What is the Scorfano?
Generalities on redfish
Scorfano is the common name of some edible fish of sea similar in appearance but of different species.
That is the red scorpion fish or rock scorpion fish, but the redfish and sand scorpion fish are also widespread.
Of the 1st fundamental food group, redfish is a product rich in high biological value proteins, vitamins and minerals. It should have an excellent lipid profile (good percentage of omega 3 polyunsaturated fats and not too high cholesterol concentration). It is suitable for different types of nutritional therapy.
Redfish is considered a very valuable fishery product. It is particularly suitable for slow and medium-long cooking, in a pan and in the oven; the association with olive oil, tomato, chilli and other Mediterranean ingredients is highly appreciated.
Red scorpionfish has a characteristic appearance; the big head, the big mouth and the protruding eyes have contributed to affirm his reputation of "ugly fish". Not for nothing is the metaphor "being ugly like a scorpion fish" very well known. The color, variegated and mimetic in the natural environment, outside the water is intense red (remember that red is the first color to disappear in depth; over 20 m it becomes blue). The dorsal and anal fins are equipped with numerous sharp spines whose puncture is toxic, very painful.
Red scorpionfish is a widely distributed fish throughout the Mediterranean Basin, therefore also on the Italian coast, and in the Eastern Atlantic Ocean. It is a sly fish, apparently placid but very skilled in predation; he is a bad swimmer, yet with a lightning-fast shot (like, for example, the anglerfish). It feeds on invertebrates (worms, molluscs and crustaceans) and fish. It escapes its predators thanks to the danger of the spines and mimicry.
The commercial availability of redfish is linked exclusively to professional fishing. It cannot be bred and is caught almost exclusively by nets and lines. It is also a much coveted prey in amateur fishing with rods, bolentino, while it represents a goal with little technical value for underwater fishermen.
Nutritional Properties of Scorpionfish
Nutritional characteristics of redfish
Redfish is a product that belongs to the first fundamental group of foods (meat, fish and eggs) and acts as a nutritional source of high biological value proteins, specific vitamins and minerals.
It has a very low caloric intake, supplied mainly by peptides, followed by almost irrelevant amounts of carbohydrates and lipids. Proteins contain all the essential amino acids in the right proportions and quantities. Lipids should be predominantly unsaturated and hypothetically also comprised of polyunsaturates of the omega 3 group (EPA and DHA). The few carbohydrates present are soluble.
The redfish contains an average concentration of cholesterol. Instead it is free of fiber, lactose and gluten. If poorly preserved it can release significant amounts of histamine.
From a vitamin point of view, the redfish mainly supplies water-soluble B group and some liposoluble. The nutritional tables are incomplete but, considering the information of similar species, it is conceivable that the levels of niacin (vitamin PP), pyridoxine (vitamin B6), vitamin D and vitamin E are considerable.
As for minerals, the levels of phosphorus, potassium and probably of iodine are appreciable.
Redfish lends itself to any nutritional therapy. It is an excellent solution for the low-calorie slimming diet and against metabolic pathologies (hypertriglyceridemia, hypercholesterolemia, hypertension, type 2 diabetes mellitus, etc.). It has no contraindications even for caloric regimens against celiac disease, lactose intolerance and, well preserved, histamine; on the contrary, an "old" scorpion fish can trigger an annoying symptomatology in the intolerant of the latter.
It is a product unsuitable for vegetarian and vegan diets. Admitted by the Muslim and Jewish religions, it is not relevant to Buddhism and Hinduism.
The average portion of redfish is 100-150 g (80-120 kcal).
Scorfano, 100g of edible part | |
| Nutritious | Quantity' |
| water | 79 g |
| Protein | 19 g |
Lipids TOT | 0.4 g |
| Cholesterol | 67 mg |
| Carbohydrates | 0.6 g |
Dietary fiber | 0.0 g |
| Power | 82.0 kcal |
| Sodium | -mg |
| Potassium | 465 mg |
| Iron | 5.5 mg |
| Football | 61.0 mg |
| Phosphorus | -mg |
| Thiamine | -mg |
| Riboflavin | -mg |
| Niacin | -mg |
Vitamin A (RAE) | -μg |
C vitamin | tr |
Vitamin E | -mg |
Scorfano in the kitchen
Gastronomic hints about redfish
The scorpion fish has white, delicate meats, which are easily undone during cooking.
