I’ve used their chart as a base and have grouped together the different varieties of fish into categories that might aid you in your next purchase.
Light and flaky
Fish in this category tend to have a finer texture and a sweeter taste (golden tilefish is similar to lobster in taste) and are usually found sold whole or filleted. These fish are suitable for any cooking method: baked, broiled, fried, poached, steamed or sautéed.
Medium
These fish are a bit firmer fleshed and leaner. Remove the skin from the groupers before cooking as it has a strong flavor. Usually found whole, filleted or as steaks, these fish are suitable for any cooking method, including grilling.
Firm
This category is made up of the larger fish and sports fish. These fish have a higher fat content while the flavor ranges from the mild swordfish to the savory mackerel and tunas. You’ll find these fish filleted or cut as steaks and suitable for any cooking method, including grilling.
Shellfish
Steam them, boil them, dip and fry them. Peel and eat cooked shrimp. In the case of the oyster, shuck ’em and eat ’em raw. There’s almost nothing sweeter than freshly steamed lobster served simply with melted butter.
Pan-Fried Flounder
4 servings
4 skinless flounder-fillets
Salt and pepper, to taste
Flour, for dredging fish
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
3 tablespoons butter, divided
1 lemon, juiced
1 small bottle capers
Wash fillets in cold water and pat dry. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Dredge fillets in flour. Place oil and 2 tablespoons butter in flat, heavy-bottomed skillet and heat on medium-high until butter melts. Keeping heat at medium-high, cook fish on 1 side about 3 minutes (more or less, depending on size of fillets), until deep brown and crispy. Turn fish and cook on second side, about 3 minutes. Turn fish only once.
Remove fish to serving platter. Turn off heat. Into hot skillet, whisk in remaining 1 tablespoon butter. Add lemon juice. Pour in capers, liquid and all. Whisk. Pour thin sauce over fish fillets. Serve at once.
Food Network
Bacon-Infused Carolina Fish Muddle
6 servings
1 teaspoon vegetable oil
1 pound wild American shrimp, peeled, deveined, shells reserved
8 sprigs thyme
4 bay leaves
2 28-ounce cans whole peeled tomatoes with juices
1 pound slab bacon, cut into 1/2" cubes, or thick-cut bacon, sliced into 1/2" strips
4 celery stalks, finely chopped
3 carrots, finely chopped
2 onions, finely chopped
1 leek (white and pale-green parts only), finely chopped
3 garlic cloves, finely chopped
1/2 jalapeno (with seeds), finely chopped
1 pound new potatoes, peeled, cut into 1/2" cubes
Kosher salt, freshly ground pepper
Hot pepper sauce (such as Cholula or Tabasco; optional)
1 pound black or striped bass fillet, cut into 1"–2" pieces
1 pound black or red grouper fillet, cut into 1"–2" pieces
6 slices baguette, toasted
6 cups cooked stone-ground grits or rice
Chopped flat-leaf parsley
Heat oil in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Add shrimp shells and cook, stirring constantly, until pink. Add 3 cups water and bring to a simmer. Cook gently until liquid is reduced to 2 cups. Strain stock, discarding shells. DO AHEAD: Can be made one day ahead. Cover and chill stock and shrimp separately.
Tie thyme sprigs and bay leaves into a bundle with kitchen twine; set aside. Pulse tomatoes with juices in a food processor until chunky purée forms; set aside. Heat bacon in a large Dutch oven over medium-low heat; cook, stirring occasionally, until some of fat is rendered and bacon is just beginning to crisp, 10–15 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, transfer bacon to paper towels to drain; reserve 2 tablespoons bacon drippings for croutons.
Add celery, carrots, onions, and leek to pot. Increase heat to medium and cook until vegetables are tender, about 10 minutes. Add garlic, jalapeño, and herb bundle; cook for 2 minutes. Add reserved tomato purée; cook, stirring often, for 20 minutes. Add shrimp stock (or, if omitting the first step, add 2 cups fish stock or clam juice) and bring to a simmer. Add potatoes and cooked bacon and simmer until potatoes are tender, about 15 minutes. Season stew with salt, pepper, and hot pepper sauce, if desired.
Add fish and shrimp; bring to a gentle simmer. Cover; cook until fish and shrimp are just opaque in center, about 5 minutes.
