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What is the amberjack?
The amberjack ( S. dumerili, "amberjack in English) is a bony sea fish commonly used for food purposes.
Once considered as a "poor fish" - given its abundance in the seas and the ease of seasonal capture close to the break even with small-scale fishing - today it falls into the category of valuable fish.
Rich in high biological value proteins, specific vitamins and minerals, the amberjack belongs to the first fundamental food group; concentrations are also excellent: biologically active semi essential omega 3 fatty acids - eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) - iodine and vitamin D. That is why, despite the high commercial value, the amberjack is a "blue fish" to all effects.
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Other blue fishes are: sardines, anchovies, alaccia, needlefish, mackerel, lanzardo, tombarello, palamita, bluefish, leccia, allettoated skipjack, red tuna, etc.
Reaching considerable dimensions, the amberjack tends to accumulate pollutants such as mercury and methylmercury. It is also one of the species significantly affected by the infestation of Anisakis simplex ; this parasite, normally present in the intestines of healthy fish, reaching the human intestine unharmed can infest it even in a serious way. Caught in some ocean areas, it may contain algal toxins.
The amberjack is a very nutritious food and free of contraindications for healthy people; it is therefore suitable for most diets. Obviously, certain hereditary metabolic conditions and acquired replacement pathologies are exceptions - above all in comorbidity to severe overweight.
The amberjack lends itself to various techniques and cooking systems. Its meats render optimally with all methods of heat transmission, but are also excellent raw; they only fear overly prolonged cooking, which makes them dry and stringy. Among the most famous recipes we remember: carpaccio or amberjack tartar, pasta with amberjack and roasted amberjack.
Baked fish
X Problems with video playback? Reload from YouTube Go to Video Page Go to Video Recipes Section Watch the video on youtubeIn the Video Recipe, our Personal Cooker Alice explains how to prepare a delicious baked fish. For you, he chose the amberjack fillets with cuttlefish and shrimp on a bed of tomatoes, capers and black olives.
Vaguely similar to tuna, the amberjack has the typical morphology of the great swimmers, tapered and with a well developed tail fin. The color is mostly silver, darker on the back and clear on the belly. On the sides, the livery is characterized by a longitudinal yellow stripe and is distinguished by an oblique band of brown color that crosses the head at eye level.
The amberjack is a pelagic predatory fish. Normally gregarious, growing tends to decrease in sociability. It moves at not too demanding depths. For reproduction it tends to go up again, approaching the coasts - especially at a young age. On the contrary, in the rest of the year, especially when of large dimensions, he loves hanging out the deep-sea shoals.
The amberjack is a much sought after prey both by professional and amateur fishermen, for its commercial value, for its gastronomic value and for its sporting interest. It is currently progressively decreasing in the Mediterranean Sea.
Nutritional Properties
Amberjack's nutritional properties
The amberjack is a product of fishing that falls within the first fundamental group of foods. As part of the blue fish category - not white fish it is characterized by good levels of:
- Semi essential polyunsaturated fatty acids omega 3 - eicosapentaenoic (EPA) and docosahexaenoic (DHA)
- Vitamin D
- Iodine.
Despite the excellent protein intake, the amberjack is a medium energy food, a nutritional characteristic mainly due to the high concentration of proteins and lipid medium. Calories are therefore supplied largely by peptides, followed by lower concentrations of lipids and absent or irrelevant carbohydrates. Proteins have a high biological value - they contain all the essential amino acids compared to the human model. The fatty acids are predominantly unsaturated and, as anticipated, probably characterized by an excellent level of omega-3 polyunsaturated essential biologically active seeds (EPA and DHA); any traces of carbohydrates are soluble.
The amberjack does not contain fibers, while the amount of cholesterol is certainly relevant but not excessive. Lactose and gluten are completely absent, the concentration of purines is abundant and the histamine, absent in the fresh product, can quickly increase in poorly preserved fish. Being a highly protein food, it is also a significant source of phenylalanine amino acid.
The amberjack is rich in water-soluble B vitamins, especially thiamine (vit B1), niacin (vit PP), pyridoxine (vit B6) and probably cobalamin (vit B12). It also boasts excellent levels of fat-soluble calciferol vitamin (vit D). The quantities of phosphorus, potassium, iron and zinc are appreciable; it is also a major source of zinc and iodine.
