Species sheet · The Edible Ocean
Black scabbardfish
A ribbon of ink that climbs at night to hunt.
- Breaded fillet, pan-fried in butter
- With fried banana, the Madeiran way
- Marinated in lime, then grilled
- In French
- Sabre noir
- Scientific name
- Aphanopus carbo
- In the water
- Deep waters of the eastern Atlantic, from 200 to 1,700 metres; it rises at night to hunt in open water.
- Season & buying
- At its best from autumn to spring, when the flesh is firmest.
- Common length
- ~110 cm
- How to identify it
- Ribbon body, as long as it is flat
A single dorsal fin running the whole length of the back
Huge eye and a lower jaw set with hooked teeth
On the plate
White, melting flesh, surprisingly gentle for an abyssal predator.
Avoid: Powerful sauces, which bury a very delicate flesh.
In Madeira, espada preta is served with a fried banana. The pairing sounds absurd and works perfectly.
In Umay recipes
One Umay recipe calls for it.
