The striped marlin
Tetrapturus audax
Striped marlin, while being the more diminutive sized of the Pacific marlins, are to the exact contrary when it comes to appearance and eating characteristics.
As the name aptly suggests, these fish have a brilliant series of cobalt-coloured vertical stripes, and their striking exterior is matched by beautiful light pink to orange-red flesh once loined.
While a few may find it hard to pick favourites due to each of the three Pacific marlin species having subtle differences, most would agree that Striped marlin are the best, due to their superior colour, flavour and tender texture.
As the name aptly suggests, these fish have a brilliant series of cobalt-coloured vertical stripes, and their striking exterior is matched by beautiful light pink to orange-red flesh once loined.
While a few may find it hard to pick favourites due to each of the three Pacific marlin species having subtle differences, most would agree that Striped marlin are the best, due to their superior colour, flavour and tender texture.
HOW TO COOK IT?
With a good fat content and mouthfeel when eaten raw, they are a perfect fish to showcase simply as sashimi, poké, crudo, etc yet are also reputedly one of the best species for the traditional Polynesian ‘fafaru’. In terms of cooking striped marlin, it is hard to go past the classic method of sliding cubes of their diced pink flesh onto skewers, then searing them on a barbecue under the bright Tahitian sun.
