Tips for great tasting fish during the summer

I have to start of by saying I wasn't ever a real fan of fish until I arrived in Afghanistan. Over the months of being on a all Spanish Base, the Spanish eat fish everyday. I thought to myself, this is going to be a LONG deployment if I have to eat fish every single day. Well, come to find out, the cooks here do an amazing job and gave me some tips to follow.

As most of you know, fish is important source of protein, fish can be a refreshing, healthful alternative to more common meat choices. Like chicken, fish is versatile and can be used in many different recipes, but it can also be an unexciting, flavorless meal if not prepared with some thought.

Cooking frozen fish can be a challenge. When you're buying frozen fish at the supermarket, make sure the fish is frozen solid. Avoid fish that is partially thawed, and also look to see that there is no freezer burn and that the packaging is not damaged. It is best to defrost fish overnight in the refrigerator. Accelerating the thawing process with water can cause an undesirable change in the texture of the fish, and leach some of the flavor and nutrients from the meat. Cooking fish right out of the freezer is okay. Don't thaw fish at room temperature.

How To choose fresh fish with the best taste. When buying fresh fish, look to see that the eyes are clear, dark, and not sunken. The skin and scales should be undamaged and have a moist, firm, and shiny appearance. The fish should smell like it just came out of the sea; avoid fish with a strong, fishy odor. When storing fish for a short time, remove it from its packaging, rinse it thoroughly with cold water, dry it well with paper towels, cover it again with clean packaging, and store it at the bottom of the refrigerator where it is coldest.

Cooking fish in my mind is harder then cooking any other protein source. If there is a single most important fish-cooking tip, it's to not overcook it! Because of the varying thickness and types of fish available, it is difficult to give specific cooking times. However, it is quite easy to tell when your fish is ready. Just cut into the meat and look to see if it has gone from a slight translucent appearance to a white or opaque color. You can also tell when fish is cooked by how easily the knife cuts into it. Cooking time for most fish is very short, so don't leave your fish unattended.

I like to BBQ my fish especially during the summer months. Fish, however, is particularly susceptible to drying out with this cooking method. This is because fish has more of a tendency to sweat its moisture out during cooking than other meats. To minimize moisture loss, make sure you don't overcook the fish, as previously mentioned. You can also guard against drying out your fish by marinating the fish with one of your favorite marinade recipes.

Overall, there are many ways to prepare fish, grill it, pan cook it, even microwave it. By doing your homework on what to look for when buy and preparing fish, you are allowing your taste buds to enjoy a flavorful, high nutrientional protein inriched food source. Lets go fishing!!!

Sources:
Muscle Tech