Tasked with creating the menu, shopping for ingredients, then prepping and cooking said menu, for a dinner party at Sagamore Beach, MA, my Fabulous Fiance –who defines “CHEF SKILLS” as FUN and as A Stress Reliever!—arrived home raving about his conversation with Stu Meltzer, Owner and Proprietor of FEARLESS FISH MARKET, in Providence, RI- where my fiancé had procured an ABUNDANCE of ingredients for our dinner party… The main courses would be: Grilled Swordfish Steaks on the BBQ and Seared Bluefin Tuna Steaks. The appetizers and side dishes were to be “DELICIOUS, DELICATE, DELIGHTFULLY DIFFERENT DISHES!” Upon returning home from Fearless Fish Market, we embarked upon a FASCINATING CULINARY JOURNEY…Beginning with the question, “Do you know what IKEJIME IS???”
“Ikejime,” is a Japanese term for the immediate killing of a live fish, according to Andrew Tsui, President of the Ike Jime Federation, an organization that trains individuals on how to perform the method. www.ikejimefederation.com Tsui says, “The sort of core principle is that the fish cannot stress, primarily because that stress will have really serious, negative consequences on the eating quality of that fish over time. On the authority of www.ecori.gov, “The process can be modified and mechanized,” but Tsui said that “Ikejime has 4 basic steps:
- Killing the fish with a hit to the brain
- Bleeding the fish
- Rupturing its spinal cord, and then
- Placing the fish in an ice bath
The steps are simple- but they have significant repercussions in the chemical processes happening in the fish’s flesh, which in turn impact its quality.” Tsui continues, “The spiking of the brain and the rupturing of the spinal cord reduce stress and post-mortem movement, which can damage the fish flesh through bruising and the build-up of chemicals such as lactic acid and hormones. Bleeding (the fish) and then placing the fish in an ice bath prevents bacteria from entering the fish and reducing its shelf life.”
Hirotsugu Uchida is a professor of environmental and natural resource economics at The University of Rhode Island. Uchida used to travel to a Japanese grocery store in Massachusetts whenever he wanted to get high-quality fish that he knew he could safely eat raw. When FEARLESS FISH MARKET opened in Providence, RI, serving high-quality, local fish, Uchida quickly became a frequent patron. When Uchida began speaking to Fearless Fish Market owner, Stuart Meltzer, he learned an incredible amount of information regarding Ikejime. Stu Meltzer explained to Uchida that, “since wild fish are often caught in bulk and brought on board already dead, the quality of their meat suffers.” But then Meltzer told Uchida about a method he said could help improve “the freshness, the taste, the shelf stability of fish, and could also be used
to promote underutilized species: That method is called Ikejime.” Uchida started to realize that Ikejime could be “so much more,” and he started applying for grants to demonstrate and share knowledge of the Ikejime Process. One of the grants for which Uchida successfully applied –the university’s “Partnership for Research Excellence in Sustainable Seafood Grant,” funded a two-day course on the method, to a group of seafood stakeholders, in September of 2023, which was held at The University of RI. After a day of discussing what Ikejime means, participants drove to Narragansett to try the method for themselves. Colleen Cronin of ecoRI News Staff wrote, “Under tents set up at Point Judith, a display of brain spikes, wires, knives, and scissors made up the participants’ workstations. Lively fish caught the day before splashed participants who peered into their coolers for a closer look.”
To start, Tsui grabbed a black sea bass and placed it, still flapping, on a spongy mat at his workstation. Tsui instructed, “The first thing that you are thinking about is limiting stress- You need to put the fish down immediately.” Tsui continued, “Feeling around for a notch near the eye that indicates where the brain is; it might be in slightly different places depending on the species.” Tsui found the proper spot and drove the spike into the fish’s brain. The fish was dead, “But it’s heart is still beating,” explained Tsui. That fact would help bleed the fish after he made a few cuts, quickly grabbing a knife and slicing into the membrane of the gills and through the bone at the tail. Tsui dropped the sea bass into a bucket of water to let it bleed before returning the fish to his workstation for the next step: paralyzing the fish. Although already dead, the fish still has “potential energy in its muscles that could make it move around – like a chicken with its head cut-off. To prevent this from happening, Tsui took out a thin wire and searched for the fish’s spinal cord. As the wire tunneled through the back of the fish, the dead sea bass’ body shuddered again and its scales changed color. The final step- the slush bath- keeps the fish cool and keeps bacteria away, and also has the benefit of protecting the fish’s meat. Tsui said, “Keeping the fish in a slush that is not too icy helps prevent the fish from compression.” With the fresh fish prepared using the Ikejime method, the look, the quality, and the shelf life of the fish is increased.
