Florida’s best eating fish — and a favorite recipe

Note: Capt. Kirk is on leave for a while. In the meantime, enjoy a version of this classic from our archives.

Grouper is a sweet, firm and flaky fish. Many Florida restaurants used to feature grouper as a signature dish. Because of its high demand, the National Marine Fisheries Service initiated a fishing ban on certain grouper. Some opponents to the ban say the information used to leverage the action is not based in fact.

(This columnist will stay away from political powder kegs and leave this bickering to the bickering experts. However, I do advise going online to myfwc.com/fishing/ saltwater/recreational/ groupers for the latest regulations on grouper.)

There are numerous types of grouper: black, red, gag, scamp, yellowfin, yellowmouth and several more. Grouper is a prized fish, sought by both recreational and commercial fisherman. Several years ago, the U.S. Department of Agriculture stepped in to check restaurants and distributors for truth in labeling. There were several restaurants and distributors that were busted for serving fish other than grouper under the grouper name.

A few years ago, my wife and I were at a food show put on by some national food companies. We sampled several new types of fish. One booth featured tilapia and offered filets cooked up several different ways for sampling. It was good tasting. We asked the salesperson why we hardly ever see it on menus. His reply was that the restaurants labeled it as grouper or snapper.

That is just not right. My wife and I have always felt that establishments need to be honest with what customers are paying for. I was glad to finally have seen a crackdown on this type of misleading information.

The grouper ban can be looked at two ways. One is that the ban can be bad for tourist season, charter boats and the economy. The other way to look at it is that the ban will give the species a better chance to recover and grow. In the long run, this will benefit everyone. Farmers have long used this method to produce better crops. They will stop planting an area for a year or two to give it a rest and some even plant alfalfa or other crops to till under to help nourish the land.

We have all become so accustomed to getting what we want all the time, regardless of the season or nature. We all have other choices. There are many other tasty fish that are local and available in local restaurants. A Florida favorite is dolphin. I’m talking about the mahi-mahi type of fish — not the Flipper TV show variety. The cooked meat is firm and white with a sweet taste. Another favorite is tuna. There are several grades of tuna. The ahi grade, also known as yellowfin tuna, is the most tropical of the tuna species. Other locally caught favorites include trout, snapper, cobia, tripletail, sheepshead and more. Many shark varieties are excellent also, when prepared properly.

The important thing in any food preparation is how the product is handled from the start — through storage, prepping, cooking and finally to the end user, you. Fish that is prepared and cooked properly does not taste fishy. The idea is to try something different: You may find another favorite fish dish.

Here is one of my favorite recipes for cooking fish:

• Take an 8- to 10-ounce filet (per person) and pat dry.

• Put several thick cuts of bacon on the bottom of a heavy foil pan.

• Place the filets on top of the bacon and pour a little merlot into the bottom of the pan.

• Lay a piece of aluminum foil over the fish and cook on medium heat on the outdoor grill.

The bacon will burn slightly and produce smoke — and that’s when you know the fish is done. There’s no need to turn the fish over.

Serve it with some thick-cut skewered veggies cooked on the grill.

Enjoy!

Fair winds; calm seas; good eating. ¦

— Capt. Dennis Kirk and his wife, Nancy, are avid mariners and outdoor enthusiasts currently living in North Port. Since the 1970s, their love of nature in Southwest Florida has allowed them to experience the dream of writing about their travels and adventures of sailing, fishing and flying.

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