One of the wonderful perks of living at the Jersey Shore is the abundance of fresh fish available right off the boats. I still find it amazing though that so many of us “locals” have no idea what is fresh caught and what comes to us from other areas of the US or further. The next time you go to buy fish, be sure to ask them what is fresh AND locally caught. For a list of the local fish and their seasons, take a look at ShoreCatch.com.
Buy Local
On my last visit to Point Lobster Company in Point Pleasant Beach, the only choices I had for locally caught were Fluke, Flounder, scallops and crab from South Jersey. There was some gorgeous grouper, but that came from Florida. So, since we were aiming for local Jersey fish, I snagged the Fluke. Fluke is a mild, delicate fish and not really meant for the grill unless you do what I did and cook it in foil.
Recipe: Easy Fluke on the Grill
This is a very easy way to cook fluke and the end result is absolutely delicious. If you are not a mushroom fan, I bet chopped tomato would make a yummy substitution. If you are enjoying this during Jersey corn season, it makes a great side dish for meal.
Ingredients
- 1 pound fresh Fluke fillet
- 2 Leeks, cut into half moons and cleaned thoroughly (Great instructions in notes below)
- 1/2 package baby Crimini mushrooms, cleaned and sliced
- 2 Tablespoons Butter, divided
- 1 Tablespoon Olive Oil
- 1 Garlic clove, minced
- 1 Tbs. lemon juice
Instructions
- Saute Leeks and Mushrooms in 2 Tablespoons butter and a dash of olive oil until tender.
- Cut the fillet(s) into four equal pieces and lay 2 pieces on top of Heavy Duty Aluminum Foil. You will have two packets with 2 pieces of fish each to grill. Salt & Pepper lightly.
- Mix garlic, 1 Tablespoon butter and lemon juice in glass bowl or glass measuring cup and microwave for one minute. Seal foil packets at the top and one side. Pour half of liquid into each packet and seal.
- Grill on medium - low for approximately 7 minutes. This fish cooks quick. It should flake easily when done.
Notes
If you have hearty eaters in your house, double the recipe. Fluke is very light and this fluke gets devoured quickly.
How to clean leeks - Video Instructions
The end result may not look all that pretty, but it was delicious. Even my best friend the self-proclaimed “fish hater” ate a whole piece and loved it. I realize the recipe calls for more butter than some may want to use, and I think you could safely scale it back by half without sacrificing the flavor. I also had some of the leeks and mushroom mixture left over, about a cup of it. I used it again later on top of salmon.
