Want to cook/eat fish - where do i start

Hello,
I know i need more fish in my diet as we never eat it and not until about 6 months ago did i even think i could eat fish.
Any ideas on what to start on? Any tips on cooking it? Anyone know what fish works with what sides best.
Im thinking dinners to start with.
Thanks in advance! ;0) xx
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Replies

  • Zichu
    Zichu Posts: 542 Member
    When I cook fish, I just stick it in tin foil, sprinkle on some parsley, wrap it up and bake until it's no longer raw in the middle.

    It's juicy and the parsley makes so much better, not saying fish is bad without parsley, but it's pretty good stuff.

    I usually have it with potato or rice and steamed broccoli, carrots, cauliflower and asparagus.
  • Thomakk
    Thomakk Posts: 25 Member
    Tilapia is easy. I sprinkle it with a little salt, garlic powder, and lemon pepper, then put it in a skillet with some olive oil. Doesn't take very long to cook. My kids love this.

    As sides, roasted red potatoes and asparagus, both in the oven with olive oil, salt and pepper.
  • cmurray234
    cmurray234 Posts: 112 Member
    I would suggest starting with tilapia. It is relatively inexpensive and mild in flavor. I usually bake mine, sometimes with a little brush of olive oil, some freshly ground pepper and a touch of fresh lemon.

    I like to serve mine with couscous, steamed veggies and fruit salad.
  • cramernh
    cramernh Posts: 3,335 Member
    OHHHHHHH we are basking in the glory of all that is FOOD PORN!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
    You would have loved the seafood I prepared this weekend for our BBQ!!! You name it, I had it baby!!!!!!

    Diver Scallops wrapped in bacon, thinly sliced garlic shavings, splash of vodka to flame them up with pink pepper (fresh ground peppercorns)

    Salmon steaks with a light BBQ sauce made with Dos Equis, real maple syrup, herbs and spices - kissing it with the flame and caramelizing as it cooks... DEAR GAWD....

    Cajun-Lime shrimp skewers - we are jumbo shrimp on steroids-jumbo!

    I love a good fresh salad of dark leafy greens, colorful pepper strips, thinly sliced red onion, slivered almonds for crunch, cucumber slices, florets of broccoli, carrot peels and a homemade citrusy vinaigrette to splash on top!

    I love freshly grilled zucchini with garlic, olive oil, sea salt, black pepper...

    Fresh tuna on the grill is another very sexy thing to cook up... I make a Lime-Sesame dressing, on a rather vietnamese approach with fresh thai basil, marinated overnight and then flame-kissed.
  • aprilgrl27
    aprilgrl27 Posts: 176 Member
    OHHHHHHH we are basking in the glory of all that is FOOD PORN!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
    You would have loved the seafood I prepared this weekend for our BBQ!!! You name it, I had it baby!!!!!!

    Diver Scallops wrapped in bacon, thinly sliced garlic shavings, splash of vodka to flame them up with pink pepper (fresh ground peppercorns)

    Salmon steaks with a light BBQ sauce made with Dos Equis, real maple syrup, herbs and spices - kissing it with the flame and caramelizing as it cooks... DEAR GAWD....

    Cajun-Lime shrimp skewers - we are jumbo shrimp on steroids-jumbo!

    I love a good fresh salad of dark leafy greens, colorful pepper strips, thinly sliced red onion, slivered almonds for crunch, cucumber slices, florets of broccoli, carrot peels and a homemade citrusy vinaigrette to splash on top!

    I love freshly grilled zucchini with garlic, olive oil, sea salt, black pepper...

    Fresh tuna on the grill is another very sexy thing to cook up... I make a Lime-Sesame dressing, on a rather vietnamese approach with fresh thai basil, marinated overnight and then flame-kissed.

    I think you were my personal chef in my past life where I was rich.
  • cramernh
    cramernh Posts: 3,335 Member

    I think you were my personal chef in my past life where I was rich.

    Food Porn rules!!!! LOL!!!
  • jenrusow
    jenrusow Posts: 17 Member
    I enjoy salmon, red snapper, halibut, or cod. I also wrap in a tin foil packet and bake on a rimmed cookie sheet. Usually season with mrs dash, or dill and pepper. Typically I thinly slice onion and lay that on top. Sometimes drizzle with a little teriyaki sauce or red chili sauce. Bake until it flakes apart with a fork and is done. So YUMMY! Good luck experimenting!

