Blackfish

Blackfish or Tautog is a delicious firm fleshed slightly pink fish that swims off the Atlantic.  It feeds on tiny sea urchin and crab giving the flesh a sweet almost shellfish like flavor.  So far it's not overfished although it's hard to find outside of the farmers market or Chinatown.  I snap it up whenever I come across it as I think it's really fine eating.  In a restaurant I would probably pan sear the fish in extra virgin olive oil but at home I prefer to broil my fish.  I smear a little olive oil over the top and salt and pepper the filet, flesh side up if its been skinned, skin side up if the skin is still on.  The old adage ten minutes an inch seems to work well.  The top gets nice and brown and crispy and the bottom stays moist and tender.  When fish is fresh I don't really like to add much to it.  Here I plated it over some baby Romaine lettuce and added a couple of spoonfuls of Moroccan style eggplant, a drizzle of Teverina olive oil and a squirt of lemon.