Fish

[Nuzzolese]

On September 1st I plan to start eating fish. I still have a couple of days before I commit to it, a couple of days to back out. I'm interested in the flavor and cooking possibilities of fish and also I think I might be healthier eating some fish, like twice a week maybe. I haven't had fish or meat in almost 7 years, and I've thought about it and imagined myself eating fish. If it bothers me and I don't like it, I'll drop it again. Does anyone have anything good to say about the benefits of fish, healthwise or flavorwise?

[Nuzzolese]

Also, does anyone have any good links to some information about factory farming, fish farms, and how to get the healthiest fish to eat?

[na§tee]

i'm not too creative with fish. i don't buy it very much because i had about 5 billion lifetime's worth back home (i come from an island of fishermen and haddock every night and flatfish with breadcrumbs etc etc etc).

but when i do do it, i make salmon. i put a salmon steak in a foil parcel with rubbed in olive oil, brown sugar, soy sauce, slice o' lemon and if you're really cheeky a few chopped chilis. have with salad, preferable a greek one with feta. fucking awesome (y). just put in the oven for about 30 minutes or until salmon is cooked. yummers!

[Nuzzolese]

I've read that fish caught in Iceland is usually from a sustainable location, as in it doesn't damage the marine environment and other animals, and it is usually certified as healthy stock.

In most US grocery stores and restaurants, are you given much information about where the fish came from, and if it's certified by the marine stewardship council?

[na§tee]

certainly in supermarkets they have particular labels to tell you whether the fish were farmed or caught in the ocean. we do have a lot of farmed fish here in scotland, but it can be avoided.

mostly i don't buy my fish from supermarkets though, i go to a fishmonger. that way you know it's been caught erm, however ethically you can be when you're catching fish, out in the ocean, not artificially fed artificial shit, etc etc. and the fishmongers are super knowledgeable - they'll give you ideas about how to cook it etc. they'll even debone it etc if you ask. that's my #1 tip - go to a fishmonger.

[jabumbo]

most fishing areas are being overfished anymore, so most of the time the supermarket will tend to have lots of farm raised stuff.


if you're looking for something that doesnt taste a whole lot like fish, most white fishes are a good place to start.

[beastiegirrl101]

I try to stay away from tuna because of the high mercury levels. So I eat a lot of salmon, yellowtail, talipia...any basic flakey whitefish. I can consume massive amounts of sushi, but when it's not in the budget all you need is lemon, garlic, dill and an oven and you're all set.

[nitram1968]

Recently returned from U.S.V.I. and had som mahi mahi. Very tasty. Try that.

[Nuzzolese]

I appreciate all this!

Most of what I've read about farm fish sounds like it isn't very healthy. But then I have a list of best and worst fish choices according to levels of mercury or environmental contaminates and it does list some types of farmed fish as being a good choice, saying that some on shore open raceways in Alaska are healthier than offshore nets. Whatever. It's so confusing.

US Atlantic Mackerel, Mahimahi, and Tilapia all get good reviews. I hear the fish should be filleted, grilled or baked to cut down on fat and drippings.

And they say to vary the fish you eat by not having the same fish twice in a week, because of mercury levels. Eh?

You know, I eat a lot of crap food that probably has plenty of unhealthy preservatives and fats in it, and who knows. I just always thought being a vegetarian was universally safer and more environmentally friendly.

Fish is so complicated! Oh and I do NOT do shellfish or crustaceans. I'm allergic.

[beastiegirrl101]

Recently returned from U.S.V.I. and had som mahi mahi. Very tasty. Try that.

dolphin fish! Mahi mahi is good...same texture as swordfish IMO...very steak like.

[Nuzzolese]

So most of you bake your fish in an oven? On a rack or what? In a glass dish?

I've been looking at diagrams about what parts of the body to cut away. I guess I could start by buying fish already prepared, then advance later to buying fresh fish and cleaning or cutting it myself. Yikes. I'd like to watch someone do it first.

[Nuzzolese]

Carp and catfish sound nasty. And what about flatfish, the kind with two eyes on one side so they swim across the ocean floor? I hear they're caught by nets dragging across the ground, tearing up the ocean floor and killing cool little starfish and anemones.