    We like fish with steamed broccoli and rice or quinoa.
  • I spray the pan with a little non-stick, heat the pan, throw in some frozen Tilapia, sprinkle with Mrs. Dash, cover with a lid to steam and viola you have a quick, easy & very tasty meal! I also throw in some diced tomatoes at times to add variety. My favorite Mrs Dash for chicken & fish is the citrus one.
  • dmpizza
    dmpizza Posts: 3,321 Member
    You can steam tilapia in chicken broth and lemon.
    Tilapia is a lean farm raised fish so less concerns about heavy metals.
  • 1113cw
    1113cw Posts: 830 Member
    OHHHHHHH we are basking in the glory of all that is FOOD PORN!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
    You would have loved the seafood I prepared this weekend for our BBQ!!! You name it, I had it baby!!!!!!

    Diver Scallops wrapped in bacon, thinly sliced garlic shavings, splash of vodka to flame them up with pink pepper (fresh ground peppercorns)

    Salmon steaks with a light BBQ sauce made with Dos Equis, real maple syrup, herbs and spices - kissing it with the flame and caramelizing as it cooks... DEAR GAWD....

    Cajun-Lime shrimp skewers - we are jumbo shrimp on steroids-jumbo!

    I love a good fresh salad of dark leafy greens, colorful pepper strips, thinly sliced red onion, slivered almonds for crunch, cucumber slices, florets of broccoli, carrot peels and a homemade citrusy vinaigrette to splash on top!

    I love freshly grilled zucchini with garlic, olive oil, sea salt, black pepper...

    Fresh tuna on the grill is another very sexy thing to cook up... I make a Lime-Sesame dressing, on a rather vietnamese approach with fresh thai basil, marinated overnight and then flame-kissed.


    I'm drooling LOL
    I do make scallops wrapped in bacon but I'm TOTALLY stealing your thin sliver of garlic idea... NOM NOM!!
  • Sabresgal63
    Sabresgal63 Posts: 641 Member
    I do any type of white fish either in foil on the grill or in a fry pan. I sprinkle it with a little lemon juice, garlic and pats of smart balance margerine. Cook a few minutes on each side until the fish just turns white and enjoy.....................don't over cook any fish or you will have a dry piece of yuck. Good luck:bigsmile:
  • AmyW4225
    AmyW4225 Posts: 302 Member
    I LOVE fresh salmon! I eat it everyday and usually twice a day! I set the oven to broil, spray my broiler pain with non-stick cooking spray. In a bowl, stir together a tsp. of both brown sugar and dijon mustard, slather it on top of the salmon and broil it for about 12 minutes. It is DELISH!!
  • sofitheteacup
    sofitheteacup Posts: 396 Member
    OHHHHHHH we are basking in the glory of all that is FOOD PORN!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
    You would have loved the seafood I prepared this weekend for our BBQ!!! You name it, I had it baby!!!!!!

    Diver Scallops wrapped in bacon, thinly sliced garlic shavings, splash of vodka to flame them up with pink pepper (fresh ground peppercorns)

    Salmon steaks with a light BBQ sauce made with Dos Equis, real maple syrup, herbs and spices - kissing it with the flame and caramelizing as it cooks... DEAR GAWD....

    Cajun-Lime shrimp skewers - we are jumbo shrimp on steroids-jumbo!

    I love a good fresh salad of dark leafy greens, colorful pepper strips, thinly sliced red onion, slivered almonds for crunch, cucumber slices, florets of broccoli, carrot peels and a homemade citrusy vinaigrette to splash on top!

    I love freshly grilled zucchini with garlic, olive oil, sea salt, black pepper...

    Fresh tuna on the grill is another very sexy thing to cook up... I make a Lime-Sesame dressing, on a rather vietnamese approach with fresh thai basil, marinated overnight and then flame-kissed.

    You don't happen to be single, do you? That post just about made my clothes fall off.
  • crissyrox
    crissyrox Posts: 94
    bump for later.
  • jmjm55077
    jmjm55077 Posts: 41 Member
    I'm always surprised when I meet folks new to fish...Lots of ways to eat fish but my favorite for summer is grilled...
    Throw some salmon down (copper river salmon is now available for the next 2-3 weeks) but don't over cook it...paste it with garlic and lemon...or BBQ sauce...repeat with raw shrimp or scallops...or any other fish...

