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Ocean sunfish are found in warm and temperate waters, but they seem to be considered food fish only in California, where commercial fishermen occasionally bring them in. Their average size is 20 to 24 inches across, and two will serve four to six people. But the skin and the flesh are tough and leathery, and special preparation is required.

OCEAN SUNFISH ITALIAN

Sunfish

Olive oil

2 cloves garlic, crushed

Salt

Freshly ground black pepper

Lemon juice

White wine

1 cup tomato sauce

First, split the fish in two very carefully and cut the flesh away from the skin. Put the flesh into a kettle with a little boiling water and simmer slowly for an hour to release the fat and the excess gelatinous material. Heat olive oil in a large skillet; add the garlic and the pieces of sunfish meat. Salt and pepper to taste, sprinkle with lemon juice, pour on a little white wine, and simmer slowly for a few minutes. Add the tomato sauce cooking until the fish is tender, about another 5 minutes.

Pollock

A relative of the haddock and the cod, pollock is one of the great sources of fillets for frozen fish sales. It is a well-flavored white fish of good texture that holds up well under freezing. You will find it marketed throughout the country as “ocean-fresh fillets,” “deep-sea fillets,” and with other similar labels. In New England it was once called “Boston bluefish,” but somehow the name failed to stick.

You may prepare pollock in any of the ways given for haddock or cod.

Pompano

Many people — I am not among them — think that pompano is the finest fish caught in American waters.

Most of the catch obtained off Florida and in the Gulf is consumed locally. Some is shipped north and sold to luxury restaurants. It is not a cheap fish. Pompano is thin, with a deeply forked tail and a beautiful silvery skin.

BROILED POMPANO

You may broil either a whole pompano or fillets. The fish should be well oiled or buttered, and the broiling rack should be piping hot and oiled before the fish is placed on it. Broil the fish about 3 inches from the flame or charcoal. Season to taste after cooking. For detailed procedures see pages 9–10.

Serve with lemon wedges, lemon butter (page 31), anchovy butter (page 32), or parsley butter (page 33).

POMPANO SAUTÉ MEUNIÈRE

Roll the fish in flour and follow the directions for sauté meunière, page 10.

BAKED POMPANO

Clean the fish, place it on an oiled baking dish or pan and dot heavily with butter, season with salt and freshly ground pepper, and add a few slices of lemon. Bake at 425° according to the Canadian cooking theory (page 8).

Serve with lemon butter (page 31), anchovy butter (page 32), or Hollandaise sauce (pages 25–26). My favorite is a good Béarnaise (page 26), with a side dish of very crisp julienne potatoes and grilled tomato.

POMPANO EN PAPILLOTE

This is one of the most elegant ways of preparing pompano. You may use either the whole fish or fillets. For each serving you will need 1 fillet or small whole fish, a heart-shaped piece of cooking parchment that is big enough to wrap the fish in, 2 tablespoons of sauce duxelles, and 3 mushroom caps.

Mushroom caps

Butter

Fillets or small whole fish

Cooking parchment

Salt

Freshly ground black pepper

Sauce duxelles (page 27)

Chopped parsley

Sauté the mushrooms lightly in butter. Butter the fish well. Place the fish on the parchment, toward one edge. Season to taste, top with the sauce duxelles and the mushroom caps, dot with butter, and sprinkle with chopped parsley. Fold the parchment over the top of the filling and crimp the edges together securely. Bake in a 425° oven according to the Canadian cooking theory (page 8), adding 5 minutes for the paper. Serve with shoestring potatoes and lemon wedges.

VARIATION

Place a thin slice of broiled ham on the parchment and top with the fish. Dot with butter, add 2 or 3 shrimp, a little chopped parsley, and, if available, a bit of chopped truffle. Proceed as above.