Red New Zealand

Like other premium Hawaiian snappers, Uku has a clear, pale pink flesh that is delicately flavored. The oil content is high, the flake is medium and the moisture content is moderate. Some local chefs argue the Uku has a slightly fuller flavor than the sub-tile Opakapaka. The sashimi grade flesh will take high heat well and firm and tighten once heat is applied. The Uku is a handsome fish which reminds me of the Eastern Seaboard Black Bass. It has a lighter colored grey skin, friendly looking eyes and a stream-lined head with a masculine jaw-line that appears to smile at you.  Uku harvested during the summer spawning season is often rich in natural fat, a desirable attribute for any sashimi application. Uku is one of the few cool to warm water temperature snappers that is safe to serve raw.

Cuttlefish have an internal shell, called the cuttlebone. They have large W shaped eyes, eight arms and two tentacles furnished with suckers, with which they secure their prey. They eat small mollusks including other cuttlefish, crabs, shrimp, and fish. They have a rather short lifespan, living only one to two years. They are totally absent from the Americas but present along the coasts of East and South Asia, Western Europe, the Mediterranean, and off the coasts of Africa and Australia