Intro to fish for non-fish eaters?

A

andreaindc

Well-known member
Neither my husband nor I eat much fish. My mom's awful fish dishes included fish sticks, shrimp in a tomato-based sauce served over rice (which once made me sick), and sole done in an electric skillet with lemon. Probably explains my aversion...

The few fish dishes we do eat don't overlap. DH likes fish & chips and tuna in a can. For me the occasional shellfish is okay; however, I find I can't eat much crab or lobster because it is so rich. I've had red snapper once - albeit just a little, and I thought it was pretty good. We have both eaten salmon out at friends, which was fine.

I can't help feeling like we're missing out on something that could potentially be good. Should I give up this crazy idea of trying something to convert us to fish-eaters, or does anyone have any suggestions for a fairly innocuous fish dish to try that we might like. (Fish that is raw won't be well-received. Soy sauce/lime based marinade kind of appeals to me for something like salmon.) If you have a suggestion, what should I look for in buying that particular fish (aside from non-stinky fish)?

Thanks.

 
Oh girlie...I can help you out here, having been in the same spot: Fish-O-Phobic Honey Mustard Cod

Edited from an earlier post at "The Site Formerly Known As Gail's Swap"

Date: Tue, 07 Nov 2000 01:47:12 GMT
From: Marilyn in FL

Rec: Easy Honey Mustard Baked Cod (for fish-a-phobics like myself)

My husband has finally reached the age where he worries more about the vagaries of health than whether his Godzilla-size jar of peanuts will suffice for an entire football game.

Somewhere between popping ginko biloba pills and checking his receding hairline, he asked that I serve seafood more often for dinner. Now while I promised to love and honor this man, nowhere was it mentioned that fish would be involved.

(By now, you may have reached the conclusion that I am somewhat aquatically-challenged. And while you would be absolutely right, that would be putting it kindly.)

I live on the Florida coast and firmly believe God placed me here due to proximity to seafood restaurants. Why risk dry, smelly fish when--for the mere price of a kidney or two--you can let a restaurant prepare it for you.

Alas, God did not have the foresight to leave me a trust-fund, so preparing our own meals is infinity cheaper.

Using the old trial and error method (leaning heavily toward the "error" side because Mr. Husband cannot stand undercooked fish and I cannot stand overcooked fish), this recipe has worked out to be easy, tasty, and dependable. It satisfies my husband's current health kick to add more seafood into his diet and I don't have to descale, debone or dehead anything.

Not bad for someone who hasn't enjoyed going into the ocean since "Jaws".

Baked Honey Mustard Cod (serves 3)

Melt 1 tablespoon butter and spread 1 tsp. on the bottom of an 8x8" or 6x10" glass pan.

Cut 1 lb of fresh cod into 3 pieces and lay in pan. (the cod should be about 3/4" thick. Fold very thin end pieces underneath so all fish is the same thickness. You can also use grouper or snapper. And, although I haven't tried it, I'll bet this would also work for halibut, haddock or scrod)

Spread the top of each piece with honey mustard salad dressing (Major edit to original: I currently use a Vermont honey-mustard salad dressing, but my original notes say I used Plochman's Honey Dijon mustard. I guess either will work, although I'd probably use less pure mustard than salad dressing.)

Sprinkle with a few tablespoons of prepared bread crumbs (I used Italian seasoned crumbs--around 2 Tbls for each piece, more or less)

Drizzle the rest of the butter over the top.

Bake 350 degrees for 20 minutes.

That's it!

Optional treat: If you have them, chop up 1/2
cup of pecans or pistachios and sprinkle over
the top. Bake 3-4 more minutes. Very nice
crunchy touch.

Please note: I've been baking this in a
counter-top toaster oven. Twenty minutes at
350 degrees in a glass dish may turn out
somewhat different in a regular oven baked in
a different dish. What to look for? The fish
turns solid white and flakes easily when a
fork is gently twisted in it. The crumb
topping doesn't exactly crisp up, but the
fish is moist and not a tad over- or under-
cooked.

This recipe has turned out perfectly the last
3 or 4 times I made it. (And trust me, I
don't use that word lightly, much less around
fish.)