Fearless Fish Proprietor Stu Meltzer is ALWAYS searching for “Consistant Quality,” in his business. Stu is constantly seeking high-caliber fish- something that he is able to do since he works with many individual buyers. But despite his efforts, Stu says that it’s rare that he gets fish that are as good as fish that have undergone Ikejime. Stu Meltzer states that, “If we could get a wild product (fish) that’s consistently bled and iced, that would be a dramatic improvement!” Stu stated that he is hopeful that seminars and classes regarding the Ikejime Method and teaching local fishermen this technique would help Stu get better quality products for his customers at Fearless Fish… one such customer, being my fiancé Chef! Our Chef began the dinner party with 2 dozen oysters: 1 dozen RI Sunkist oysters from Jamestown, RI and 1 dozen RI Quonnie oysters from Great Salt Pond, in Galilee AKA Narragansett, RI. (Only 2 of the 5 dinner party guests eat oysters, so 1 dozen each was a perfect number!) The oysters were prepared with: Salmon Tobiko- which as you know, is fish roe; a small piece of fresh dill- delicately placed upon the oysters with Chef’s tweezers, and then Guests added Acid League Meyer Lemon Honey Vinegar and/or Acid League Strawberry Rose Vinegar to taste.
The next course was: CRUDO
- IKEJIME RI White Fish Fluke; thinly sliced fluke fish with Sliced Black Plumb, Sliced Fresh Apricot, Bean Sprouts, Acid League Strawberry Rose Vinegar, and Basil Olive Oil
The next CRUDO was made with:
- IKEJIME RI Striped Sea Bass; thinly sliced sea bass with Cilantro, Finely Slivered Fresno Chili Pepper = whose Scoville Heat Units range from 2,500 to 10,000; Meyer Lemon Sunflower Oil, and Acid League Meyer Lemon Honey Vinegar
Tsui and Uchida also discussed, “The ways The Ikejime Method fits into more sustainable fishing. Although the process has been mechanized by some farm fisheries, the time-intensive practice makes it more suitable for small operations.” “While fishing in the United Sates is mostly about bulk, adopting Ikejime practice could help fishermen pursue quality,” said Tsui. “The increased shelf-life could also help reduce food waste, since bleeding the fish can extend its use by days, and even provide a better product by giving the fish time to age and develop more flavor,” explained Tsui.
For Uchida, the “Big draw of the method is its potential use for typically underutilized fish. The folks who are catching these locally abandoned species such as scup, but not getting a huge value out of their catch…if we can increase the value of the fish, it will be a benefit to everyone!” Uchida will continue The Ikejime Training Project and follow-up with research regarding its feasibility and effectiveness, with grant money from The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.
For THE FRESHEST FISH for your BBQ and appetizers, visit FEARLESS FISH MARKET, located at:
721 Hope Street
Providence, RI 02906
401-537-7979
www.fearlessfishmarket.com
@fearlessfishmarket
Our Fearless Fish Market main courses of Swordfish Steaks Grilled on the BBQ and Seared Bluefin Tuna Steaks on the BBQ in a cast iron pan were prepared as follows:
- –Oil the sword fish steaks prior to placing on the BBQ grill
- –Utilizing a meat thermometer, grill swordfish steaks until the internal temperature reaches 145 degrees
- –Add salt, pepper, and fresh lemon juice to taste.
