ODDBALL FISH : Skate wings, ahi and opakapaka have been around for years. But only recently have adventurous California chefs made these unusual fish a regular part of their trendy cuisines.

Whatever happened to fish sticks? Or sole? Or plain old halibut steaks? They’re still popular, of course, but to be in today, it is necessary to eat skate wings, ahi , opakapaka or any number of things never heard of a few years back.

Competitive California chefs demand ingredients that are new and provocative. That is one reason for the rise of what we call, with tongue in cheek, “oddball fish.”

Some of these new fish have been around for years, relegated to a class called “under-utilized species.” This means that they were not in demand by prestige markets or were limited to an ethnic trade. Black cod is one example. Other fish, like opakapaka, which comes from Hawaii, are bona fide luxury items, expensive and limited in availability.

There was a time, not so long ago, when fish lacked status. Mother didn’t want it in the house because it was smelly, observed Jim McDavid, general manager of City Sea Foods, which distributes to restaurants and hotels. Now people are ordering and eating fish with a vengeance. And since it is eaten more often, there is more need for variety.

This year, the American Seafood Challenge, a national competition for chefs, was won by a Dallas chef who prepared catfish. Although catfish is not new, it has only recently, in farm-raised form, bid for the mainstream. Even more interesting, the second place winner presented a dish that would still shock some restaurant goers out of their seats. This was roast skate wings in red-wine butter, prepared by Elka Gilmore, formerly of Camelions in Santa Monica.

Given the conservative taste of the general public, the sporadic availability of some fish and their high prices, exotic species may never filter down to home kitchens. McDavid says that his best sellers are basics like swordfish, sole, sea bass, snapper and cods, “if they are very bland in taste.” Californians think they like fish, he said, but with a qualification--it must not taste fishy.

Fish to Take Home

Nevertheless, some devotees risk introducing unusual seafood. One of these is Barry A. Cohen, a seafood wholesaler, retailer and restaurateur. Cohen owns the Olde Port Inn at Avila Beach, Calif., and this year opened the Olde Port Fish Company’s Fresh Fish Grotto, a combined seafood market and restaurant in Bakersfield.

The Grotto has a 36-foot-long iced display case from which customers select fish to take home. Or they can pay $2 additional to have it cooked and served there, with mashed potato croquettes and coleslaw as accompaniments.

“We will order anything for our customers, from smoked eel to alligator,” Cohen said. Staple fish such as snapper, swordfish, salmon and halibut dominate the Grotto’s menu because availability is certain. The retail fish counter has those too but may also offer tilapia, goofish, gar, gopher cod, cow cod, buffalo fish, angel shark, opah and other uncommon species.

“People are looking around to see what’s fun to eat. They are starting to get the hang of fish,” Cohen said. “They never did before.”

As part of his educational campaign, Cohen teaches customers to handle fish in their own kitchens. “They’re afraid to take fish home to cook it because they’re afraid they’re going to ruin it. They don’t know what to do,” he said. Therefore, he has compiled the “Olde Port Simple and Delicious Recipe Series,” a set of printed recipes given free to customers.

McDavid, who has been in the seafood business for 18 years, says he now faces more competition than ever. Supermarkets have enlarged their seafood departments. Retailers that never dealt in fish are adding seafood lines. And new people, such as Julee Harman, are creating niches for themselves.

Harman was once a pre-med student at UC Berkeley. About three years ago, she and a partner began to rove Los Angeles in a truck selling fresh crayfish and Louisiana redfish. Thanks to the Cajun blackened-redfish craze, their business flourished. Harman, who bought her partner out, now has her own wholesale business, Ocean Jewels, which supplies restaurants, hotels and caterers. Business is so good, she is looking for larger quarters.

“I’m still at the point where I manage and basically do everything.” she said. “There’s a lot of pressure and it’s competitive. But generally, it’s real fun.”

Seafood Trucked and Flown

Harman brings in two or three shipments a week from Hawaii, and also flies and trucks seafood in from around the United States. Her biggest sellers are swordfish, salmon, tuna and halibut. But she does tend to get unusual fish. “I have no problem selling a lot of the under-utilized species,” she said.

