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One of my favourite topics is fish. Having spent so much time on Vancouver Island in British Columbia, I have come to love all sorts of seafood and given that it’s such a healthy food, I thought it was time to explore the topic.
Many people are afraid of cooking fish. Everything about fish seems to be a mystery. What kind do I buy? How do I cook it? What do I serve with it?
This will be the first part in a series I plan to write about fish. It’s so easy to prepare, it’s time to face our fears and put that fish in the frypan. We’ll start by defining the two types of fish and offering a simple recipe to get you started. I’ll be looking forward to hearing how it works for everyone.
“Lean Fish” is a designation given to fish with a fat content ranging from 0.5 percent to no more than five percent. Because of their low oil content, these fish maintain quality during freezing for up to six months, and the very leanest can be held in the freezer up to one year. As a general rule of thumb, most lean fish are white-fleshed.
Examples of lean fish include:
- Flounder
- Trout
- Wild Striped Bass
- Black Drum
- Tilapia
- Cod
- Red Drum
- Perch
- Grouper
- Halibut
- DoverSole
- Haddock
“Fat Fish“. Don’t let the name mislead you — “fat” fish are good for you! These fish generally have an oil content of more than five percent. Since the oil is distributed throughout the flesh of the fish, the flesh tends to be darker than that of leaner species. The exact percentage of oil in the fish flesh depends on such variables as species, season of the year and even the water depth from which the fish is taken. These fish do not freeze as well as lean fish and should be used within three months. Fat fish include:
- Salmon
- Chilean Sea Bass
- Tuna
- Pompano
In later posts, we can discuss shopping for the best fish, cooking times, and creatives uses for leftovers but if you want to jump right in, here’s a simple, 15 minute, fool- proof recipe for a fabulous salmon dinner from Redbookmag.com. Take the plunge!
Grilled Salmon with Heirloom Tomatoes
2 tablespoon(s) white balsamic vinegar
2 tablespoon(s) extra virgin olive oil
1 teaspoon(s) minced garlic
1 1/2 pound(s) mixed heirloom or regular tomatoes, cut into thin wedges
1/2 cup(s) torn fresh basil leaves
1/4 cup(s) diced red onion
2 tablespoon(s) capers
Preparation
2 Comments
John
October 23, 2012 at 12:39 pmInteresting post, Robyn. Thanks for sharing. So is it the oil content in fish that makes it taste mild or strong?
I still haven’t developed a taste for anything other than mild seafood. I’m wondering if I should stay away from the “fat fish.”
Robyn
October 24, 2012 at 9:15 amHi there, John. I don’t know if it’s the oil content but I find that most white fish is quite mild compared to fish such as salmon, tuna or snapper.
Fish is definitely an acquired taste but it’s worth experimenting to find what you like. I don’t think you should stay away from ‘fat fish’ but I think you might want to choose your cooking methods carefully. If you like tomatoes, the recipe above is very easy and they really compliment the salmon. There are a lot of salmon recipes on my blog that have very light marinades that enhance the flavour rather than mask it.
If you find that even after experimenting, the ‘fat fish’ are too strong, just try to introduce the white fish into your diet a couple times a week and you’ll still get the benefits.
If the smell of the fish is daunting, I find that rubbing lemon over the fish before cooking makes a big difference.