    In a rush, no problem, sushi is always available for take out or at many local grocery stores...

    Enjoy!
  • cramernh
    cramernh Posts: 3,335 Member

    I'm drooling LOL
    I do make scallops wrapped in bacon but I'm TOTALLY stealing your thin sliver of garlic idea... NOM NOM!!
    If you can get your hands on Nitrate-free Maple bacon, this makes ALLLLLLL the difference.

    Lay the bacon strip out, line the strip with as much gahhhhlic as you prefer, wrap the diver scallop up so they are self-contained and hugging. Hold in place with a toothpick that has soaked in water.
  • TrailRunner61
    TrailRunner61 Posts: 2,505 Member
    We buy wild caught salmon from Sam's club. The fillets are individually frozen and just the right serving size. I reduce fresh orange juice and maple syrup and baste the salmon with it at the end of grilling. Sooo yummy and tasty. Sam's club also sells a Jack Daniels salmon that is super good too. I've made a low fat version of lemon dill sauce with low-fat mayo, fresh lemon zest, lemon juice and fresh dill. It is yummy and you don't need much of it to add tons of flavor. We usually have some sort of fresh veggies like a bunch of broccoli or asparagus and sometimes even a sweet potato or new red potatoes with a little butter and fresh parsley. Brown rice is good too. Eat whatever you want with it.
  • I always used to be a bit funny with seafood, but recently I've grown to love it.
    I always need to have a sauce or some thing with fish, and I've found that Birdseye do the 'Bake to Perfection' range where you can get haddock, salmon, prawns and cod all in different sauces like lemon and herb, parsley sauce and they are amazing. They are like 200 and something calories too so they are still reasonable calorie wise!
  • cramernh
    cramernh Posts: 3,335 Member

    You don't happen to be single, do you? That post just about made my clothes fall off.

    Im actually a woman with a very disturbing addiction to watching The Big Bang Theory - so much that my husband was compelled to purchasing the Bazinga shirt for me that you see in my Profile Pic! LOL!!!!!!
  • I bake my salmon filets at 420 for about 20 minutes (I use an in-oven meat digital meat thermometer) with a brush of olive oil, cracked pepper, basil, garlic, spritz of lemon juice and then completely covered with fresh dill. I usually eat it with couscous, quinoa or brown rice and any steamed veggie or I will bake asparagus.
  • bsexton3
    bsexton3 Posts: 472 Member
    Try different types of fish to see what you like best. I like the flavor of fish, so I don't hide it with BBQ sauce, mayo or anything else. My brother wrecked a salmon once (in my opinion) by covering it in mayo and brown sugar. Wasn't worth eating. I cook salmon with slices of onion and lemon on the top on the grill.

    To tell that any fish is done, just make sure the pieces flake away when you put a fork in it. If it stays together or has the darker color, cook a little longer.

    SInce I cook my fish on a smoker grill, I don't close the foil all the way, I want some of the smoke flavor in it. Completely covering in foil is to keep it moist. Too hot of heat or over cooking is what makes it dry, so while learning to cook fish, start with completely covering it.

    When I cook salmon filets on the grill (without the onion and lemon), I simply start with skin side down. When the skin side is done, it separates from the meat and I flip it for the final couple minutes to cook the top side.
  • g0tr00t
    g0tr00t Posts: 192 Member
    Tilapia, I am trying this recipe this week.

    http://allrecipes.com/recipe/broiled-tilapia-parmesan/
  • lauralizzy829
    lauralizzy829 Posts: 215 Member
    Love the fish from target. I know it sounds weird, but they have frozen wild caught fish. The filets are individually wrapped so easy portioning. I season both sides with salt and pepper, put in foil, top with 2 slices of lemon. Cooks at 350 for about 25 min and done! So easy! Have it with brown rice and veggies.
  • TaintedVampyre
    TaintedVampyre Posts: 1,428 Member
    Sorry, every body has basically said what I would've said, I'm just commenting so that I can refer back to this later. :)
  • megsmom2
    megsmom2 Posts: 2,362 Member
    OHHHHHHH we are basking in the glory of all that is FOOD PORN!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
    You would have loved the seafood I prepared this weekend for our BBQ!!! You name it, I had it baby!!!!!!

    Diver Scallops wrapped in bacon, thinly sliced garlic shavings, splash of vodka to flame them up with pink pepper (fresh ground peppercorns)

    Salmon steaks with a light BBQ sauce made with Dos Equis, real maple syrup, herbs and spices - kissing it with the flame and caramelizing as it cooks... DEAR GAWD....