- –Sushi Grade Bluefin Tuna; On BBQ grill rack, place aluminum foil then add vegetable or canola oil on aluminum foil…OR- utilize a cast iron skillet on the grill rack- oiling the pan as well
- –Sear tuna on each side, leaving the center raw; making “TUNA TATAKI”
- –After the tuna is seared, press tuna into black sesame seeds prior to slicing
- –Then plate the tuna slices, and drizzle with Premium Ponzu Yuzu Sauce
“Buying Ikejime caught fish just got easier at Fearless Fish Market,” quotes Jamie Coehlho of www.rimonthly.com Fishmonger Stu Meltzer lauds the superior Ikejime Method to conventional harvesting methods, and he is MORE than happy to share his wealth of knowledge with customers! Peeking through the door of an outdoor cooler at Fearless Fish Market, Stu explains “how totes of fish are stacked with ice and labeled by species, and the name of the fisherman who caught them. Everything is labeled by harvest date and the size.” Stu Meltzer promotes the sale of his fish caught via the Ikejime Method– translated from Japanese Ikejime means: “LIVE KILL.” He reiterates that utilizing the Ikejime Method means that, “The fish comes on the boat alive, by rod and reel, and the fisherman drives a spike into the fish’ brain to kill it immediately.” Fearless Fish Market has every Seafood BBQ Accoutrement that your heart desires, and it has been Awarded Best of Rhode Island for the following: 2019- Best Sustainable Seafood Market, 2021- Best Local Fish Market, 2022- Best Local Fish Market, 2023- Best Local Fish Market, and 2024- Best Local Fish Market. KUDOS to Fearless Fish Market for making such an impact on the www.ribbqnews.com Community!
Ikejime is an ancient method of fishing that has been practiced for hundreds of years. Yet, fish caught in this way were previously not readily available to www.ribbqnews,com Readers and Patrons in this area! In most cases, in the New England Region, fish were left to suffocate. As a result of The Ikejime Method of processing fish, the fish TASTES BETTER because the fish’s natural enzymes are allowed to break down the fish, enhancing the fish’s NATURAL UMAMI FLAVOR. Umami is the fifth element of taste; sweet, sour, salty, bitter and UMAMI. “Umami is a depth of flavor that creates a lusciousness that invigorates your palate, almost making it mouth-watering,” declares Chef Allen Dabagh, of New York City’s famed restaurant “BOUTROS.” Chef Dabagh continues, “It’s as if what you’re eating hugs your tongue and makes you want to go back for more because there is so much complexity.” Scientifically speaking, UMAMI is produced “by several amino acids and nucleotides- such as glutamate and aspartate- to give food a “rich, meaty flavor,” explains Chef and Restaurant owner Hong Thaimee. You will find UMAMI in many different cuisines, but it has a deep connection to Japanese food….as in, the Japanese Ikejime Method of processing fresh fish…. Of which you can locally obtain Ikejime fish at Fearless Fish Market…for all of our RIBBQNEWS FANS! It’s A Circle of Life Moment!!
Some scrumptious suggestions for side dishes to Swordfish Steaks and Seared Bluefin Tuna Tataki include:
- –Creamy Cucumber Salad from www.spendwithpennies.com
- –Roasted Tomato Caprese Salad from www.laurenkellynutrition.com
- –Watermelon, Blueberry, Fresh Mint and Feta Salad from www.thegourmetgourmand.com
*Of course, you can “TWEAK” any of these salad recipes depending on your Guests’ Preferences—for example I am not a Feta Cheese Fan, so with our Watermelon, Blueberry and Fresh Mint Salad– we added Fresh Watercress and we served the Feta Cheese on the side!
And, of course, it goes without saying: NO DINNER PARTY OR BBQ is complete without dessert…. We ordered a “TOFFEE CANDY CRUNCH CAKE; Four layers of toffee cake filled with coffee flavored whipped cream and sprinkles of Heath Bar Candy…then topped with even more candy!” from GREGG’S Restaurants and Taverns www.greggsusa.com and we also had a S’MORES TACKLE BOX—the CUTEST, MOST ADORABLE invention EVER, it holds all of your S’Mores ingredients together in one place and snaps shut for freshness; you just need to fill it, and replenish it with Hershey Bars, Graham Crackers, and Marshmallows and don’t forget to pick up your S’Mores Marshmallow Roasting Sticks! The Mr. Bar-B-Q Hershey’s S’Mores Caddy Tray can be found on www.amazon.com There’s nothing MORE QUINTESSENTIAL than roasting marshmallows over an open flame in the Summertime….it is PURE NOSTALGIA AT ITS BEST!