 
Ponzu sauce will make you an absolute lover of fish--good on "steak" fish or shrimp!!

Ponzu Salmon
The ponzu sauce from this recipe is fantastic on any seafood. The sauce recipe makes 1 cup
4 (8 ounce) salmon fillet, skin removed

1 teaspoon fine sea salt
2 tablespoons vegetable oil

Northwest Ponzu Sauce
1 grapefruits

1 orange

1 lime

1/4 cup sugar

1/4 cup soy sauce

1/4 cup rice vinegar

1. For the sauce:.
2. Use a zester to remove the colorful outer rind from the grapefruit, the orange and the lime; save the zest on the side.
3. If you don't have a zester, use a vegetable peeler to remove the rind, then cut it into julienne strips with a sharp knife.
4. Juice the fruits and combine the juices.
5. Put the sugar in a dry pan over medium-high heat and swirl the pan until the sugar has begun to dissolve; it will be caramel-colored.
6. Pour in the fruit juice and step back because the mixture will boil and steam rapidly before settling into a steady boil.
7. Boil for about 2 minutes, swirling the pan now and then to dissolve the caramelized sugar.
8. When the caramelized sugar has dissolved, add the soy sauce and vinegar.
9. Drop in half of the citrus zest that was set aside before the fruits were juiced and continue boiling the sauce for 2 or 3 minutes, or until it is slightly thickened.
10. The zest may be left in or strained out.
11. Serve the sauce warm or at room temperature.
12. For the Salmon: Rinse the salmon fillets, pat them dry and sprinkle with the sea salt.
13. Put a large, nonstick skillet over medium-high heat and allow the pan to preheat for 1 minute.
14. Put the oil in the pan; it should be almost smoking-hot.
15. Put the salmon skinned-side-up into the pan and allow the salmon to cook undisturbed for 4 to 5 minutes or until a crisp brown crust has formed on the underside of the fish.
16. Turn the fillets and cook 5 minutes longer or until fish is just cooked through.
17. Make a puddle of ponzu sauce in the center of four plates and plant the pan-seared fish fillets on top.
18. Garnish the fish with reserved zest from a grapefruit, an orange and a lime.


Options

 
Nine times out of ten I simply broil salmon.........

Use either a large filet or individual portions. If the skin is on, leave it on.

Put the salmon skin side down in a broiler pan. Season with salt, pepper, and tarragon (or your favorite herb) and rub with olive oil.

If the fish is very thick, broil on low, otherwise broil on high. The rule of thumb is 10 minutes for each inch of thickness, so it your fish is 3/4-inch thick at it's thickest, figure about seven minutes. Check for doneness before then--insert a knife into the thickest part. It should be slightly cooked in the center--not raw but not completely opaque either. It will continue to cook in its own heat, so stop a little short of how you like it.

(Another way to tell if fish is done is by smell. When you suddenly smell the aroma of fish cooking, you know it's starting to release it's juices and it's almost there.)

Lift the salmon out of the pan, leaving the skin behind. Try to also leave behind the dark streak that runs down the middle on the skin side. It separates easily after it's cooked. Serve salmon with just lemon, or with hollandaise or butter sauce, or just about any sauce.

Serve leftovers cold with mayonnaise and cucumber salad.

I also have posted a favorite recipe for poached salmon with creamy cucmber sauce but the search function is not working. I can post it again if you'd like.

 
Rec: Red Snapper en Papillote. Fun to make as it is to eat.

Rec: Low Fat Salmon en Papillote (I used red snapper) Was terrific (m)
Posted: Nov 28, 2005 9:42 AM


This was my second and most successful attempt at making papillotes. I halved the recipe using brown parchment paper. I cooked the red snapper skin side down in two heart shaped packets for 17.5 minutes. This time they puffed up nicely. These packets are really easy to prepare and the fish is so tasty and moist!

