Cooking Triggerfish (Hmar) Any tips ?

[KenChir]

Hi guys

I caught a 'hmar' - triggerfish - 500gr. I read that is not considered edible, but that some say it's all in the way its cooked.

Any ideas/tips on how to cook it?

Thanks

Ken

[gottie]

The  'Hmar' should be very good to eat. All you have to do is peel off the harsh skin before cooking.

[EmicMalta]

SimonG, Andrew and I had managed to catch 2 some time ago with spearfishing. As we tast it we can say that is very good. It is said that the best is to peel it because its a bit poison and put it in the oven

Edward

[ramio]

I once heard sombody say that one way to cook it is the "covered in sea salt" way. Never tried it myself.

[placebo]

just do some openings in the skin before you put in oven. ideally use a sharp fillet knife. 2 - 3 openings is enough

[Tracina]

Hi Guys,
      just a little reflection... To understand the toxicity of triggerfish (by the way, there are about 30 species), we must look at their biology...Triggerfish belong to the family Balistidae. Their "strange" toxicity kept biologists baffeled for several years. Sometimes a specie was toxic, and other times the same specie was not!? The answer was simple: the food source. The various species of triggerfish are characterised by a potent and well developed masticatory system. In fact they feed on several types of "hard" organisms such as corals, sea urchins starfish etc. Aha! There is the answer, some of these invertebrates can contain very small concentrations of a toxin called PALYTOXIN. This toxin accumulates in the triggerfish's body and can reach dangerous toxic levels. This phenomenom is called BIOLOGICAL ACCUMULATION, and is common in all animals at the top of their "sub-" food chains. For example, recent studies have shown that big Mediterranean predators such as Tuna, Swordfish, Barracuda etc etc have incredible concentrations of heavy metals such as Mercury.
      That said, I will not bore you further. The Palytoxin is not a common toxin in the mediterranean, so it is unlikely that the Triggerfish around Malta are toxic. I bet you they are exquisit to eat (*never had one myself, but look forward to one). Here is a link for anyone who might want to read more on the palytoxin that sometimes accumulates in these beautiful fish! Enjoy!

http://www.wrongdiagnosis.com/t/triggerfish_poisoning_palytoxin/intro.htm

Tracina

[Buddhagrass]

very interesting

[Granitu]

if im not mistaken big barracudas are not to be eaten because of cotogera poison.. i'm not sure but this was studied in australian coasts

[markcam]

cooked it 3 times at home.  Was very good to eat.  I covered it in foil and added salt, water and a bit of oil and the skin will peel on its own. 

[redbus9]

Hi Tracina,thanks for the information on the toxicity of certain fish. I read somewhere that it is safer to eat fish under 50 kilos in weight [swordfish, tuna etc] because the amount of stored toxins is not at a dangerous level compared to when the fish are much bigger.

[SPNOTTA]

The higher the trophic the fish the more the accumulation of heavy metals in its flesh.

[fabrizioviper]

 The trigger fish has exellent flesh , you just have to take off the skin , which is not difficult  to do as it has quiete a thick skin ,just you need a very sharp knife. I n fact just after catching it , it smells funny .

[ciappinu]

Last  October there was an invasion of trigger fish next to the fish farms of st. pauls bay. 2 are still in the freezer!

[rob1974]

Ate it some years back.  Was delicious.  Very easy to peel the skin but complicated to explian.  Start cutting the head as if you intend severing it completely, but stop short of the vertebrae.  THen, keeping a firm hold of the fish's body, pull the fish's head towards the tail.  THe skin should just peel off.

Will try looking for a video and let you know.

Rob