Author: Yanni Hassir

Yanni Hassir of Fisherman’s Belly has 3 simple rules for making great Poke. Check out the video and learn how to make up your own recipe following his 3 guidelines for great food! #1 Tuna is the only fish that can be eaten fresh without having to be frozen to ensure no parasites. #2 Poke Sauce – Don’t put too much on your Poke! Just enough to coat. #3 Poke Salad – Use whatever vegetables, fruits, or nuts you have a craving for or grow in your garden. You really can’t go wrong if you follow the Golden Rules For…

Learn to make a spicy ahi poke from your fresh catch. This video recipe from Yanni Hassir at Fisherman’s Belly shows you how to create a spicy tuna poke from start to finish. It’s easy and yummy! Ingredients Diced tuna in 3/4-inch cubesSea SaltWhite onionGreen onion3 Tbsp. Mayonnaise1 Tbsp. Hot SauceTangerine (Juiced)Black Sesame Seeds Directions Dice tuna into uniform 3/4-inch cubeschop white and green onionsCombine onions and ahi and chillMake the sauce by combining mayo and hot sauce and tangerine juice and apply to poke with a squirt bottleSprinkle with black sesame seeds

Ever thought about grilling fish collars? You probably have if you’ve been fishing the Coronados for yellowtail lately. My fishing buddy Dave Burton said that was the most asked question during the ride home while the deckhands where filleting all those yellowtails. “Can you grill these yellowtail collars?” My new recipe shows you just how easy it is. Especially after the deckhands cut and portion out the collars. From that point, all you have to do is marinate them and put them on a hot grill. This recipe grills the fish collars like they would in the Mediterranean. A little…

Here in Southern California fall just started. And if you’re not busy catching big tunas or yellowtails, you’re busy catching rockfish. What happens when you come home with a bag full of small rockfish? Now what?  The next question is: How to cook rockfish, especially if it’s small. My new recipe was inspired by that very question. I met up with my buddy Captain Brian Woolley of the Dana Point sport fishing boat, the Sum Fun. That’s where one of his customers, Bill Hogan showed me his small rockfish and asked how to cook rockfish. Here you go Bill, a quick, delicious easy fish…

My new recipe teaches you how to cook a whole calico. Starting with how to scale it, then gut, gill and clean it. Finally how to prep it for the grill and then cooking it.

Life is like a box of chocolates. You never know what you’re gonna get. Sometimes, you end up with a small yellowtail – perfect for this week’s Grilled Whole Yellowtail recipe.

This video recipe will show you how easy it is to stuff a halibut fillet. Then, learn to fry and pan roast your fillets. This is such an easy, simple, and fool-proof cooking skill you need to have.

On my kayak, I got lucky and nailed a fat yellowtail while retrieving my live bait. The fight was pure joy, but the thought of hamachi kama kept my mouth watering all the way home. So, I created this recipe.

This new recipe video from Fisherman’s Belly teaches you a simple foolproof method to create seared tuna, over and over again without fail.

Braising fish is an excellent way to ensure you don’t screw up and overcook your fillets. Especially the fat fillets. Braising ensures even cooking throughout the fillet, top to bottom. And is a great way to infusion lots of different flavors to different types of fish, whole or filleted. My new recipe is an easy braised fish recipe, Mediterranean style, requiring one pan on the stovetop. That’s it! I’m using a couple of wahoo fillets I had in the freezer for the past two months. My fillets are over an inch thick and I know I won’t overcook them if…

Fishermen often ask me for an easy fish recipe. It doesn’t take me long to respond: Are you brave enough to try fried sardines? Then I watch for the shock on their faces, followed by words that come out of their mouths, “baitfish?” Yes, baitfish. And here’s the deal, they’re tasty especially with a little salt, lemon, and a cold beer. Billions of people all over the world love this easy fish recipe. Fried sardines are not only super tasty but they also provide countless nutrients that our bodies need. They’re packed with proteins, collagen, vitamins, like omega 3s and…

If you’re lucky enough to go offshore this year and get some wahoo, now what? Why not try a wahoo fish taco recipe?  For those of you who have any other types of fresh fish, this fish taco recipe will make you happy too! My new wahoo fish taco recipe includes thick pieces of wahoo wrapped and rolled in corn tortillas. Then, they are pan-fried for that wonderful combination of a crunchy taco shell and the soft meaty bite of delicious wahoo. Finally, all of that taco goodness is topped off with a creamy Mexican creme and a spicy pico…

Yellowtail Tempura? It’s Called Ka-ki-age! Japanese kakiage (ka-ka-ogee), or tempura, has become an American favorite. But did you know that besides the typical Japanese vegetable tempura, the Japanese love to create fish tempura or fish kakiage? Included also among their favorite fish tempuras is yellowtail. And it is often served over a rice bowl called Donburi. Although it’s early summer, my fishing buddies have freezers full of yellowtail fillets. And they’re clamoring for some new Yellowtail recipes. So here it is, yellowtail tempura over a Japanese rice bowl, topped with a classic homemade tempura sauce. Once you realize how easy…

Smoked Fish Without A Smoker? Believe it or not, not all smoked fish recipes are created in a smoker. All you really need is an oven that can hold low temperatures and a bottle of liquid smoke. And if you think liquid smoke is a cheap substitute, think again. Liquid smoke is made from actual smoke particles that are condensed and liquefied. And, the liquid smoke can come from many different types of wood. Giving you those flavors you crave, like hickory, mesquite, or apple.  My new smoked fish recipe is a result of my fishing buddies having freshly caught…

