Must Do Naples Visitor Guide Summer/Fall 2018

Fresh Florida Seafood
SHUTTERSTOCK
Florida’s commercial fishermen are continually harvesting seafood from coastal 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.
Alligator – Firm texture similar to pork. Tail 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.
Hogfish – White, firm fish with a sweet, nutty flavor
similar to red snapper. Delicious baked or fried.
King Mackerel – Lean, robust, full-flavored
fish with darkish meat similar to bluefish.
Delicious smoked or wood-grilled.
Amberjack – Nice off-white flaky fish, with a similar mild
flavor to swordfish. Delicious when broiled or grilled.
Blue Crab – Delicate moist and flaky.
Hard-shell served steamed. Picked meat is
fantastic in a salad, crab cake, dip, or spread.
Soft-shell crabs can be eaten shell and all.
Oysters – Tender to firm texture, flavor varies
from salty to bland. Enjoy raw, steamed, boiled,
oven roasted, baked, grilled, or fried.
Pompano – Firm, thick and rich fish but mild and
sweet in flavor with high oil content. Scrumptious
broiled, sautéed or baked in parchment.
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.
Sheepshead – White, firm, flavorful fish similar to
grouper or drum. Delicious pan-fried, sautéed, broiled,
or grilled.
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, baked, or broiled.
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 15 only.
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