Hemiramphus brasiliensis
Breaded and fried: this is how this baitfish usually appears on the menu of taverns, pubs and beach tents in much of the Northeast coastal states, from Ceará to Bahia. Up to 12 inches long and with a cylindrical, elongated body, its delicate flesh can be easily consumed without the need of silverware. It can also be
cut into steaks and prepared escabèche (cooked, marinated overnight and served cold, as an appetizer). Fun fact: the thin “needle” (agulha in Portuguese) coming out of the fish’s mouth, or nose, is actually the animal’s jaw.