The intestine of the amberjack is potentially affected by the colonization of Anisakis simplex . Harmless and normal for fish, this parasite can become dangerous if it reaches the intestinal lumen of a human being. Being a predatory fish that reaches large dimensions, it can accumulate mercury and methylmercury in the meat in a manner proportional to the age and size reached. Moreover it is not to be excluded that, in certain oceanic areas, the S. dumerili or similar species can accumulate algal toxins in the meat.
Diet
Amberjack in the diet
The amberjack is a food suitable for most diets.
Normally digestible despite the high concentration of proteins, excessive portions may still be inadequate for those with digestive complications such as dyspepsia, gastritis, gastroesophageal reflux disease, gastric ulcer or duodenal ulcer.
The amberjack is also quite suitable for slimming diets, which must be low-calorie and normolipidic. However, being of medium fatness, in the nutritional therapy against obesity, it should be cooked without oily type seasonings.
The abundance of high biological value proteins makes the amberjack ideal in the diet of malnourished, weakened or with an increased need for essential amino acids. This type of food is advisable in the case of very high intensity sports activity, especially in the disciplines of strength or with a very important muscular hypertrophied component, and for all particularly prolonged aerobic disciplines. The amberjack is also suitable in case of breastfeeding, pathological intestinal malabsorption and in old age - in which the eating disorder and the decreased intestinal absorption tend to create a protein deficit.
EPA and DHA, semi essential but biologically active polyunsaturated omega 3, are very important for:
- The constitution of cell membranes
- The development of the nervous system and the eyes - in the fetus and in children
- Prevention and treatment of some metabolic pathologies - hypertriglyceridemia, arterial hypertension, etc.
- The maintenance of cognitive functions in old age
- Reduction of some symptoms of neurosis - depressive - etc.
Due to the absence of gluten and lactose, the amberjack is pertinent in the diet for celiac disease and for intolerance to milk sugar. The abundance of purines makes it undesirable, in considerable portions, in the nutritional regimen for hyperuricemia, above all of a serious nature - with gouty attacks - and in that of calculosis or renal urinary lithiasis. Well preserved, it has no contraindication for histamine intolerance. The massive presence of phenylalanine precludes a significant use in the diet against phenylketonuria.
The B vitamins have a mainly coenzymatic function; this is why amberjack can be considered a good source of nutrients that support the cellular functions of all tissues. Vitamin D, on the other hand, is crucial for bone metabolism and the immune system. Note: we remind you that dietary sources of vitamin D are very rare. Iron is a necessary constituent of the heme group, indispensable for the binding of gases in red blood cells - and not only. Phosphorus, which is hardly lacking in diet, is one of the main constituents of bone (hydroxyapatite) and nervous tissue (phospholipids). Zinc constitutes enzymes, nucleic acids and proteins of various kinds. Finally, iodine is necessary for the proper functioning of the thyroid gland - responsible for the regulation of cellular metabolism after the secretion of hormones T3 and T4.
In order to minimize the possibility of contagion from Anisakis, it is advisable to observe some precautions: eviscerate the animal promptly, or take it down immediately after the capture, possibly cooking it. Also remember that all raw fish is to be avoided in the event of pregnancy - not only for Anisakis, but also for possible food-borne diseases. Due to the possible high concentration of mercury and methyl mercury in meat, it is therefore considered necessary - especially in pregnancy - to avoid eating large sized amberjack frequently in large portions. Moreover, in other areas of the world, due to the hypothetical presence of algal toxins, it is advisable to pay close attention to the origin of the fish.
The medium portion of amberjack - as a dish - is 100-150 g.
Kitchen
How to cook amberjack?
The amberjack is a highly delicious species. The su beef, of medium fatness and very tasty, lend themselves to being worked with various systems. They brilliantly support conduction - from metal, oil or water - convection - from air - and radiation - from embers. However, it is worth remembering that due to their organoleptic and taste characteristics, the techniques are less advisable: drowning in water of the slices, frying and any type of overly prolonged and intense cooking.
Among the most interesting recipes based on riccia we remember:
- Raw: carpaccio - possibly seasoned with lemon juice, but not marinated ... it would be a pity! - and tartare - properly served with diced avocado and a few grains of pink pepper. Note : another type of amberjack is widely used in Japanese sashimi.
