIT! I am going to eat something that ate a human being?”
Hubby: Laughing, “No that’s not what I said. You sounds nervous or like you don’t want to eat it?
Me: “I just don’t want to eat something that has human bits in its flesh.”
Hubby: “It doesn’t”
Me: “Can you guarantee that? I want a guarantee.”
Hubby: Laughing and jokingly he said “Don’t be a dork. You shouldn’t be afraid to eat something that wouldn’t hesitate to eat you.”
Me: “Well the way Chachi eats I think if she had the opportunity to eat me she would. So should I eat Chachi before she eats me then?”
Hubby: Laughing, “Are you freaking out about eating shark? It’s no different than the stingray, or tuna or swordfish you’ve eaten.”
Me: “Uhmm hello! You know I don’t like the taste of stingray.”
Hubby: “Okay but you like tuna and swordfish so you’ll like the shark too.”
Me: “I better or else I’m going out for dinner and leaving you with your shark.”
Hubby: “You will and if you don’t then you can get some takeout.”
Me: “Okay. Sorry I’m freaking out, I don’t know why. It just feels weird eating a shark. I keep hearing the Jaws music in my head.”
We both started laughing at the ridiculousness of what I said. A few hours later hubby goes into the kitchen to start dinner. He told me that the package said this was Prionace Glauca or blue shark. This was my husband’s first time cooking shark and he said he wanted to keep it simple. Next time he wants to experiment more with his recipe. Here’s how he cooked our blue shark steaks.
(If you would like to publish my recipe on your website please quote Spicie Foodie as the recipe creator, and place a link back to the recipe.)
- 2 blue shark steaks defrosted, total weight of 700 g or 1.5 lb
- roughly chopped garlic, about 4-5 cloves
- olive oil
- salt and pepper to taste
- lemon
- pepper flakes, to sprinkle over cooked steaks
- Defrost the steaks and drain off as much of the liquid as possible. Blue shark holds a lot of water. For that reasons when they are cooked they shrink quite a bit. Trim off all the skin and cartilage, discard.
- Heat a grill pan and cook the garlic until soft, about 2 minutes. Next add the steaks cook for 5 minutes, flip and cook another 5 minutes or longer if you wish to cook off extra liquid. Just before serving squeeze lemon juice into the pan and cook another 2 minutes. Sprinkle red pepper flakes when serving. Serve with steamed rice and your favorite vegetable. (My previous asparagus recipe makes a great side dish.)
In the end my freak out was just plain silly. My husband was right, I really did love the taste of shark. The smell was not fishy like I expected but rather a mild fish smell. The taste was not like a meaty fish but rather a light and fragile fish. In my opinion garlic, lemon and fish are a harmonious food pairing. I would definitely eat blue shark again. Since hubby did such a great job at cooking it I will let him experiment with and cook all the shark that comes into our kitchen. I mean look at the evidence below, wouldn’t you let him cook all the shark too?
How about you, have you ever eaten or cooked shark? What did you think of it?
Before I let you go I’d like to invite you to Baker Street where I’m doing a guest post today. The lovely Anuradha, BakerStreet.tv, invited me to participate in her new series called “Bread 101” Please stop by to see my Olive Oil recipe. It will be published at 7 am EST, http://bakerstreet.tv/2012/06/bread-101-olive-oil-bread/ It’s a super simple bread recipe that I bake often. Enjoy and have a fabulous weekend everyone!
A beautiful dish! I’d love to try that fish. You are lucky to have a hubby who cooks… ;-P
Cheers,
Rosa
Hi Rosa,
Yes, I’m very lucky:) Thank you.
Stunning Photo!!!!
Thanks!
Awe how beautiful. delicious fish photo’s. You are one lucky lady to have a husband that cooks, it’s nice to be waited on once in a awhile! LOVE IT!
Hi Claudia,
Thanks and yes it’s very nice:)
I’m loving your conversation! And I’m in awe of a hubby who would research and make a recipe…that’s never going to happen here! I don’t think I’ve ever eaten shark, but I would after seeing yours :)
Hi Liz,
Lol, oh too bad for you. Maybe you can persuade him by showing asking him to cook shark for you:) Thanks!
I honestly don’t think your freaked out too badly. My wife grew up in the Philippines and there are some delicacies native to that country I won’t touch. Glad you kept your mind open and enjoyed something new!
