some days, you just have to buy the fish you eat. :D

my wife's favorite meal.  I often wondered if I could do this with a monkey faced eel..anyone?   is the texture all wrong?

Should be fine with the MF eel.

Definitely a favorite. 

That looks like MF?

now to learn where, how, when to catch a monkey faced eel...

who's with me!!!???  lets go.   

Bonus … sometimes you can get Cabbie that way …

 

If it works out, let us know, as my wife loves that dish too.

I use monkeyface in any recipe that you could use rockfish or lings for, but it would probably work great in normal eel recipes too.  Tasty firm white meat. 

now to learn where, how, when to catch a monkey faced eel...

who's with me!!!???  lets go.   

Where?  Jetty or rocks. 

When?  The next few days are perfect if you can get out there for this nice negative low tide

How?  Poke pole and squid. Look for those little dark holes between rocks that go wayyy in there.  MFEs are good at stealing bait, and if you get one out of a hole, there is a good chance there are more in the same spot.


I'll definitely be out on a jetty this week if I can sneak out there one of these mornings, love some monkeyface.

I started poke poling around 1981 or 82. The best spot where a friend and I once pulled 8 eels (only kept 2) out of one hole has since been turned into a Marine Reserve. I think they would make a good unagi substitute, even though they are not related. On another Unagi note, while strolling around Narita in 1984 we stopped by a storefront where they were cleaning the live eels and grilling the Unagi. We wanted to buy some but it was explained that they were destined for restaurants - apparently they are not prepared in-house. Apparently now Unagi eels are a threatened species so it’s probably better to get your MF eel substitute.

so MF is firm?

Unagi is far from firm, which is why it isn't a favorite of mine.  I'll still try it.  the unagi sauce seems to follow the universal Japanese sauce profile, that is cake easy.

Taku did it a couple of times. looks good