Best Baked Stuffed Shad Recipes

BROILED FILET OF SHAD

Steps:

• Preheat the broiler. Place the shad, skin side down on a rack in a baking pan and season with salt and pepper. Broil the shad, about 6 inches away from the heat source until the top is lightly browned and fish is cooked through, about 8 to 10 minutes, depending upon how thick it is. (You do not turn it) When done, set on a bed of tomato garnish and serve with buttered spinach or other greens.

SHAD STUFFED WITH SHAD ROE

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 475 degrees.
• Arrange the shad fillets, skin-side-down, in a baking dish, preferably rectangular or square, in which the portions will fit snugly in one layer. Sprinkle with salt and pepper.
• Bend the oil, wine and 2 tablespoons of chervil. Sprinkle this over the fish.
• Pull off and discard the connecting membranes of the roe. Cut the roe crosswise into 1/2-inch-thick slices.
• Heat the butter in a small skillet, and add the onion. Cook, stirring, until wilted but not browned. Add the pieces of roe, and cook, stirring briefly, just until the roe starts to lose its raw look.
• Put the bread cubes in a mixing bowl, and add the remaining 1/4 cup of chopped chervil. Add the roe mixture and the sieved eggs. Blend well. Divide the mixture into 6 equal portions.
• Lay out the 6 rectangles of parchment, and place 1 piece of fillet, skin-side-down, on each piece of paper. Spoon an equal portion of the oil and wine marinade over each. Open up the flaps (from which the bones were removed), and stuff each opening with equal portions of the roe mixture. Pack it loosely. Top each serving with a lemon slice. Fold the parchment neatly, envelope-fashion, sealing the edges. Arrange each filled envelope, sealed-side-down, on a baking sheet.
• Place in the oven, and bake 13 minutes. To serve, remove the fish from the envelopes and serve.

SHAD STUFFED WITH DATES

Steps:

• Mix together the chopped almonds, rice, sugar, cinnamon, and a pinch each of pepper and ginger, and knead with a little butter to hold everything together.
• Pit the dates and stuff them with the almond-rice mixture.
• Rub the fish all over with oil, salt, pepper, and a little ground ginger. Open up the 2 top fillets and arrange the stuffed dates down the center, then replace the top fillets. Place the fish on a large, well-oiled sheet of foil and sprinkle with the finely chopped onion. Wrap the fish up neatly and seal the edges of the foil firmly. (The foil allows you to omit sewing up the fish.) Lay the parcel on a large baking pan.
• Bake in a preheated 350°F oven, about 15 minutes per pound, or until the flesh begins to flake when you cut into the thickest part with a pointed knife. Then unwrap the foil and place the fish under the broiler to become crisply golden. Serve dusted with cinnamon if you like.

MARINO'S SHAD STUFFED WITH SPINACH

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
• In 2 tablespoons of butter, saute the onion and 1 teaspoon of garlic until transparent. Stir in 2 tablespoons of wine. Add the spinach, cover and cook over low heat for 5 minutes. Stir in the cream cheese, mozzarella and Monterey Jack. Add another teaspoon of garlic. Season with salt and pepper.
• In a small bowl, combine the bread crumbs, pecorino, parsley and remaining garlic.
• Place the shad, skin side down, on a well-buttered baking dish and season with salt and pepper. Spoon the spinach filling under the flaps and pat them closed. Top with the bread-crumb mixture, then the sliced onion. Sprinkle on paprika and the rest of the wine and dot with the remaining butter.
• Cover with aluminum foil and bake 25-30 minutes. Uncover and brown under the broiler.

PLANKED STUFFED SHAD

Steps:

• For the plank, use a ceramic baking tile, bread board or pine plank 12 inches square. Soak for 1 hour in water; dry and rub with oil. Put in oven and heat oven to 400 degrees.
• Rinse the fish. Mix together the salt, pepper and nutmeg, sprinkle three-quarters of the mixture on the inside and outside of the fish and set the rest aside.
• Split leeks in half lengthwise and then widthwise; rinse completely. Put in a shallow pot, cover with cold water and cook over medium heat until tender, about 15 minutes. Drain leeks. Pour 1 tablespoon of the butter over leeks, add the juice of a quarter of the lemon and sprinkle with remaining salt mixture.
• Reduce the oven temperature to 375 degrees. Put the leeks inside the shad, sprinkle with bread crumbs and chopped parsley, close the fish, baste it with the remaining butter and juice of rest of the lemon. Place fish on plank and bake 40 minutes. Serve with boiled potatoes and lemon wedges.