Flounder isn’t the flashiest fish we sell, but there’s a lot to be said for a sure thing. Think of flounder as the comfort food of the sea, mild and versatile with a delicate white fillet. Since this fish is available widely up and down the Atlantic Coast, it is a familiar item to both transplants and native North Carolinians. Since it is a flatfish, the fillets, especially on the smaller fish, can be somewhat thin, making it one of nature’s fast foods – you can take this fillet from the fridge to the dinner table in less than 10 minutes. Adaptable to a wide variety of cooking styles, this fish is popular for good reason.

Crabmeat-stuffed Flounder Roulades

Oil-poached Flounder

Oven-roasted flounder with Cilantro and Bok Choy and Lime

Golden Flounder with Caper Almond Dressing

Much loved by our friends across the Atlantic Ocean, monkfish boast a mild, sweet flavor that has earned it the nickname “poor man’s lobster”. It certainly is one of the most dramatic looking fish we sell, popular with Chefs and retail customers alike for the meaty skinless, boneless tails – not its charming face.

It isn’t too often that the whole fish is available from most fishmongers, but we do try to make it available to our customers when the fish is in season during the winter and spring. The exceptionally large head, used to swallow prey whole, is usually discarded before it reaches the marketplace. Think twice about using the whole fish however, monkfish cheeks are exceptionally tender.

Roast Monkfish with Caramelized Onions and Tart Cherries

Oven Roasted Monkfish with Clams and Merguez Sausage

Monkfish in Herbes de Provence Marinade

Monkfish on Mashed Potatoes

Monkfish fillets:

Let’s start with the basics – we sell wild caught catfish. YES. Wild caught, from the brackish waters from the Albemarle Sound. These wild fish have consumed an equally wild diet, which contributes to the mild flavor of the white fillets. The dense and meaty catfish we sell here at Locals is a perfect introductory seafood item for kids, with boneless, skinless, mild white fillets that are 1-4oz each. Its ready to be made into tasty little catfish fingers that come from a real place that’s just a couple of hours away.

Pan-fried Catfish Fingers with Lemony Tartar Sauce

Thai Catfish Salad

Clay Pot Style Catfish in Caramel Sauce

Catfish au Lait

Catfish Po’ Boys with Pickle Remoulade

Bycatch is a word without charm, and we’re not big fans of the term trash fish either. We love all the fish in the sea here at Locals Seafood, we’d hate to think that any of them overheard us “trash-talking” about underutilized species. That’s why we love sharing information about fish that may not be on your radar. A lot of these species appear when fishermen are actually targeting another, more commercially popular species. Chance brings a lesser known fish onto their line instead of that yellowfin tuna. That lesser known fish actually tastes great. Let’s call it serendipity seafood.

Almaco Jack is one of those serendipity seafood items. A dense, mild, white fish, Almaco Jack is a serendipity seafood that is commonly caught while fishing for larger fish this time of year. Skinless and boneless, the fish is perfect for the grill or the oven, but we love this firm fillet best in the classic fish taco. It is a member of the amberjack family, so feel free to use Almaco in any amberjack recipe you find except this one – might taste a li’l funny.

Friendly reminder that Chapel Hill Farmers Market’s summer hours begin this Saturday. Head over and see Mike D as early as 8am in the new location near Wells Fargo on the S. Estes side of the U Mall parking lot starting this weekend. He’ll be there with a smile and your pre-order. See you at the markets!

Grilled Fish Tacos with a Roasted Chile and Avocado Salsa

Grilled Fish Tacos with Spicy Mango-Adobo Salsa

Amberjack with Radishes and Basil

Grilled Amberjack with Country-Style Dijon Cream Sauce

Red snapper tastes great! But hold up, we’re talking about vermilion snapper. No, it is not the same fish. Yes they look alike. Yes vermilion is a shade of red. Yes, it is slightly confusing, but all part of that great education that is part of being a Locals customer. Here are some basics you might want to know.

1. Vermilion snapper is not the same thing as red snapper (we just covered that).
2. Vermilion is the most frequently caught snapper along the southeastern United States.
3. Vermilion snapper is a much smaller species of fish than red snapper, growing only to about 6 lbs, whereas the Red Snapper can get as large as 35 lbs.
4. Vermilion fillets can be substituted in just about any red snapper recipe, but whole fish recipes also work.
5. They have a medium texture and flake with a mild, sweet flavor.
There you have it, five teensy little things to remember about this tasty fish that is not red snapper.

See you at the markets!

Steamed Snapper with Ginger, Lime & Cilantro

Lemon Red Snapper with Herbed Butter

Grilled Red Snapper with a Fresh Citrus Salad (whole fish)

Roasted Red Snapper & Braised Bok Choi (whole fish)

Finally, a good ol’ regular name for a lesser known fish that we love, banded rudderfish. Its not named after another animal, it doesn’t sound or even look scary, so get to liking it! Rudderfish has been on so many menus at celebrated restaurants in Charleston the last couple of years that folks are used to seeing the rudderfish crudo and rudderfish tartare at hot spots like McCrady’s, Husk, The Macintosh, The Ordinary and FIG. In Chapel Hill, our friend Chef James Clark at Carolina Crossroads at the Carolina Inn has been using Banded Rudderfish for years as well. Don’t let these fancy places intimidate you though, Cabo Fish Taco down in Charlotte has used both blackened and fried rudder for a humble fish taco.

This member of the amberjack family can be found as far north as Nova Scotia, but water temps of about 63 are their sweet spot, and they can often be found in shallower water than other amberjacks. The rudderfish is a firm white fish and can be substituted in amberjack recipes. See you at the markets!

Oh, and just in case you need a li’l tipple while you cook, try an Amberjack. Clearly the most appropriate cocktail to choose while cooking rudderfish.

Grilled Amberjack Tacos

Grilled Amberjack with Country Style Dijon Cream

Pan seared Amberjack w/ Mixed Greens & Crawfish Vinaigrette (or NC shrimp?)

Rudderfish Crudo w Citrus Marinated Flowers and Vegetables (pictured, credit StarChefs.com)