Meanwhile, brush bacon fat onto toast to make croutons. Ladle muddle into bowls over grits or rice, sprinkle with parsley, and garnish each bowl with a crouton.
Frank Stitt, Epicurious
Oil Poached Swordfish with White Corn, Guanciale and Chive Oil
4 servings
Chive oil:
1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
1/4 cup chopped fresh chives
Swordfish and corn:
5 medium ears of white corn, husked
4 cups extra-virgin olive oil
1 lemon, thinly sliced
4 peeled garlic cloves; 2 crushed, 2 minced
1 large fresh rosemary sprig
4 6-ounce swordfish steaks
1 cup 1/3-inch cubes guanciale or pancetta (Italian bacon)
1 tablespoon minced shallot
1 teaspoon dried crushed red pepper
1 tablespoon butter
2 tablespoons chopped fresh chives
1 tablespoon fresh thyme leaves
Fine sea salt
For chive oil: Combine oil and chives in blender and puree until smooth. Season chive oil to taste with salt and pepper.
For swordfish and corn: Cook corn in large pot of boiling salted water until just tender, about 8 minutes. Using tongs, remove corn from cooking liquid. Place on plate; reserve 1/2 cup corn cooking liquid. Cut corn kernels from cobs and reserve 4 cups (save remaining corn for another use).
Preheat oven to 350°F. Combine oil, lemon, crushed garlic, and rosemary in medium ovenproof pot. Attach deep-fry thermometer to side of pot; heat oil to 150°F. Carefully lower swordfish into oil. Transfer pot to oven; poach fish uncovered until just firm to touch, about 15 minutes.
Meanwhile, heat large nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add guanciale; sauté until almost crisp, 2 to 3 minutes. Add minced garlic and shallot; sauté until soft but not brown, about 3 minutes. Stir in reserved 4 cups corn and crushed red pepper. Add butter and 2 tablespoons reserved corn cooking liquid; stir until mixture is moist and creamy, adding more cooking liquid by tablespoonfuls if dry, about 5 minutes. Stir in chives and thyme. Season with sea salt and pepper.
Divide corn among 4 shallow bowls. Top each with swordfish steak. Sprinkle with sea salt; drizzle with chive oil.
Bon Appetit
The Ultimate Paella
4 to 6 servings
Spice Mix for chicken, recipe follows
1 (3-pound) frying chicken, cut into 10 pieces
1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
2 Spanish chorizo sausages, thickly sliced
Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper
1 Spanish onion, diced
4 garlic cloves, crushed
Bunch flat-leaf parsley leaves, chopped, reserve some for garnish
1 (15-ounce) can whole tomatoes, drained and hand-crushed
4 cups short grain Spanish rice
6 cups water, warm
Generous pinch saffron threads
1 dozen littleneck clams, scrubbed
1 pound jumbo shrimp, peeled and de-veined
2 lobster tails
1/2 cup sweet peas, frozen and thawed
Lemon wedges, for serving
Spice mix for chicken:
1 tablespoon sweet paprika
2 teaspoons dried oregano
Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper
Rub the spice mix all over the chicken and marinate chicken for 1 hour in the refrigerator.
Heat oil in a paella pan over medium-high heat. Sauté the chorizo until browned, remove and reserve. Add chicken skin-side down and brown on all sides, turning with tongs. Add salt and freshly ground pepper. Remove from pan and reserve.
In the same pan, make a sofrito by sautéing the onions, garlic, and parsley. Cook for 2 or 3 minutes on a medium heat. Then, add tomatoes and cook until the mixture caramelizes a bit and the flavors meld. Fold in the rice and stir-fry to coat the grains. Pour in water and simmer for 10 minutes, gently moving the pan around so the rice cooks evenly and absorbs the liquid. Add chicken, chorizo, and saffron. Add the clams and shrimp, tucking them into the rice. The shrimp will take about 8 minutes to cook. Give the paella a good shake and let it simmer, without stirring, until the rice is al dente, for about 15 minutes. During the last 5 minutes of cooking, when the rice is filling the pan, add the lobster tails. When the paella is cooked and the rice looks fluffy and moist, turn the heat up for 40 seconds until you can smell the rice toast at the bottom, then it’s perfect.
Cook’s note: The ideal paella has a toasted rice bottom called socarrat.
Remove from heat and rest for 5 minutes. Garnish with peas, parsley and lemon wedges.
Tyler Florence
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