    Cajun-Lime shrimp skewers - we are jumbo shrimp on steroids-jumbo!

    I love a good fresh salad of dark leafy greens, colorful pepper strips, thinly sliced red onion, slivered almonds for crunch, cucumber slices, florets of broccoli, carrot peels and a homemade citrusy vinaigrette to splash on top!

    I love freshly grilled zucchini with garlic, olive oil, sea salt, black pepper...

    Fresh tuna on the grill is another very sexy thing to cook up... I make a Lime-Sesame dressing, on a rather vietnamese approach with fresh thai basil, marinated overnight and then flame-kissed.

    Oh dear lord....where do you live...I'm coming over for dinner.....
  • bcattoes
    bcattoes Posts: 17,299 Member
    The best fish cooking tip I can give is don't overcook it. Most people I know who say they don't like fish overcook fish. Fish cooks very quickly.

    Thick fish that doesn't flake a lot like tuna, steelhead trout, salmon or swordfish, are great on the grill. Thinner white fish IMO is better baked or pan seared. But if you buy a fish basket you can easily cook any fish on the grill.
  • dvisser1
    dvisser1 Posts: 788 Member
    With all meats, fresh is best. With fish, fresh caught or flash frozen on the fishing boat are really the only way to go.

    Fresh, wild caught king or sockeye salmon fillet is incredible. As someone already said, the Copper River (Alaska) run is coming in, and is some of the best salmon you can find.

    I do good salmon very simply because I don't want to cover up the taste with any heavy spices or sauces. Light the charcoal bbq. Rub the salmon fillets, skin still on, with olive oil (use a good olive oil). Place on the hot grill skin down and sprinkle a little fresh cracked black pepper and kosher or sea salt. Cover the grill and let cook a few minutes. When the fish is cooked about halfway (and you'll see the flesh turning color from the skin side working up) squeeze a wedge of lime (preference) or lemon over the fillets. Cover the grill again and let finish cooking. Hit with another shot of citrus juice and remove from the grill. NEVER FLIP the fillet. Serve with the skin on or off, your choice.
  • TGKvr
    TGKvr Posts: 123 Member
    Maybe a little much for someone new to fish, but so easy: a whole rainbow trout, cleaned. Stuff center with slices of lemon, and fresh herbs such as basil, rosemary, oregano... sprinkle with sea salt and fresh pepper. Cook on grill (or bake). Delish.
  • zclark13
    zclark13 Posts: 135 Member
    I'm drooling over the Food Porn thing!

    Seriously: GRILL!!!!!!!!!! It keeps the fishy smell out of the house!!

    Wild caught salmon is the BOMB!!!! And Copper River is definitely the best, but super expensive. Don't do the Atlantic farm raised unless you have nooooo choice. Did you know they ADD COLOR to make it pink?????????? WRONG!!!!!!!

    Any way, we use whole filets cut into four pieces. To prep: a squeeze of lemon, a brush of olive oil then play with your favorite spices: dill and garlic are good for something light. If you want it spicy some cayenne pepper, thyme, black pepper and garlic. For a light smoky flavor try smoked paprika, garlic (seeing a theme here?!) and I've recently found a McCormicks Grill Mates shaker seasoning called Smokehouse Maple that adds just a tiny bit of sweet. Lay on the grill, skin side down and cook for about 8 minutes, flip, remove the skin and it's done!

    We also like "fish with heads" trout, although if you can't handle the head thing you can also get it already beheaded! Brush with olive oil, sprinkle with pepper and....you guessed it, garlic salt, lay some sliced onions and thin sliced lemon in the body, wrap in foil and throw on the grill for no more than 10 minutes. Very light, not fishy at all.

    Halibut and swordfish are dense fish that have a texture similar to steak. They need to cook just a touch longer. Mediterranian or Italian spices work well with these, or you can "blacken" them. cover with cayenne, thyme, garlic, and black pepper. Heat a cast iron skillet VERY HOT and cook fast!

    For sides: a green salad, quinoa, brown rice, fresh beans, grilled onions and asparagus anything light!

    Enjoy!
  • JBennis1013
    JBennis1013 Posts: 377 Member
    I just purchased the Complete Guide to Buying and cooking fish...haven't used it yet though. There are a lot of delish looking recipes in it though!