Hi DB,
I try to keep an open mind. But there are certain foods I wouldn’t touch. Thanks!
I’ve never tried shark but this looks delicious – your husband did a great job! Headed over to check out your guest post now – bread is my weakness :).
Hi Laura,
You should try it if you can. I’ll let him know:) Thanks I hope you enjoy the bread recipe.
I have never tried shark, but I would definitely love to. Especially as delicious as yours (or your husband’s :-) )
Have a wonderful weekend!
p.s. and I love your bread recipe on BakerStreet
Thank you Elana:)
What a great way to use shark! In Mexico, as you probably know, shark is actually very common. Cute story–and what a great corkscrew!
Hi Victoria,
My family isn’t from the coast so I never ate it in Mexico. Thanks, the corkscrew was a birthday gift from my husband. It’s an antique, I love it:)
Maybe this recipe will change your mind towards sting rays. :)
http://www.soshiok.com/article/10609
You should try making assam sting ray. I used to not like sting ray until my mom made this. :D
Hi Michelle,
Thanks for the recipe link. It sounds really good and spicy:)
Nancy, I have tears in my eyes from laughing! Now how could I follow a gorgeously fast and funny foodie conversation twixt husband and wife, whilst admiring the beautiful photos and wondering what the particular Sauvignon Blanc tasted like :) ! Yes, you are lucky to have a husband interested in food: I know – somehow managed to have two of them :) ! ! !
Hi Eha,
Lol, you crack me up! Thank you
Sounds like something I’d like to try. I would have thought it would taste a bit like swordfish and have a firm texture. Anyway, it looks very good to me!
Hi Frank,
I’m sure you’d love it. We were also expecting it to have that texture and taste. But it didn’t, it was very tender. Thanks!
hmm i have heard great things about shark but, like you, i’m nervous about actually eating it! this looks really yummy though, and i love simply cooked fish. it showcases the flavor. way to be brave!
Hi Anna,
You should try it if you get the opportunity. Thanks!
I had never had shark, but had Shark Fin Soup in Chinese restaurant many times…very expensive but delicious! I’d try this blue shark steak happily… I’m curious. But wait, are you sure this didn’t eat human being? =D I love the conversation between you two. Sweet. :-)
Hi Nami,
A friend of ours tried shark fin soup and said it tasted great. Lol, I hope not ;) Thanks!
Oh Nancy how sweet is your sweetheart. I love his recipe and I have to tell you we eat a lot of shark in Australia…..before it eats us!
Hi Tania,
He’s very sweet, and I’m so lucky. But he’s going to get a big head from all these comments:) Lol, yeah in Australia I can see why.
I actually love shark meat. We get Mako here and it looks totally different. It’s pink in color and has a lot of white “marbling” for lack of a better word. I’ve been told to soak it in milk first to get any of the ammonia or fishy aroma out of it. It has never tasted fishy to me once cooked.
I love your husband’s rationale. Might as well eat it, it would totally eat you! lol
Hi Julie,
I want to try Mako next. Thanks for the tip I never heard of that. But like the Mako you ate ours also didn’t have a fishy aroma.
Lol, I’ll tell him you agree:)
Hi Nancy! You’ve been busy this week,lol! I enjoyed reading your post-congratulations on trying something out of your comfort zone. The dish looks wonderful and it looks like a good bottle of wine was enjoyed along with your meal;-)
Hi Patty,
Thanks! Yeah, the wine was just perfect. It complimented the shark dinner perfectly.
Your hubby did a perfect job with these beauties…just delightful!
And I hop over to see your bred feature as well, then catch up with the rest of your wonderful posts after work :) Hugs!
Thanks Alisha, I’ll let him know you said so:)
loved the recipe, a lot, just wondering where can i get those plates, their wonderful.
Gaspar from Portugal
Hi Gaspar,
Thank you and glad to hear it. The plates came from a small local Japanese store. I believe they are imported so you might be able to find them at your local store.
Hey,
I was wondering where you found your blue shark and if it was frozen or fresh?
Thanks,
Jake
Hi Jake,
I purchased it from a dedicated fish store in Prague, and it was frozen not fresh. Good luck I hope you find it!
Hi and many thanks for the recipe. I shall be cooking this tonight for my good lady and me!
Love the photos.
Thank you and enjoy Steve!:)