Seafood Newbie

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  • blinker86
    blinker86 Posts: 104 Member
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    I love seafood of any variety cooked any way. But I'm wondering if, for you, fish tacos might be a good place to start. A lightly battered, fried filet inside a soft flour tortilla with shredded lettuce, cheese and a nice sauce (perhaps a chipotle mayo). Sprinkle a little lime juice on everything. I'm thinking hiding the fish in all of those other ingredients might make your first baby steps into the world of seafood feel a little less daunting.

    And I don't know if you have Taco John's where you live, but their fish tacos (without cheese) are only 250 calories, and they are delicious!

    I would definitely try fish tacos! Thanks for the idea!
  • IslandSeeker
    IslandSeeker Posts: 17
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    sea scallops, wrapped in bacon and then broiled until the bacon is browned. Incredible!!!

    just plain-old shrimp cocktail. It is a classic for a reason.

    Enjoy exploring the many wonderful things that only seafood can create!
  • BahamaMama85
    BahamaMama85 Posts: 43 Member
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    Crawfish: grilled crawfish tails, steamed crawfish with rice or make a crawfish salad (a la chicken/tuna salad)
    Conch: Conch salad, conch fritters (the latter is not very healthy but oh so yummy)
    Grouper: filet
    Salmon: filet
  • blinker86
    blinker86 Posts: 104 Member
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    Out of curiosity, why did you say "Tuna, if you count that." Last I check, tuna was seafood!

    Because I've only ever eaten it from a can or a pouch, which doesn't make me feel like I'm actually eating fish!

    Yikes, my writing is all weird today. Still waking up, I guess...

    Interesting. Do you have any hang ups on seafood outside of taste and texture? Do you like tuna out of the pouch or can because it doesn't really "look" like seafood? If you have that sort of hang up, you might have to prepare fish in more camouflaged dishes or buy frozen cuts so it looks less like "an animal."

    Otherwise, if you just feel like canned tuna seems less "seafoody," you might like more fish than you think! I consider canned and pouched (?) tuna much fishier than other sources, particularly when fresh!

    I can handle the look of seafood if it's just a simple filet. That doesn't bother me any more than a chicken breast on my plate. It's good to know that others seem to consider tuna to be a little on the stronger side because that gives me hope that I will like more than I expect once I just make myself try some different things.
  • iggyboo93
    iggyboo93 Posts: 524 Member
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    Living in Oregon, fresh seafood is so easy to get. We try to eat fish twice a week. Agree with other posters - if you can get some fresh tuna, you will never go back to canned. I love fresh and smoked salmon in all shapes and forms. Google the recipe for salmon siracusa (copycat from Buca di Beppo) - the bruschetta on top with capers and wine really compliment the salmon. Salmon is wonderful on the grill (use foil or plank). Halibut is a little pricey but outstanding. Tilapia is great and very reasonably priced - I make a parmesan tilapia with olive oil mayo and it's great. I try to avoid shrimp because I will eat the entire container and it can get pricey. While not low in calories - home made clam or smoked salmon chowder is awesome.
  • blinker86
    blinker86 Posts: 104 Member
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    I see that you live in Illinois. It may be harder to find fresh seafood in the Midwest. I grew up there.

    Go to a good grocery store, or a fish market if there is one near you, and ask them where they get their seafood and if it has ever been frozen.

    I live on the Mississippi River, so there are at least some fresh options available. A quick google search brings up at least a couple fish markets that aren't too terribly far. Dierbergs grocery store also claims to carry fresh seafood, and they cook your purchase for free.
  • eddiesmith1
    eddiesmith1 Posts: 1,550 Member
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    start slow, and build up to this.

    glorious.

    200807RSCOMBOB2.209184047_std.JPG
    then get rid of the rice mmmm even better
  • eddiesmith1
    eddiesmith1 Posts: 1,550 Member
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    the most basic (and IMO tasteless - but easy for most people to eat whether they like seafood or not) Tilapia, Pollock, Basa(fancy name for farmed catfish) all pretty light and bland

    I lover pretty much any seafood and in fact really like things like Fresh Whiting, Sardines mackerel eel... even people who like seafood frequently dislike the oily seafood
    Also since grill season is upon us why not try Grilled Octopus. You need to boil it first then marinate but when done right it's great, dense meaty and smoky off the grill
  • keykey48
    keykey48 Posts: 51 Member
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    I agree that fresh is key. we eat 2 to 3 servings of fish for dinner a week and I buy direct from a fisherman. I'm lucky to be in California so we have a lot of variety available. I would start with salmon, try to find wild pacific/Alaska, not farmed or from a river. Halibut is a good one, as is mahi mahi or sole, all very mild. I know my grocery has good frozen line caught fish and I think trader joe's does too. don't count out shrimp, try white prawns or gulf prawns if the texture of the bay shrimp turned you off. you can usually find good, frozen shrimp (uncooked) if you can't find it fresh.

    make tacos or something easy to start. we just cook the fish in beer and put it in a tortilla with cabbage or lettuce, radishes, avocado, and a little crema ... yum!
  • jess1992uga
    jess1992uga Posts: 603 Member
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    Cod and pollack are very very mild but to me have no taste
    I like mahi-mahi and to me its not fishy
    I also am a fan of tilapia filets
    How about shrimp?
    And I LOVE salmon...but may be too fishy.
  • lemon629
    lemon629 Posts: 501 Member
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    If you don't usually like seafood, I don't think you'll like salmon. Or at least that shouldn't be what you try next.
    Since you like tuna, perhaps tuna steaks. These should be just very lightly cooked (seared), like a very rare beef steak.
    Also try mahi mahi, halibut, and grouper. These have mild flavor and a steak like texture that you might like.
    Be sure to go to a high quality store, not just Kroger or Safeway or whatever. Ask the fish monger which is freshest.

    I think the fish taco suggestion is a good idea, too.

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