Have you discovered opah yet? It’s among the most versatile of fish, suitable for any manner of cooking, flavorful yet mild whether grilled, pan-fried, seared, poached or stir-fried. You can serve it raw as sashimi, cure it for pastrami or grind it and turn it into fish tacos, chili, meatloaf, burgers, Bolognese sauce or even sausage.

Best of all, tasty opah doesn’t taste or smell “fishy” and is a great introductory fish for non-fish eaters since it can be seasoned and cooked to taste like beef or pork.

“It’s the best fish that nobody knows,” observed Catalina Offshore Products fishmonger and fish educator Tommy Gomes, who has embraced teaching the public about this heart-healthy fish and developing new uses for once-discarded opah cuts.

“If you don’t educate people about the different cuts, they won’t know how to cook them,” he explained, as he tossed together an impromptu stir-fry of ground opah, leftover rice, chopped mixed vegetables, hoisin sauce and Japanese mayonnaise.

Until recently in San Diego opah has swum under the radar, the result of erratic availability. Most people familiar with opah, also known as moonfish, encountered it first on menus in Hawaii. Now, through Gomes’ outreach to chefs eager to experiment, it’s showing up in restaurants, including The Red Door on West Washington Street in Mission Hills, the High Dive Bar & Grill on Morena Boulevard, Beerfish on Adams Avenue and even in Savory Made Simple’s home-delivered meal kits.

I first became aware of opah after moving to San Diego in 1999 and deciding to explore Pacific-caught fish. A friend introduced me to Point Loma Seafoods, where I discovered what I now recognize as opah loin. I was hooked on its rich but mild flavor and its affordable price.

Eduardo Contreras / UT Chef Miguel Valdez's Opah Burger With Pico de Gallo Chef Miguel Valdez's Opah Burger With Pico de Gallo (Eduardo Contreras / UT)

To cook it was easy. I just rubbed it with cut garlic, marinated it for 15 minutes in lime juice, salt and pepper and pan-seared it for two or three minutes each side in garlic-infused olive oil. Heaven! On the rare occasions I later saw it for sale, I always socked away several portions in the freezer.

Fortunately, opah is more readily available now because of changes in fishing and landing practices, Gomes explained.

This tropical-appearing oval fish — naturally bedecked in rich hues of blue, pink, rose and gold with distinctive white spots, an overall purple and silver sheen and bright red fins — can weigh 60 to 200 pounds and measure 6 feet long and 4 feet high. Since it doesn’t swim in schools but usually among tuna, swordfish and billfish, fishermen catch it incidentally as “by-catch” on longlines while targeting other species.

Hawaiian fishermen have always prized opah and considered it good luck, but it also wasn’t much in demand. They often gave it away as goodwill gifts instead of selling it. Many fishermen just discarded opah as a nuisance rather than waste space hauling it ashore.

Gradually, demand increased as the Hawaiian government built a market for this sustainably managed and affordable fish, an excellent source of protein and omega-3s.

Yet opah isn’t just a Hawaiian fish; it lives also in the Gulf of Mexico and the Atlantic. The opah now sold in California is caught mostly in the Pacific, halfway between California and Hawaii.

About three years ago, American fishermen located an opah-rich spot closer to California than Hawaii. They contacted Catalina Offshore, whose CEO, Dave Rudie, welcomed a steady supply.

With new abundance came the challenge of developing a stronger market for this little-known fish. Gomes began educating both local chefs and consumers about the potential for the generously sized fish.

Opah offers several cuts of meat distinguished by different grains and color. Traditionally sold cuts of top loin, center filet and tenderloin range in color from a pale salmon to a beefy deep red, but turn whitish when cooked. With seasoning, the meat can taste like tuna, pork or beef when grilled or seared. Or it can replace raw tuna in sashimi, ceviche or poke.

Both the pink fatty belly cuts, which fry up like fish sticks or pork chicharones and are comparable to pork belly, and the dark red abductor muscle, also known as tri-tip, were previously discarded.

Eduardo Contreras / U-T Blackened Opah Abductor Muscle With Fig Pico de Gallo. Blackened Opah Abductor Muscle With Fig Pico de Gallo. (Eduardo Contreras / U-T)

The Red Door’s executive chef Miguel Valdez has enjoyed experimenting with the abductor muscle, which Gomes first offered him ground.

“I started with an opah meat loaf and then made chili, tacos, sliders, meatballs, sausages and a Bolognese ‘meat sauce,’ served over house-made gnocchi,” he said. Some of the dishes debuted as daily specials, and several, including the opah Bolognese and opah burger, earned regular spots on the menu.

“The beauty of opah is you have so many cuts. Every part tastes different,” he added.

Although the abductor can be tough, Valdez discovered slicing it thinly and searing it lightly create an appealing dish.

“If you cut it right against the grain, it’s tender and flavorful. With thin slices, it’s like sashimi,” he explained. “It’s an amazing fish.”

Expect to see more opah on menus and in markets. You’ll enjoy discovering its flavorful adaptability.

Larson is a San Diego freelance writer.

Eduardo Contreras / U-T Miguel Valdez's Opah Bolognese With Gnocchi. Miguel Valdez's Opah Bolognese With Gnocchi. (Eduardo Contreras / U-T)

Opah Bolognese With Gnocchi

Makes 6 servings

Gnocchi:

cup water

12 tablespoons (6 ounces) unsalted butter

2 cups flour

2 tablespoons Dijon mustard (smooth or whole grain)

1 tablespoon chopped chives

1 tablespoon chopped parsley

1 cup shredded Gruyere cheese

5 eggs

1-2 tablespoons oil or butter for sauting

Bolognese:

cup extra-virgin olive oil

1 medium onion, coarsely chopped

2 garlic cloves, peeled and coarsely chopped

1 carrot, peeled and coarsely chopped

1 pound ground opah

28-ounce marinara sauce (homemade or store bought)

cup flat-leaf Italian parsley, chopped

8 fresh basil leaves, chopped

A pinch each salt and freshly ground black pepper

1 recipe gnocchi

cup freshly grated Pecorino Romano

12 large cooked shrimp for garnish

For the gnocchi: Prepare all ingredients and set up a mixer with the paddle attachment. Combine water and butter in a medium saucepan and bring to a full simmer. Add the flour all at once and stir well with a wooden spoon until the mixture comes together and pulls away from the side of the pan. Transfer mixture to mixer. Add mustard and herbs and run mixer for a few seconds to blend. Add cheese and mix well. On low speed, add one egg at a time, increasing to medium for a few seconds. The mixture is ready when it’s sticky.