The red scorpion fish, but also that of seabed and sand, lends itself to medium and long-lasting cooking. It is suitable for recipes in pots and baked (stewed or dry with potatoes). Soups and soups are excellent, even mixed (for example caciucco and fanese brodetto). Note : when cooking in a pan it is very important not to turn the fish often, to avoid breaking it by scattering the bones.
It goes perfectly with the typical ingredients of Mediterranean cuisine, such as extra virgin olive oil, tomato, chilli, basil, parsley, oregano, marjoram, garlic, olives and rind of citrus fruits.
Red scorpionfish is a traditional ingredient of the bouillabaisse of Marseille (France). It is also widely used in Japanese cuisine.
Description
Description of the redfish
Red scorpionfish ( Scorpaena scrofa ) is the largest exponent of the entire Scorpaenidae Family in the Eastern Atlantic Ocean. It has a color that fluctuates from bright red, to brick, up to light pink, and on the whole body shows various lighter and darker spots. On the head it is sprinkled with small spurs. It can reach a maximum weight of about 3 kilograms (kg) and a length of 50 centimeters (cm); however the specimens of about 30 cm are more common.
On the back the scorpion fish has 12 poisonous spines and 9 soft rays; on the belly (anal fin) instead it is equipped with 3 poisonous spines and 5 soft rays. At the apex of the dorsal spines (between the 6th and 11th) there is a small black spot. It has numerous small supraorbital tentacles that contribute to mimicry and are probably endowed with a sensory function.
Did you know that ...
The stinging of the redfish, very painful, is at its maximum toxicity when the animal is still alive. After death the toxins slowly begin to decrease, inactivating, until they disappear completely. The sting of a redfish that has been dead for several hours is almost totally harmless.
The toxin of the redfish, as well as that of the troll, is of the thermolabile protein type. In the event of a puncture it is therefore advisable to soak or swab the affected area with boiling water.
Biology
Zoological notes on redfish
The redfish (red scorpion fish or scorpion fish) is a fish belonging to the Scorpaenidae family, genus Scorpaena and sow species.
Did you know that ...
The striking "scorpion fish" or Pteroinae volitans, marine and of tropical origin, belongs to the same zoological familiar of red scorpionfish (Scorpaenidae).
Not by chance the Anglo-Saxon terms to define the red scorpionfish are: "red scorpionfish", "bigscale scorpionfish" and "large-scaled scorpion fish", which translated into Italian mean: "red scorpion fish" and "great scorpion fish" or " scorpion major fish ".
In contrast, the Anglo-Saxon name for Pteroinae volitans can be translated as "red lion fish".
The other scorpion fish used in Italian cuisine, of the same family but of different genus and species, are:
- Sea scorpion fish : Helicolenus dactylopterus
- Sand scorpionfish: Scorpaena porcus .
Did you know that ...
The famous "stone fish" or Synanceia verrucosa, also marine and of tropical origin, belongs to the same zoological family of the red scorpionfish (Scorpaenidae). Unlike red scorpionfish, whose bite is only mildly toxic, stonefish is much more poisonous and dangerous.
Distribution and habitat of redfish
Redfish is abundant in the Mediterranean Sea and in the Eastern Atlantic Ocean. It is quite rare around the British islands, while it seems more present towards the south, in Senegal, the Canaries and Cape Verde. It is certainly not an occasional creature of the Italian coasts, around which it is evenly distributed.
Redfish is a sedentary, solitary fish. Thanks to his camouflage and the rapidity with which he makes short shots, he proves to be a skilled and voracious predator that feeds on other fish, crustaceans, molluscs and other invertebrates.
The redfish, like the troll, the gurnard, the monkfish, the cod, the hake, the whiting and the red mullet, has demersal habits, that is, it is able to swim actively but prefers to stay at the bottom. It lives mainly in marine environments and only in some cases does not scorn the brackish waters. It prefers rocky, sandy or muddy bottoms, at a depth of 20-500 m. During the day it tends to remain segregated in tunnels, slits and ravines; at night he goes out mainly to hunt.
Red scorpionfish is not considered an endangered species.