Harman says she introduced California farm-raised striped bass to the market. This expensive hybrid was bred from California white bass, which is a game species, and eastern striped bass.

Other fish she might have on hand include tombo (Hawaiian albacore, which is inexpensive and “really tasty,” she said); ahi (yellow-fin tuna); opah, which is caught off Hawaii and California; ono (the name is Hawaiian for “sweet” and refers to the sweet-tasting meat of the fish, Harman said); the expensive Hawaiian opakapaka, and skate wings, which Harman described as tasting like lobster or scallops. Monkfish, a novelty when Julia Child slapped it around on television, and shark have joined the ranks of regular fish, Harman said.

Monkfish is also called anglerfish or, in France, lotte. On the East Coast, the name is dogfish, according to Michael Wild, chef-owner of the Bay Wolf restaurant in Oakland. The recipes that follow include an anglerfish and clam concoction from the Bay Wolf that is reminiscent of bouillabaisse. The seafood is served in a saffron-flavored sauce and is accompanied by pale-green, basil-flavored mayonnaise. Wild and chef de cuisine Carol Brendlinger collaborated on the recipe.

Tangy seasonings are traditional with fish because they accent its often bland flavor. The Bay Wolf serves sauteed opah fillets with a butter mixture that is strong on Sherry vinegar. Capers add to the sharpness.

A brilliant-red sauce made with red ginger and pink peppercorns is a dramatic foil for grilled opakapaka fillet at the Studio Grill in West Hollywood. Grilled ono fillets come with a rich cream sauce that includes piquant sorrel leaves. These dishes are not on the regular menu but appear as specials when the fish is available, said Ardison Phillips, Studio Grill owner.

Barry Cohen believes in the simplest possible treatment for exotic fishes, the better to judge the differences in flavor. Instead of a complicated sauce, butter, garlic and lemon juice season barbecued ahi fillets in one of the printed recipes that Cohen hands out to customers.

Pomfret is popular with Asians and widely available in Chinatown markets. An easy way to steam it is in the microwave oven. Seasoned with soy sauce, garlic, salted black beans and sweet red pepper, the fish cooks in only five minutes. The recipe is from the Home Management Center of the Hong Kong Electric Group.

Food Styling by Donna Deane and Minnie Bernardino

BAY WOLF’S ANGLERFISH AND CLAMS

Dash saffron threads

1/2 cup dry white wine

1/4 cup fruity olive oil

1 large onion, peeled and diced

2 to 3 cloves garlic, minced

2 sweet peppers (any color), seeded and diced

1 poblano chile, seeded and diced

1 pound tomatoes, peeled, seeded and chopped

2 pounds Manila clams

2 pounds anglerfish (monk fish), sliced 1/3 inch thick

1/2 cup basil leaves, cut in thin strips

Lemon juice, optional

Salt, optional

Basil-Garlic Mayonnaise

Toast saffron in dry skillet. Crush lightly. Add wine and set aside.

Heat olive oil in large skillet or wok. Add onion and saute 2 minutes. Add garlic, sweet peppers and chile. Saute 1 minute. Add tomatoes, saffron-wine mixture, clams and fish slices. Boil on high heat 3 to 5 minutes, until clams are opened and fish is cooked through. Stir in basil.

Taste to adjust seasonings. Lemon juice or salt may be needed depending on flavor of clams and sweetness of vegetables. Serve with Basil-Garlic Mayonnaise and croutons, potatoes or rice. Makes 6 servings.

Basil-Garlic Mayonnaise

3 cloves garlic

1 teaspoon salt

1 cup fruity olive oil

2 egg yolks

2 tablespoons lemon juice

1/2 cup basil leaves, minced

Mince garlic with salt. Slowly whisk olive oil into egg yolks. Whisk in lemon juice, garlic and basil. Taste to adjust seasonings. Makes 1 1/3 cups.