- Steaks and scottone - barely cooked, like a "tagliata", perhaps in a pistachio crust. Note : prolonging the heat treatment would result in stringy meat
- Accompanying pasta sauces - famous amberjack paccheri - quick to prepare and light; among all, the most typical is undoubtedly the one with shallot, diced amberjack, toasted breadcrumbs, mint and chilli pepper
- Roasted fish: excellent amberjack on the grill or on the gas grill; for this preparation the specimens of 1-2 kg at most are most suitable. Very remarkable in the oven, even of large size, which however requires more experience in cooking - if excessive, as anticipated it could ruin the fish by drying it too much.
Conservation of the amberjack
The amberjack is to be kept exclusively in the refrigerator or in the freezer. On the other hand, it is a food that suffers a lot from freezing, especially with "domestic" equipment; however, with reduced temperature, it sufficiently preserves its qualities. It is certainly to be preferred a thawed amberjack to a badly preserved refrigerator (old); however, its iced meats tend to change color, texture and taste. Therefore, it is better to choose any other fresh fish for a thawed amberjack.
How to recognize a fresh amberjack
The freshness of the amberjack is easily recognizable. In addition to noting the luster of the livery, the turgidity of the eye, the redness of the gills and the rigor mortis - all indicators of very recent death - if a clearly visible fingerprint remains on the meat, the fish is not fresh; on the contrary, if the meat returns to its position demonstrating elasticity, the amberjack is in an optimal state of conservation. This is true despite all the blue fish, rich in omega 3 - with a liquid consistency - and tending to an early maturation, always have a more "buttery" consistency than the others.
Description
Description of the amberjack
The amberjack has the typical shape of great swimmers, tapered and with a very effective and efficient tail.
It has 8 dorsal spines and 29-35 soft dorsal rays, 3 anal spines and 18-22 soft anal rays.
The mantle of the amberjack is silvery, tending to bluish gray or olive on the back and whitish on the belly. It is distinguished by a longitudinal amber strip on the central part of the body. The fins are darker; the second dorsal and the anal have the lower anterior lobe. It has very small scales.
The amberjack can reach 2 meters in length and 70-100 kilograms in weight.
Biology
Outline of amberjack biology
The amberjack belongs to the family of Carangidae, Genus Seriola and Species dumerili .
Pelagic predator that feeds on fish, crustaceans and molluscs, the amberjack colonizes all temperate or slightly cold seas: the Atlantic, Pacific, Indian and Mediterranean Seas. It is not uncommon to see it in the first 10 meters of water, especially during the period of reproduction - late summer and autumn - but it normally moves to depths of 20-70 m; rarely, specimens have been caught at very high depths.
The amberjack is gregarious and moves mainly in a pack. The small or medium-sized specimens gather in very numerous and frequent banks in the sub-coast even if, growing and aging, the amberjack can acquire solitary habits and prefer the deep-sea shoals.
Amberjack fishing
As anticipated, the amberjack is a pelagic predator; this means that its capture is essentially linked to 2 factors:
- Seasonality
- Presence of the "mangianza".
The amberjack is a very coveted prey, both in professional fishing - with purse seines, post trammel, etc. - and in the amateur fishing sector. With regard to the latter, we can further differentiate fishing with line - essentially trolling, occasionally also "sporting" and with the release of prey - and spearfishing - through the use of spear guns.
Currently the amberjack is not bred in significant quantities. By requiring large quantities of food and needing to move continuously for reproduction, it creates many problems in aquaculture. These are the two reasons why amberjack farms, currently in an experimental phase, are still not widespread.
Not so much because of the amateur catches - which allow a selective withdrawal in underwater fishing and the possibility of release in the one with the line - as for the professional fishing - which takes them intensively - the amberjack population is in progressive rarefaction. As if that were not enough, they play their part - reducing the feed or removing the amberjack from its ecological niche - even certain pressing fish species, some of which are alien - the most "annoying" are undoubtedly the Mediterranean barracuda and, for the small specimens, the bluefish.
A demonstration of the suffering of this species can be seen:
- the reduction of the average size available on the market - not always respectful of the minimum size imposed by the law, currently established at 60 cm
- its lower presence on fresh fish stalls
- the decrease in sightings at sea.
