Parrot fish
Scarus sp.
The term ‘parrot fish’ encompasses a multitude of species and genera of very colorful reef fish. The presence of a powerful ‘beak’ used to gnaw the coral from which it draws most of its food, as well as its shimmering colors, explains this species’ name.
An archetypal reef species, parrot fish are exclusively fished near coral reefs and either caught with gillnets, collected in fish traps or by using spearguns. No other fish is more representative of the Tuamotu Archipelago than this one.
It is often observed there in schools of hundreds of individuals moving on the reef flats in 50 cm of water in search of food. The fine and tasty flesh of the parrot fish, white to very slightly pink in color, pairs well with different sauces and results in excellent cooked preparations.
An archetypal reef species, parrot fish are exclusively fished near coral reefs and either caught with gillnets, collected in fish traps or by using spearguns. No other fish is more representative of the Tuamotu Archipelago than this one.
It is often observed there in schools of hundreds of individuals moving on the reef flats in 50 cm of water in search of food. The fine and tasty flesh of the parrot fish, white to very slightly pink in color, pairs well with different sauces and results in excellent cooked preparations.
HOW TO COOK IT?
Raw, pan-fried, grilled and even roasted in the oven, parrot fish lends itself to many cooking methods – its tasty and delicately sweet flesh will satisfy your taste buds as ceviche, simply pan-fried fillets, on the barbecue, cooked whole in the oven on a bed of vegetables or in foil. When cooking whole fish, it is important to check the cooking of the fillet down to the bone level just behind the head, as this part of the fish takes longest to cook.
