The craving to have the yummiest seafood every other day is something serious that almost everyone experiences. There are some common sea creatures that are consumed at large providing delightful taste and nutritional value as well. However, there are some other creatures about which people are still confused if they should consume or not. Skate fish can easily be found in most parts of the world, that’s why it’s valid to think if this easily available fish is allowed to be a part of the human diet or not.
Let us help you clear up that confusion.
What Is A Skate Fish?
A look-alike of stingray, skatefish is a cartilaginous fish with a slimy and flat body having a long tail and two wings on either side of the body. Their skin is covered with placoid scales which are rough in appearance. There are almost 200 or more species of skates known to be out there in the oceans, among which blue skate is known to be the largest one and is commonly found as well.
Can You Eat Skate?
Yes. skates are edible and are popularly consumed by a large number of people in several countries. The only problem is their proper cleaning before consumption which is quite a daunting task. Though the cartilage of the skate is also used to prepare delicious soups, their wings are widely consumed as they are meaty, easy to prepare, and flavorful.
As it is a commonly found fish, a number of dedicated seafood restaurants serve skate wings on their menu. You can order the wings to your liking whether fried, sauteed or even with butter or other sauces. If you like to play with the flavor of the skates, you can always prepare those wings yourself.
What Does It Taste Like?
According to the chefs and people around the globe who have tried skate, the skate when prepared freshly tastes delicate and mildly fishy. Some have also reported that it tastes like scallops but has a comparatively firm texture than scallops, which makes it easier to grill skate wings. As time passes, like after two days, the flesh of the fish is known to produce ammonia which makes it impossible to consume the fish.
How To Cook A Skate?
If you have got your hands on raw skate wings and want to prepare them yourself, then here are some recipes for you.
Recipe # 1- Baking
- Place your skate wings on the baking tray, sprayed with cooking oil, and place it in the preheated oven (450℃).
- Add any desired spices or herbs you would like to add.
- You can also brush some butter over the wings to add flavor.
- Bake it for a certain time and take it out to enjoy with any tangy sauce.
Recipe # 2- Grilling
- After heating the grill pan at medium heat, place the skate wings on the grill pan.
- You can heat the pan with charcoal as well to add smell and flavor or charcoal to the wings.
- Keep spraying a balanced amount of oil on the wings while grilling so your dish comes out juicy.
Recipe # 3- Pan Frying
- Coat those skate wings with a paste of cornflour, egg white, any type of flour, and species according to your taste.
- To enjoy the crispy wings, take a pan; spray some oil on it, and heat it while frying the wings on it until they get crispy.
Is Skate Fish Healthy To Eat?
Like many seafood items, Skate fish also provide a decent amount of nutritional value. A 100 g serving of skate wing is filled with:
- 95kcal Calories
- 1g Fat
- 21g Proteins
- 90mg Sodium
Along with these major nutrients, skates also replenish your body with certain micronutrients and vitamins including:
- Phosphorus
- Vitamin B12
- Riboflavin B2
- Vitamin B6
- Niacin B3
- Iodine
These nutrients help improve the health of your blood cells and brain. The vitamins it provides you with are also good for the skin and eyes
Tips
Before you think of cooking those skate wings, do keep these tips in your mind.
- Before you dig in to prepare skate wings, always clean the skin properly to avoid any harmful toxins.
- Also look out for the spikes inside the flesh of the skate, which if not removed properly, can wound you.
- Buy only the wings that are pinkish in color and firm. If skate wings have a brownish appearance, they’ll probably taste like urine.
- Always smell skate wings before cooking to rule out the possibility of ammonia production on its skin. If you smell even the faintest of ammonia on these wings, you need to discard them immediately and should not consume them at any cost.
The Final Word
Skate fish is enjoyed around the globe due to its availability in abundance and flavorful wings which provide certain nutritional value as well. However, if the flesh gets old, it can produce ammonia over it which makes the flesh useless and cannot be consumed. As much as you like skate wings, if you care about their survival, you should not use them for your meals. As their species number is declining very rapidly, making them critically endangered, and very soon you might not be able to even hear of them anymore.