Imagine yourself enjoying your own handcrafted tuna jerky. Rich in color and flavors, and each bite is deeply satisfying. If you’re wondering if it’s hard to make, this new recipe is what Fisherman’s Belly is all about: an easy fish recipe! All you need is your fresh caught tuna and a smoker. Then, some soy sauce, honey and a little bit of spicy goodness is a jar, called Sambal. My new recipe also teaches you the importance of drying out your jerky so it can be stored at room temperature without the potential of  bacterial growth (for more information about bacteria,…

Tuna Sliders If you’re looking for a quick and easy tuna recipe, you’re not alone. My buddy Stuman emailed me asking for an easy-easy recipe section in Fisherman’s Belly. Just to cut down on cooking time, the necessity of lots of ingredients, plus, some of his fishing buddies apparently are much better at fishing than cooking! That email and the fact that the bluefin are approaching Southern California has got me thinking, tuna sliders… It may not be an entire section, but it’s a start. After doing some research on tuna sliders, I found a tasty version that will fit…

If you are planning on catching and grilling yellowtail this spring, I have the perfect grilled yellowtail sandwich just for you. And since most of our yellowtail come from Mexico, I figured I’d put a Mexican twist on this sandwich. How? That’s easy, just add pickled jalapenos, jicama, cilantro, chipotle, Tajin seasoning and more. Plus, the bread is definitely Mexican too, it’s called bolillo (bo-li-jo). It’s a Mexican favorite leftover from the French occupation. Why yellowtail? The San Diego from Seaforth Landing just had its first full day of yellowtail fishing at the Coronado Islands. They had 13 yellowtails by…

When it come to loving Poke (pronounced po-kay), it’s not just Hawaii, but the entire South Pacific rim has been enjoying this tasty raw fish salad they call Poke. My new poke bowl recipe is a true South Pacific poke from China that is heavily influenced by the French. It includes tuna that gets marinaded in lime, and classic Chinese dressing and most of all, fried rice noodles. This dish is yummy stuff. I first was exposed to Poke when I lived and worked in Hawaii where, I ate tons of it! But it wasn’t until I went to the…

Fish Stock From Yellowtail? My new recipe, Yellowtail Cream Corn Soup, has a homemade fish stock made from a yellowtail’s head and tail. Then with just a few veggies and some water, it becomes a base for any good fish soup. In addition to learning how to create this simple fish stock, I’ll then show you how to transform the stock into a velvety smooth cream corn yellowtail soup. Ever wonder what’s all the fuss surrounding a good fish stock? Why do people keep coming back for more? The answer is simple, a good fish stock is made from fresh…

When it comes to fish tacos, there’s nothing better than making them from recipes with fresh tuna. And when it comes to fish tacos recipes, there’s nothing better than crispy fish tacos. That delicious fried crispy shell, and your fresh tuna, have all the makings of a great fish taco. It’s January, so you’re probably wondering why a tuna taco recipe now? In case you haven’t been listening to Let’s Talk Hook Up, on the mighty AM 1090, fishermen are hauling in 60-90 pound bluefin tuna just a few miles off the coast of SoCal! And with that much tuna getting stuffed inside…

Did you know there are 6.7 million searches on Google for “homemade smoked tuna dip recipe”?  I’m assuming some searchers are using store bought smoked fish to make their dips. But there’s a huge number of fishermen searching too. After all, they catch and then smoke their own tuna and love eating it in a variety of ways. So, they must be searching for new recipes all the time. That’s where this video recipe can help. If you’re one of the 6.7 million people relying on a set recipe for your dip(smoked tuna dip), prepare to be liberated. Here’s how.…

Just like California, the Mediterranean is full of spiny lobsters. Believe me, the French, Italians, and the Greeks love to grill lobster tails, especially for a Mediterranean lobster salad. It’s heart healthy and usually full of fresh herbs and vegetables. Not to mention the super flavorful olive oil-lemon dressing. How did I get inspired to copy their grilled Mediterranean lobster salad? A couple of weekends ago I was invited to a year-end party at Lobster Port Fishing Supply in Oceanside. There, I was handed lots of fresh lobster tails then asked to make something quick! They had large pots for…

I just can’t believe how popular smoking tuna and tuna belly is among SoCal fishermen. Frankly, it’s easy to understand. We’re catching tons of nice grade tuna. And with modern technology, and affordable smokers, fishermen can smoke anything—especially tuna. My email box has been filled lately with smoking tuna questions. For example, how do I deal with a 4-inch thick tuna belly? What’s the difference between dry brine from wet? How do I smoke skipjack? Those questions, plus, our Facebook page is going crazy over smoked tuna inspired me to create this recipe. So here’s my version of an easy-to-do,…

When I found a nice piece of frozen tuna belly hiding in my freezer, I told myself it was time to BBQ tuna belly. But, Hawaiian-Pilipino style. What am I talking about? When I worked on Oahu I lived in a mostly Pilipino neighborhood called the Kalihi Valley. There, I fell in love with Pilipino BBQ pork belly in adobo sauce. And, ever since then, I’ve always wanted to skewer up both tuna belly and pork belly, combined. So, I created this recipe. It’s packed with lots of tips and tricks, from prepping to cooking pork and tuna belly. I’m…