Must Do Sarasota Visitor Guide Summer/Fall 2017

Fresh
Florida Seafood
Pompano – Firm, thick and rich fish but
mild and sweet in flavor with high oil
content. Scrumptious broiled, sautéed
or baked in parchment.
Sheepshead – White, firm, flavorful
Florida’s commercial fishermen are
continually harvesting seafood from coastal
fish similar to grouper or drum. Delicious
pan-fried, sautéed, broiled, or grilled.
waters and providing their fresh catch to
local seafood restaurants. You may not be
familiar with some of the choices on the
menu. This should eliminate some of the
guesswork next time you’re dining out.
Snapper – Red and yellowtail are most
commonly offered in restaurants and
markets. Mild, slightly sweet tasting
fish with a lean, firm texture. Tasty
when fried, grilled, sautéed, poached,
Alligator – Firm texture similar to pork. Tail
baked, or broiled.
meat is white and mild-flavored. The dark
meat of ribs, nuggets, and wings are stronger
tasting. Fried “gator bites” are popular
menu item comparable to chicken tenders
or nuggets. Can easily be substituted for
chicken, pork, and veal in most recipes.
Stone Crab Claws – Sweet flavor with
firm, flaky texture often compared
to lobster. Typically served cold with
drawn butter and lemon, or cocktail
sauces, mayonnaises or vinaigrettes.
Available from October 15 to May
Amberjack – Nice off-white flaky fish, with
a similar mild flavor to swordfish. Delicious
when broiled or grilled.
Blue Crab – Delicate moist and flaky. Hardshell
served steamed. Picked meat is fantastic
in a salad, crab cake, dip, or spread. Soft-shell
crabs can be eaten shell and all.
SHUTTERSTOCK
15 only.
DEBI PITTMAN WILKEY
Clams – Firm texture, rich meat with sweet to slightly salty flavor. Best oven roasted or grilled.
Cobia – Firm, smooth-bodied, richly flavored fish with large flake and texture similar to coho salmon. Great grilled, poached,
sautéed, baked, or blackened.
Golden Tilefish – White, firm, mild and succulent
flavored fish compared to lobster or crab. Terrific
sautéed, blackened, or in soups.
Grouper – Thick, white, lean fish with a mild, subtle
sweet flavor and firm texture and taste similar to
halibut. Tasty fried, baked, sautéed, or grilled.
Escape
Aboard The
Hogfish – White, firm fish with a sweet, nutty
flavor similar to red snapper. Delicious baked
or fried.
MARY CAROL FITZGERALD
King Makerel – Lean, robust, full-flavored fish
with darkish meat similar to bluefish. Delicious
smoked or wood-grilled.
Oysters – Tender to firm texture, flavor varies
from salty to bland. Enjoy raw, steamed, boiled,
oven roasted, baked, grilled, or fried.
40 SUMMER | FALL 2017 MustDo.com