Wild Rockfish At Laurel Meat Market

Finally, it's warm enough to grill, and you should knock the cobwebs off your Weber with the local treat of spring -- wild rockfish fillets like the ones you can buy at the Laurel Meat Market.

I bought an 18-ounce filet last week, and it became the perfect dinner.  A quick sprinkling with salt and pepper, a few minutes to heat the grill and to rub the hot grate with an oil-soaked paper towel.  That created the perfect, no-stick spot to grill the fish for about five minutes with the skin up, then three-to-five with the skin side down.

The rockfish came off moist and with the mineral flavor and the firm, but still flaky flavor that makes them so prized.  There can be a challenge to grilling a fillet that has sections that range from thin to thick.  Generally, I take fish off the grill and slice it to ensure that the thickest parts have cooked through.  The flesh turns opaque and flaky, so you should be able to spot any rare parts inside.  That system worked perfectly last week.

As much as I went seasonal with the rockfish, I reached to Chile for the the rest of dinner.  I made a quick salsa based on a nectarine.  I needed a taste of summer, and the Chilean nectarine smelled delicious.  I chopped up the nectarine, then chopping half a red pepper, half hot pepper and about a quarter of a red onion.   I squeezed on some lime juice and put that on top of the fish.  (The leftover salsa actually improved overnight, so I'd make it ahead if I could.)


If you are in Columbia or farther north, I'd suggest that you call Today's Catch in Columbia or Frank's Seafood in Jessup to see if they have rockfish.  Click here for a post about seafood markets in Howard County.