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Early Summer Meat/Fish (Mid-June through Early July)
Atlantic and Pacific Halibut
Recipes
- Halibut are flatfish, a species of flounder, and they grow to be particularly large. A wily Atlantic halibut who escapes capture might reach a weight of 700 pounds. Most of the fish caught for market are around 10 pounds.
- Halibut, and all flatfish, are not born looking particularly strange. At first, they swim upright just like regular fish do. Then, as they mature, they lean more and more to the left. Gradually, the halibut's right side becomes the top of the
fish, and, rather than remain staring at the ocean floor, the left eye shifts up and around next to the right one. They end up sitting together willy-nilly, as if they've been tossed carelessly into the general area where eyes should be. The bottom of the
fish grows pale from lack of exposure to light, while the top remains brownish or greenish.
- Halibut are popular game fish, especially in the waters near Alaska, where the fishing season runs roughly from May to September. This is the time when the fish are returning from spawning far out at sea.
- Because they are among the best known food fish, halibut have become scarcer in recent years. It is hoped that increased governmental regulation of the halibut catch will allow the population to reestablish itself.
- Halibut steaks are mild and white. The meat is firm enough for grilling, baking, and poaching, but is also ideal for fish stews.
Skate
Recipes
- Although it has long been popular in Europe, in the United States skate is known as a "trash fish" -- that is, a species that fishermen, who were out to catch more popular fish, always removed from their nets and thew back into the water. Now,
as the populations of the major food fish become threatened, these less well-known fish are gaining ground. Part of the strategy behind promoting them at markets is that if people broaden their tastes, the chance of fishing any one species to extinction
will diminish.
- Skates are a type of ray and are related to sharks. They must be treated properly just after being caught in order to be good for eating. Both skates and sharks have urea in the blood, which will impart an ammoniac smell to the meat if they
aren't bled soon after they are removed from the water.
- Although the French consider the skate's liver a delicacy, here one is likely only to be able to get the "wings," the large pectoral fins of the fish. In the water, the diamond-shaped skate propels itself by undulating its fins and can travel
at very high speeds.
- The thick, tough skin on the skate will contract and become even rubberier upon exposure to heat, so it must always be removed before cooking. Usually this has already been done by the time the fish reaches the market.
- The flavor of skate is slightly sweet, not unlike that of scallops. Because the meat is fibrous rather than flaky, it is not appropriate for grilling. However, it is perfect for poaching and baking. Traditionally, the French serve it with
beurre noire. It also stands up well to provencale sauces and highly spiced preparations.
Swordfish
Recipes
- The swordfish is unique. It is the only known member of its species, Xiphias gladius.
- Along with the marlin, which it resembles, the swordfish is an extremely popular big game fish and inhabits waters all around the United States. Swordfish are caught off both the East and West coasts in summer and fall; in the winter, they are
found in the Gulf of Mexico. Its sword-shaped snout, high dorsal fin, and smooth blue-and-silver skin are familiar sights in the sorts of seafood restaurants where mounted trophy fish are displayed on the walls.
- The impressive swordfish can swim faster than any other fish and grows to weigh more than a ton. It is said to be able to drive its sword-shaped bill through the hull of a boat.
- In the past it was believed that swordfish contained dangerously high levels of mercury. However, the FDA says the fish is generally safe and suggests only that people not indulge too often.
- The moderately oily flesh of the swordfish has a robust, meaty flavor. It takes marinade well and any cooking method shows it off to advantage, with grilling and searing being among the most popular. Italians, who call it pesce spada, have
numerous preparations. Look for swordfish served with aioli, flavored with rosemary, poached in wine, sprinkled with capers, or sweetened with pinenuts and currants.
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