Species sheet · The Edible Ocean
Garfish
A green line with a point on the end, and easily offended.
- Cut into lengths and grilled over high heat
- Deep-fried whole
- Pickled in vinegar with dill
- In French
- Orphie
- Scientific name
- Belone belone
- In the water
- Coastal open water of the Atlantic and Mediterranean, at the surface, within the first fifty metres.
- Season & buying
- May to August, when it follows the inshore shoals.
- Common length
- ~60 cm
- How to identify it
- Thread-thin, almost cylindrical body
Long beak formed by both jaws
Dorsal and anal fins set far back
On the plate
Lean, savoury flesh, close to mackerel but finer.
Avoid: Judging it by its green bones, which are harmless.
Its bones are green, a proper bottle green. The pigment is entirely harmless, but it was enough to make garfish unsellable in several countries.
In Umay recipes
One Umay recipe calls for it.
