Mark Healey has been freedive spearfishing since he was a teenager growing up on O‘ahu. As a professional surfer he has ridden some of the world’s largest waves for over two decades and has great respect and an understanding of the power of the ocean.
When he’s not surfing, Healey stays connected to the ocean environment by spending hours alone underwater, speargun or sling in hand. For Healey, hunting underwater is very similar to on land. “Most of it is just observing and trying to be a noninvasive part of that environment,” he says, “and sometimes you decide to take a fish.”
Hunting is just part of the experience that Healey intentionally weaves through his life. Bringing back food he’s harvested to family and friends, either to share or trade or both, connects his dependence on the natural environment for food to the interconnectedness — the give and take — of his community.
Wahoo (ono) fillets with butter, lemon, caper, garlic sauce
Ingredients
Fillets
- 2 lbs. Wahoo (or prefered firm whitefish)
- Salt (to taste)
- Pepper (to taste)
Sauce
- 2T Butter
- 1 Lemon
- 4T Capers
- 1 Minced Garlic Clove
Instructions
- Start a charcoal fire or preheat a gas grill
- Cut fillets into 4 even-sized portions and thicknesses
- Sprinkle both sides of fillets with salt and pepper
- Cut lemon in half Squeeze half of lemon juice onto fillets
- Heat cast iron pan with butter on grill When pan is hot and butter is melted, arrange fillets, lemon-side up
- Spoon the capers and spread the minced garlic evenly over fillets
- When fillets start turning white on one side, flip over
- Squeeze second half of lemon on fillets
- Cook until fillets are white on both sides (being careful to not overcook and dry them out)
- Transfer fillets to serving plate and evenly pour melted sauce on top
- Enjoy with friends and family