[jabumbo]

carp isnt the best, but catfish isnt too bad. it definetly is a different taste compared to your average fish though...

i would definetly start with something already cleaned up for you, since it makes things so much easier. its generally worth the little extra money you will pay for it.


the only way i have cooked fish personally was pan fried, but i think its just because i was always just cooking a small piece for myself. but i know baking it in the oven is pretty simple too. most places with a knowledable person can suggest the best way to cook a certain fish

[QueenAdrock]

My parents used to make salmon, which was pretty good. But for the most part, the only kind of fish I would eat outside of salmon was stuff I'd catch on my own. I'd have to gut them and fry them myself, which I actually thought was pretty cool. I've had many kinds of trout that are good, but I'm pretty sure they won't sell that at any grocery store. Omega-3 fatty acids are good for your heart, I hear.

Now that I'm living on my own, my only fish comes in stick form. :(

[monkey]

fish is my parents' middle names. or something. they love it. i dont eat it because it makes me sad and when i was little... nothing. i cant tell the story cause you WANT to eat the fish.

anyway, i have a lot of fish recipes but what everyone considers to be the best fish meal in this family is some white fish rolled with spinach, a sprinkling of a melty cheese, a tad bit of garlic and some salt. it takes like 20 mintues in the oven (all covered so that the juices flow) and you can serve it with whatever. for an extra good time, soak the fish in white wine for a bit before you roll it and then cancel the garlic.

[beastiegirrl101]

http://gotmercury.org/

[Nuzzolese]

Thank you for that link, it has extremely useful information. I'm printing off a few pages now.

Whoah, check this out regarding Chilean Seabass, one of my boo's faves.

Avoid Chilean seabass. Most are caught using bottom longlines, which lead to bycatch of seabirds, most notably the endangered albatross.

Consumer Note
Scientists estimate that more than half of all the Chilean seabass sold are caught illegally.

Health Alert
Environmental Defense has issued a health advisory for Chilean seabass due to high levels of mercury. For more information, visit their Ocean's Alive web site (www.oceansalive.org).

Summary
Slow-growing fish that breed late in life, Chilean seabass are naturally vulnerable to overfishing. And illegal fishing is rampant, especially in remote Antarctic waters where law enforcement is difficult. Fishing methods cause more problems: Bottom trawling can damage seafloor habitat, and longlining can take a bycatch of endangered albatrosses and other seabirds, which get hooked as they try to snatch bait, then end up drowning.

Recipe Alternatives
Striped bass, Pacific halibut and white seabass are your best choices. Good alternatives include mahi mahi and sablefish (black cod).

[beastiegirrl101]

welcome!;)

[HEIRESS]

I test for mercury at work, so eating some fish more than twice a week that may or may not contain mercury isnt going to make me lose any sleep

go to costco
buy bag of individually packaged salmon steaks
keep in freezer
take out as needed and defrost under kitchen faucet
cooks in 20 minutes in a tinfoil baggie filled with garlic, lemon, salt, pepper, thyme and dill
done

[Tone Capone]

Did you know that fish cry when they are captured?:(

[Nuzzolese]

Goddamnit why did you say that? I already had fish cereal this morning.

No, I haven't started yet.

But yesterday at lunch I said I was going to start eating fish and it started a big conversation about fish and whatnot, kind of like this one I guess, except that suddenly everyone at the table was an expert. Especially this one woman who must have said the word "albacore" about 50 million times because no one was listening to her.

[befsquire]

albacore is a fun word.

the dr and i recently started cooking salmon at home. we never made fish before because the dr didn't know how to cook it (he cooks ALL meals -- i know, i'm lucky). but we saw a cedar plank (http://i19.ebayimg.com/03/i/08/27/0e/9b_1.JPG) next to the seafood dept at the grocery store, and so we bought that and some salmon and it was so fucking delicious i can't stand it. and i'm very particular about salmon (if it tastes too fishy, i refuse to eat it, but this comes out perfect every time). you soak the plank, then place the fish on it and grill it. we bought the exact one in the link above, and another with a different seasoning packet, but i like the lime cilantro the best. you can buy cedar planks elsewhere and use whatever sort of seasoning you like.

a lot of people also use italian dressing as a fish marinade, and then place it in aluminum foil and grill it.

i think the next fish the dr is going to try cooking is mahi mahi.

[ToucanSpam]

Salmon is fantastic. Smoked Salmon, some delicious carrots, peas, baked chips, and a cold glass of milk.


edit: Cured Salmon. Oh my goodness.