European Stars And Stripes (Newspaper) - February 22, 1986, Darmstadt, Hesse                                Croaker relative of track drum and weakfish sometimes Abed Golden maker. Of Southern Farmland Are now devoted to cultivating these line textured fish. While farm raised cat is fillets Are not abundant in City markets aggressive promotion has made them a favorite in suburban areas and they Are often the fish of Choice in fast food outlets. The flavor of Catfish which is As Bland and " inoffensive As that of Tofu make them suitable for a highly seasoned sauces. They can be prepared in dozens of ways but deep Fried Catfish is a Southern specially. Recently smoked Catfish has become available in some markets. Croakers a relative of Black drum and weakfish Are caught from new Jersey South into the Gulf of Mexico. While croaker and Black drum in fillets and portions can be found in markets the delicate flesh of weakfish gives them a Shorter shelf life. Croakers Are generally reasonably priced. They have a lean White flesh and Are excellent for sauteing or pan frying. Eels Are difficult to find fresh although smoked eel has Long been a Delicatessen favorite. Look for the fresh fish in fish markets serving ethnic neighbourhoods. Particularly now in the Winter months. In Rome eels from the tiber Are a traditional Christmas eve dish. They can be grilled or battered and deep Fried in the South of France they Are often stewed with tomatoes garlic and Black olives. Skinning a fresh eel has daunted Many a Cook Nail the head to a Board grip the thick skin with pliers and pull it away. They Are Superb fish firm textured Fine Flavoured and Wen priced at around $2 a Pound. V make shark called poor Man s swordfish can be \ used in any recipe calling for swordfish. Indeed , unscrupulous restaurateurs occasionally substitute x3 Mako shark for the More expensive swordfish. They Are relatively Boneless with a Light Fine tasting flesh. Another favorite is the Sand shark also known As Dogfish or belly fish with a similar taste and texture. Shark flesh May have a Strong ammonia smell which can be leached out before cooking by soaking in brine or milk for a few hours. Look fish is the classic example of trash fish turned fashionable. Once discarded by american fishermen monkfish. Also known As Angle fish and by the French name Totte is becoming a familiar item in restaurants end markets. It is still not a targeted fishery that is Monteh Are caught serendipitously by fishermen who a dragging for scallops or other fish. Only the White firm Fleshy tall is used. The Fine flavor of monkfish has Ted to the designation poor Man s lobster and Cooks soften substitute them for lobster in seafood stews and a salads. I my tilt once considered poor folks food Are being cultivated in Maine and elsewhere and Are increasingly on the menu in Fine seafood restaurants. Buffa Sofish Large fresh water Carp Tike creatures from Canada and new York slate. The classic preparation is a Moules Mari Leres steamed in a White wine Broth Flavoured with shallots and perhaps a hint of garlic. A Little chopped fresh or canned Tomato and some Basil in the Broth turns it into Moules a la Provencal. Increased availability makes these shellfish an excellent buy. The tiny pea crab or chowder crab that is sometimes present in the Mussel Shell is edible Orange roughly is the current name for a deep water Ocean Perch imported As fillets from new zealand most often Frozen. In the United states markets in the West have taken the bulk of the new. Zealand catch but Orange roughly is showing up in Eastern restaurants and is expected to be More readily available in Eastern markets. In the food Emporium Chain in new York City Orange roughly recently was $5.89 a Pound. Boneless and Bland in flavor Orange Rou they fillets Appeal to people who Don t like fish very much. It takes Well to any strongly Flavoured sauce such As a Tomato and garlic or Curry sauce. Rouget pronounced Roo Zhay or red Mullet is a Small fish with a Beautiful Silvery Pink skin from Mediterranean Waters. The rouges in America Are imported largely from Morocco primarily in the Winter. In Mediterranean countries where rouges Are prize for their flavor they Are usually grilled and dressed with extra Virgin Olive Oil and a dash of Lemon juice. They Iso lend themselves Well to sauteing. Sardine Are hardly new but they no longer have to come in cans. Fresh sardines which Are really Young herring from Maine Waters Are increasingly popular in american fish markets. Prices vary enormously from $1 to $2 a Pound recently but Are generally very Low. They should be gutted and spilt in half then the Backbone should be removed. They can be grilled with Mustard and a drizzle of Oil or rolled in Oatmeal not the Quick cooking variety and Fried. Herring of course Are also Good when pickled. In Robin Are funny looking american fish frequently tossed overboard As trash by fishermen. Stroking their lateral fins like wings through the water they look like a weird sort of submarine Bird hence the name. With the Large head Cut off and the Tough skin removed they Are delicious. Their delicate but firm White flesh is perfect for Many preparations Batter Fried or for a More healthful preparation steamed in chunks. They can often be found in fish markets in Low income neighbourhoods and Are Well Worth buying when available. Skate or Ray a longtime favorite with italians French and greeks can be found occasionally in fish shops outside ethnic neighbourhoods. Rale a Burre noir is a classic French preparation the skate is sliced and sauteed then dressed with Brown butter and Capers. Rou get also Celd red Mulot. Found in Mediterranean wafers. Skate also Calvd Ray. Has Broad fat body Short spinels Tail. Eel variety of Han order Apodemi. With Long tank like body. New York to Lett graphic skate is sometimes sold with the skin and an outer ring of fins attached. To prepare clip off the fins and remove the skin. Many Cooks recommend marinating skate overnight in brine or acid lated water to rid them of any Trace of ammonia before cooking. Squid sometimes known by their italian name As Calamari and popular in Mediterranean countries Are also available from North Atlantic fisheries. The Best squid have their purplish skin intact but these Are hard to find. Although they sell for As much As $4 a Pound they Are almost entirely edible and a Good value. Squid Are most frequently sold cleaned of their Interior Bone or pen if not the pen should be removed along with the Ink Sac. Then the squid can be stuffed and baked in a sauce or sliced in rings breaded and deep Fried. Italians and greeks like to simmer squid in Tomato sauce but squid can also be poached marinated and served in seafood salads. They should be cooked quickly As in deep frying or slowly simmered for a Long time or they become Tough and rubbery. If the Ink Sac is intact squeeze some Ink into a Saucer and use it to flavor a risotto or pasta dish. Some chefs use the Ink to make Black pasta a dish More striking in appearance than in flavor. Tilapia is a farm raised White fleshed fish. Israel has promoted it heavily in America As St. Peter s fish Boneless fillets Are Selling Lor $5 to $6 a Pound. The fish Are also raised on farms in latin America and. Increasingly in the United states. Both flavor and texture Are excellent and its presence in american is expected to grow enormously in the next year or so. The stars and stripes. Page 15