interesting:
www.gortons.com
a.k.a.: Ray, rajafish
Waters:Atlantic and Pacific coastal waters
Description (in water): Two triangular, tapered "wings" (technically pectoral fins) give this unusual looking steel-gray fish, which is related to shark, graceful mobility as it seeks prey along the sea floor. A large fish, skate often exceeds 100 lbs.
Description (in market): Only the wings (fins) of the skate are edible; in each, a thin layer of translucent cartilage separates two sections of firm, lean, delicately flavored white meat. The cartilage is edible only with young, small skate. The skin is tough and not edible.
Sold as: "Wings" (fins), skinned and unskinned; whole (less common)
Best cooking: Before further preparation, skate--like its relative, shark--must be soaked in a vinegar-and-water solution; this process rids the meat of a natural ammonia odor that develops after capture.
Skate is delicious simply poached and served with a butter-based sauce. Skate with brown butter (raie au beurre noir) is a French favorite. Many cooks prefer to poach skate before further preparation (eg. sautéeing, frying), but the meat can also be steamed, broiled, or grilled.
Buying tips: Look for meat that has already been skinned, as skinning the wings yourself is extremely difficult. The wings should smell sweet and fresh. Beware of flesh that smells strongly of ammonia, which usually indicates that the fish has been sitting too long in the market (a faint trace is O.K., it will disappear after the soaking process or after cooking).