Recipe:

http://cyan.scarydevil.com/recipes/fish/salmon-papillotte.html

How to fold parchment paper:

http://www.sundaysupper.com/parch.htm (www.sundaysupper.com)

http://cyan.scarydevil.com/recipes/fish/salmon-papillotte.html

 
Buy from a really good fish monger where it is fresh, fresh, fresh. Frozen fish

from a good source is better than so-called fresh that isn't. I have been unhappy with some of the so-called fresh fish I've bought. Smells fishy and has a sulfite (preservative) taste to me. If your market sells frozen fish or shrimp that has been thawed and you have the time, ask for it still frozen and thaw yourself. I honestly think that most people who don't think they like fish just don't know how good it can be when it is really fresh.

Sad to live in Florida and have a hard time buying good, fresh seafood. All the little shacks where they got it right off the boat have disappeared to development. Btw, I really like Norwegian farmed salmon, think it's far better than the usual farmed salmon, also like it bettr than the wild, but then I'm a long way from the source of the wild and that might be the reason it tastes "fishy" to me.

 
this is a great baste. Also, the Incredible chicken marinade is good on fish as well. Just don't

marinate as long with all the citrus it would "cook" the delicate fish.

 
Some great salmon recipes: Broiled Salmon With Lime Cilantro,

Broiled Salmon w/ Sweet Red Pepper Sauce, and Salmon in Ginger Butter Sauce. Let me know if you want me to post any of them.

Don't know if you've ever had Rainbow or Brook Trout - Great fish. I have two excellent recipes if you're interested.

 
REC: Northwest Sugar-Cured Salmon

I hated fish until I had this at an Indian reservation up north. It's WONDERFUL! (and easy)

2 Tbl. firmly packed brown sugar
1 Tbl. cider vinegar
1 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. freshly ground pepper
1-1/2 pounds salmon or bluefish fillet or butterflied trout (I've only tried salmon)

Combine brown sugar, vinegar, salt and pepper in a small bowl. Rub evenly over fish. Wrap and refrigerate at least 6 hours or up to 24 hours (*see notes below)

Prepare grill (*see notes below). Grill covered, skin side down, over medium-low coals 15-18 minutes (8-10 min. for trout), until opaque. Turn fish over and grill uncovered 2 more minutes.

*Notes: I usually plop it in a ziploc in the fridge and marinate only 2 hours - it's always come out perfect. I have never grilled (since I don't own one). I have one of those counter-top Nesco Jet Stream Ovens and I do it for 10 minutes. Have also seared it in a skillet -- no matter how you do it, you end up with this wonderful caramelized coating with that sweet/tart/peppery flavor.

I think this was from an old Woman's Day, not sure, but they recommend serving it with a grilled corn and chile salsa which I have never tried.

 
Simple Salmon from Weber's Big Book of Grilling -- wonderful!

This is the dish that convinced my hubby he didn't hate salmon after all!

For the marinade:
1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
1/4 cup soy sauce
1/4 cup Dijon mustard
3 tablespoons prepared horseradish
2 tablespoons light brown sugar
1 teaspoon rice vinegar

6 salmon fillets (with skin), about 6 ounces each and 1 inch thick
To make the marinade: In a medium bowl, whisk together the marinade ingredients until smooth. Place the salmon fillets in a large, resealable plastic bag and pour in all but 1/3 cup of the marinade. Press the air out of the bag and seal tightly. Turn the bag to distribute the marinade, place in a bowl, and refrigerate for 15 to 30 minutes. Remove the fillets from the bag and discard the marinade. Grill the fillets, skin side down, over Indirect High heat until opaque throughout, 10 to 12 minutes. During the last 2 minutes of grilling time, brush the fillets with the 1/3 cup reserved marinade. Slide a spatula between the skin and flesh and transfer the fillets to serving plates. Serve warm. Makes 6 servings.

 
I made this last night, Ang. Thanks for the tip! It was very...

fast to throw together for a topping. We used it on baked potatoes (added some sour cream to it), but I imagine that it would be great on fish too.

Fresh dill from the back yard - I KNEW I'd find a use for it somehow! Thanks again.

 
Meryl - could you post the ginger butter sauce recipe, please?

The others sound good too. Once I get through a few of these, I may ask you to post the other two as well.
Thanks.
Andrea

 
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