MOREHEAD CITY, N.C. — At the Big Rock Blue Marlin fishing tournament, blue marlin aren't the only type of fish anglers are catching.
The Big Rock Blue Marlin fishing tournament took place last week
Anglers catch many types of fish, including marlin, tuna, wahoo and dolphinfish (mahi mahi)
Some of the fish are edible and make a great dinner for the fishing teams
Restaurants, like the Ruddy Duck Tavern, prepare lots of popular meals with mahi
They also bring tuna, wahoo and dolphinfish to the scales. These fish make for a delicious dinner after a long day of fishing.
Fabian Botta, owner of The Ruddy Duck Tavern, has many ways to turn a fresh catch into a tasty meal. Dolphinfish or mahi mahi dishes are pretty popular, and they're even more popular during the Big Rock tournament.
“They ask for it. They want mahi,” Botta said. “They want whatever they're catching out there. Except for the marlin. They don't eat the marlin. I wish we could utilize the fish instead of killing it, but one day maybe. Other than that we use everything we can here, especially coming from our oceans."
Botta has been a chef for almost 50 years, and he's owned the Ruddy Duck for 15. He was born in Argentina but has lived in North Carolina for most of his life.
Although the Ruddy Duck isn't cooking any fish actually caught in the tournament, they get the same species from a local seafood distributer fishing off the coast of North Carolina. Then they turn it into delicious dishes that many people visiting Big Rock are excited to try.
“Well you have a lot of people coming in at one time. Because when they go to the weigh station,” Botta said. “Of course everybody is there and then all of the sudden, they want to eat. And you got everything coming in at one time.”
Botta says the finished dishes are delicious, and he loves cooking them. They can often go through 300 pounds of fish per week at his restaurant.
Here's what goes into The Ruddy Duck's Mahi Yucatan:
- A base of rice and beans
- Mahi seasoned with a simple blend of salt, pepper and Yucatan spices
- Paired with fried plantains
- Topped with Caribbean slaw, pico de gallo and fresh cilantro
