Today I got a couple of Sculpin (cheap) and a couple of Strawberry Grouper (very expensive) along with a pile of squid (large and small).

[image|http://www.clovegarden.com/ingred/img/sf_sculp04d.jpg||||] [image|http://www.clovegarden.com/ingred/img/sf_groupst04d.jpg||||]

To give an idea of the scale of business at these Phillipine fishmarkets (remember, there's two of them within 3 blocks of each other) I counted in one of them: one guy weighing, one guy frying, and 8 guys on the scale and clean line working as fast as they could go.

The weigh station is automated and prints a barcode sticker with name, price/#, weight and total price, with a tear off claim tag that's given to the purchaser. The fish go in a tray at one end of the scale and clean line and the purchaser waits for the tag number to be called at the other end.

Of course myself and many of the Philippinos bypass the line by calling "no cut no clean" at the weigh station. We get handed the bagged and tagged fish and head for checkout.

The big seller is Talapia - I've seen some people take a couple dozen at a time. Myself, I generally buy Talapia as frozen fillets - that and Tra are my "convenience fish"

For those that want it, scale and clean is free. Deep fry is also free, operating from one hour after opening to one hour before closing. The same rules apply at the Southeast Asian fish markets.

The Korean markets have only a few varieties of fish (no Tilapia), no fry service and prices are higher, but scale and clean is still free.

. . at the price. Most expensive fish I've bought yet at $6.69/#. Even Monkfish tails aren't that high, and they're almost all edible.

[Ooops, correction - found the sticker, they didn't charge me that much, only $5.59/# - about the same as Red Snapper and Monkfish].

Of course with so many cookbook recipes call for grouper and grouper looking so much like a "regular fish", practically any grouper is bound to be expensive.

Same as with Red Snapper. Not only is Red Snapper expensive but a lot of other fish that aren't even snappers are sold labled "Red Snapper".

On the other hand, from past experience, I'm betting the Sculpin is the more delectable fish - we'll see.

. . I do not intend to disect them. I intend to fillet them, and I shall indeed eat them.

Both.

No doubt about it - the Strawberry Grouper is a fish that will satisfy the most demanding chef. Delicate flavor, holds together in cooking but flakes apart effortlessly on the plate. Compatible with the most delicate and sophisticated sauces.

No doubt about it - the California Scorpionfish is a fish connoisseur's fish. A touch firmer than the Grouper with flavor a shade more assertive.

With either of these fish don't even think about an assertive sauce - you'd just be wasting your money - that's what talapia and catfish are for (and I imply no slight of either).

Testing Method

1. Fillet fish.
2. Prepare [link|http://www.clovegarden.com/recipes/gmf_fishpoach1.html|Court Bouillon #3], strain and reheat.
3. Poach fish at below a simmer for 4 to 5 minutes.
4. Eat first 1/3 of fillet with nothing but a light sprinkling of sea salt.
5. Finish remaining 2/3 with a very small amount of [link|http://www.clovegarden.com/recipes/gjd_lemonbutter1.html|Lemon Butter Sauce].
6. Check against calibration standard (Pompano).
7. All of above accompanied by small sips of a dry flinty white wine.

On the other end of the scale there's Mackerel - and I'm a real mackerel fan. Indonesian stews or just dusted and fried for "robust" Pacific (Japanese) Mackerel. New England stuffing and bake for Atlantic mackersl (the most saught after mackerel in Japan - mostly shipped from Norway). Just about anything for Pacific Sierra, the most sophisticated of all mackerels (found only from Los Angeles south to a little south of Lima Peru). I have a pound curing into [link|http://www.clovegarden.com/recipes/xaf_ceviche1.html|Ceviche] in the fridge as I write this. Yummmmm!