SAUTEED OPAH WITH SHERRY VINEGAR

2 tablespoons olive oil

1 1/2 pounds opah fillet, cut in 4 slices

Salt

Freshly ground pepper

1/4 cup aged Sherry wine vinegar

1/4 cup butter

2 tablespoons capers

2 tablespoons minced parsley

2 tablespoons minced chives

Heat olive oil in skillet large enough to hold fish in one layer. Sprinkle fish lightly with salt and pepper. Place in skillet and saute until barely cooked through, turning once. Set aside on serving platter and keep warm.

Deglaze skillet with vinegar and boil until reduced by half. Add butter little by little, swirling pan until butter is incorporated. Add capers, parsley and chives and bring to boil. Pour over fish and serve at once with boiled potatoes and sugarsnap peas. Makes 4 servings.

STUDIO GRILL’S OPAKAPAKA

3 tablespoons unsalted butter

1/4 cup finely chopped shallots

3/4 cup pickled red ginger shreds, chopped

1/4 cup cup pickled ginger juice

1 1/2 tablespoons pink peppercorns

2 cups sake or dry white wine

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon white pepper

1 1/2 teaspoons arrowroot

2 tablespoons water

2 pounds opakapaka fillet, grilled

Heat butter in large skillet. Add shallots and saute over medium heat until transparent. Add chopped ginger and juice, peppercorns and sake. Boil until liquid is reduced by half. Add salt and white pepper and simmer 5 minutes. Blend arrowroot with water. Slowly stir into mixture and whisk until sauce is medium thick. Serve over grilled fish. Makes 6 to 8 servings.

ONO WITH CREAM OF SORREL SAUCE

2 cups whipping cream

2 tablespoons unsalted butter

2 tablespoons cup finely chopped shallots

1 1/2 teaspoons flour

1/4 cup dry white wine

1/2 cup chicken stock

3/4 cup chopped sorrel leaves

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon black pepper

Dash cayenne pepper

2 tablespoons dry Sherry

1 1/2 pounds ono fillets, grilled

Place cream in small saucepan and boil until reduced to 1 cup. Heat butter in another saucepan. Add shallots and cook until transparent. Stir in flour gradually and cook, stirring constantly, to make medium thick roux. Brown slightly, but do not allow to burn.

Add wine and stir 1 minute. Add chicken stock and cream and whisk until smooth. Reduce heat to low. Add sorrel leaves, salt, pepper and cayenne. Stir lightly for few minutes. Add Sherry. Simmer over low heat 5 minutes, until thickened. Serve sauce over grilled onion. Makes 4 to 6 servings.

STEAMED POMFRET WITH BLACK BEANS

1 1/2 pounds pomfret (2 fish), cleaned

3/4 teaspoon salt

Pepper

2 tablespoons chicken stock

1 1/4 teaspoons dark soy sauce

1 teaspoon light soy sauce

1 teaspoon sugar

1/2 teaspoon MSG, optional

Dash sesame oil

2 cloves garlic, minced

1 tablespoon salted black beans, washed and crushed

1 small sweet red pepper, chopped

1 tablespoon oil

1 tablespoon chopped green onion

Wash fish. Pat dry with paper towels. Place in single layer in microwave-safe baking dish. Season fish with 1/4 teaspoon salt and dash pepper. Combine chicken stock, soy sauces, sugar, 1/2 teaspoon salt, MSG, sesame oil, garlic, black beans and red pepper. Pour sauce and oil over fish. Cover dish with plastic wrap. Microwave on HIGH 5 minutes. Uncover fish and top with green onion. Makes 4 servings.

FRESH FISH GROTTO’S BARBECUED AHI

1 1/2 pounds ahi steaks

5 tablespoons butter

4 cloves garlic, minced

Lemon wedges

Salt, peppper

Prepare barbecue. Cook fish when all coals are coated with ash. Heat butter in small skillet. Add garlic. Squeeze juice from 1 lemon wedge into skillet. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Rinse fish gently in cold water and pat dry. Place directly on grill.

Stir butter. Brush or spoon about 1/4 butter mixture on top. Cook 3 to 4 minutes. Brush with butter mixture again. Cook another 3 to 4 minutes, depending on heat and thickness of fish. Turn fish over and repeat procedure. Do not overcook. Fish is done when color is same throughout fish. Makes 6 servings.