Some of the weirdest fishes on earth can be found in the waters. If the fact that scientists are STILL finding new fishes TODAY doesn’t reveal anything about the ocean’s biodiversity, I don’t know what will.
Most people wouldn’t be caught dead trying to battle something that has been evolving for like, a trillion years, and most of it is terrifying. These fishes presumably have a deeper understanding of how the earth was made than we do.
Many sea creatures are frightening, but some of them can also be very appetizing. Even if you might enjoy salmon and tuna, the sea is full of other fish as well.
Regardless of how bizarre-looking it may be, much of it tastes good when seared in your kitchen. We have put up a list of some of the most exotic fish that you can eat (and really, really love).
Lionfish
An established invasive species on the East Coast of the United States and in the Caribbean is the tropical fish known as the lionfish. It is reproducing year-round, has no known predators in the locations where it has been introduced and grows swiftly.
As a result, it is quickly emerging as a threat to local ecosystems, particularly along the central and South Atlantic coasts. Consume more lionfish as one method to protect the environment!
The Lionfish is frequently eaten in its native habitats, including the Red Sea near Greece and numerous islands in the Pacific. Usually, hand-held nets or spears are used to catch these slow-pokes, which causes little habitat damage or bycatch.
The venomous fins of lionfish are easily removed after capture, and the poison is rendered harmless by heat, such as during cooking. The Lionfish is thought to taste similar to some Snappers and Groupers because of its white meat.
Spiny Lobster
Spiny lobsters are noted for eating small snails and crabs, decaying organic waste, and some plants, though they will consume just about anything you put in front of them.
They are extremely hungry crustaceans with non-expanding exoskeletons that must be shed frequently to gain size. A Spiny Lobster starts constructing a new, larger skeleton inside the old one before molting it.
It splits open the outer shell when it becomes too large to be contained, and the new exoskeleton hardens. Since they are more active at night, spiny lobsters venture outside to look for food at that time.
These little ones are incredibly sweet—much sweeter than Maine lobster—but they won’t be appearing on American plates anytime soon.
Due to China’s absurdly high demand, which is increasing every year, almost 90% of the live Spiney Lobster market is supplied to that country, whereas American consumers are unwilling to pay the price for this unusual-looking Lobster.
It’s chewy, nutty, and once more quite sweet, so if you see a Spiny Lobster on your menu in the future, make sure to sample it (you might not see it again)!
Sea Urchin
The Japanese word for sea urchin, Uni, is undoubtedly already familiar to those of you who enjoy sushi. In Japan, the gonads of the sea urchin are considered a delicacy and are frequently sold for up to $360 a kilogram.
It is imported in great quantities to Japan, primarily from the United States and South Korea, and is consumed raw as sashimi or as sushi with soy sauce and wasabi.
California Uni is plentiful and particularly tasty; the majority of it is sent to the Japanese market, but it is also popular in the United States, where many consumers adore the dish’s distinctive texture and flavor, which is an unexpected blend of sweetness and ocean saline.
Don’t be afraid to give new things a try! Give it a try if you see it on the menu at the sushi bar when you go there the next time because uni is growing more and more well-liked every day.
Nordic Wolffish
Despite having a rather ominous appearance, the Nordic Wolffish is excellent for grilling or frying. It has a huge head that almost resembles an eel. Similar to monkfish (another fish with an unattractive appearance), wolffish boasts wonderful, solid flesh.
They consume shellfish for a living, thus the flesh sometimes tastes like shrimp. This fish is excellent when fried as cutlets and holds up well in a fish stew. Off the coast of Iceland, close to the Arctic Circle, wolffish are most frequently obtained.
The natural antifreeze these fish produces to keep their blood flowing freely in their extremely cold home and the size of their eggs make them quite distinctive.
The success of the Icelandic Wolffish population has a significant impact on the populations of other bottom-dwelling fish, including Atlantic Cod. Important to the environment of the oceans, useful in the kitchen, and really tasty? What a pair!
Also, Read 11 Weirdest Dishes Around The World
Mantis Shrimp
Mantis Shrimp, a marine crustacean so named because it resembles a praying mantis, is commonly found as a sushi topping and is boiled entirely before being eaten out of the shell.
There are around 450 different species of mantis shrimp, and they can be found in many Mediterranean dishes (in Italy, they are called Pinocchio). Even more soft than the tiniest of tiny lobsters, the meat is incredibly delicious and similar to lobster.
It is unquestionably the tastiest of the squirmy crustaceans you’ll find at the neighborhood fish market. Mantis Shrimp can be prepared in the same ways as prawns, shrimp, and langoustines, including pasta, linguine, paella, risotto, and any other dish your heart desires.
If you can get your hands on any, do so. Alternatively, just boil and start digging.
Northern Pufferfish
Have you ever had pufferfish with tartar sauce and buttermilk frying? We have, and let us tell you: you must taste it to believe it. In essence, it’s the Kentucky-fried fish you must have. You can throw a party if you fry these guys in their entirety.
Many people are unaware that you can actually eat pufferfish, even though they frequently feature in cartoons and sunny beach town posters at seafood restaurants and elsewhere. The pufferfish uses its capacity to “blow up” and appear larger as a strategy to alert predators that it is larger than them. Don’t misbehave around me.
But make no mistake, they are only words without deeds. In contrast to many other types of blowfish, the Northern Pufferfish is non-toxic and can be found along the Atlantic seaboard in bays, estuaries, and protected coastal waters at depths of 10-183 m.
You really have to try it to believe that the Northern Pufferfish is the REAL chicken of the sea—the firm, soft, white meat along its rigid backbone tastes so much like chicken.
