Shark steaks are very lean. Pair this dish with something rich and creamy like Baked Risotto with Sun-Dried Tomatoes (page 253).

• Rinse shark thoroughly and pat dry with a paper towel. Lightly coat with olive oil. Place shark in a glass baking dish.

• Combine the dried herbs, red pepper flakes, dried lemon peel, and salt in a glass jar. (This makes about 1 cup of Spicy Herb Rub, which may be stored in a tightly covered glass jar for several weeks.) Sprinkle several tablespoons of herb mix on both sides of the shark, lightly patting to distribute herb mix evenly. Shark may be cooked immediately or refrigerated for 30 minutes to allow for greater penetration of herb flavors.

• Preheat oven to 350°F. Place shark in glass baking dish into the oven. Bake for about 10 to 12 minutes or until shark is opaque and begins to ooze a milky white liquid.

Shark

This is one of the fish that breaks the “cook over high heat for 10 minutes per inch thickness” rule. Instead, a 1-inch-thick shark steak cooks in about 7 to 8 minutes over high heat and 10 to 12 minutes over medium heat. Buy pure white steaks without any dark meat, which is unpleasant.