When getting the blues is a good thing

With a whole bluefish in his hands, restaurateur Steve Johnson approaches the hot grill in the kitchen at Rendezvous with confidence. Johnson fishes off the coast of Westport, so he's an old hand at this.

Like many cooks, the chef prefers whole fish to fillets because the bones add so much more flavor to the flesh. Customers who once wouldn't touch fish on the bone are now conceding that bone-in fish tastes better. In any case, at this restaurant, diners don't see many bones. The whole fish is filleted before it goes to the table accompanied by a hot and crunchy Vietnamese cucumber salad.

To grill bluefish, Johnson sets the fish on the cold side of the rack and just before he's ready to cook it, sprinkles the skin with olive oil, salt, and pepper. Without scoring the fish, he sets it over a hot fire that has been built with hardwood charcoal and logs. Unlike anxious grillers, the chef doesn't prod the fish once it's on the coals.

About eight minutes later, he uses a long metal spatula to gently release the skin on the bottom from the grill rack, then flips the fish to cook the other side. The skin is lightly charred and the aromas from the grill are enough to make anyone hungry. When the second side is done, Johnson transfers the fish to a moderate oven to finish cooking. Then he cuts around the top of the fish, lifts off the skin and fillet and sets some fish on several plates. He spoons the spicy cuke salad on top and the smoky, meaty, crisp, vinegary duo is passed around.
-- SHERYL JULIAN

Dishing looks at how people are eating, new items on restaurant menus, and what consumers are buying and cooking. This is the second part of a story on whole fish.