Catch of the Day

Fish can be a great food. It has a delicious taste, and several health benefits. It has taken me quite some time to appreciate fresh fish. The main reason may have been that I had a tendency to overcook it, which  is not good for the flavor or texture. Fish cooks very quickly. As a general guide for how long to cook fish, measure it at its thickest point, then cook 8 to 10 minutes per inch of thickness for fresh fish or 20 minutes per inch of thickness if the fish is frozen. Monitoring cooking time is very important when cooking fish. Visual clues are commonly used to determine if fish is thoroughly cooked. Fish should flake and lose its translucent or raw appearance. Another more accurate method to determine done-ness is to use a bimetallic stem thermometer. Cook fish to 145°F.

Fish can be cooked in a variety of ways – ranging from poaching, steaming, baking, broiling and grilling to pan-frying, sauteing and microwaving. Although fish can be generally interchanged within cooking methods, some kinds of fish are more suited for certain techniques than others. Very small whole fish or thinner fish fillets are more suited to pan-frying  or sauteing. Grilling or broiling a fillet or steak, the moderate to firm textured fish will hold together better than a delicate texture.

Following is a chart that I use quite often and find very handy if I can not find the exact fish in mind for a certain recipe.

	MILD FLAVOR	MODERATE FLAVOR	FULL FLAVOR
DELICATE TEXTURE	Alaska Pollock, Catfish, Flounder, Orange Roughy, Skate, Sole, Walleye Pike	Lingcod, Salmon-Pink, Whitefish, Whiting	Butterfish, Herring/Sardine, Smelt
MODERATE TEXTURE	Cod, Cusk, Grouper, Haddock, Sea Bass, Snapper, Tilapia, Tilefish	Amberjack, Buffalo, Drum, Mahimahi, Ocean Perch, Pompano, Redfish, Rockfish, Shad, Trout-Rainbow	Bluefish, Carp, Mackerel, Sablefish, Salmon, Wahoo
FIRM TEXTURE	Halibut, Monkfish	Shark, Sturgeon	Marlin, Swordfish, Tuna

No matter what type of fish you purchase you need to make sure the flesh is firm and shiny. Check to be certain there is no darkening around the edges. Fresh fish should have no ammonia smell. If you are purchasing frozen fish keep in mind it is free of ice crystals and solidly frozen. Also, make sure there are no white spots, dark spots or fading of red or pink flesh. Avoid open, torn or crushed edges on the package.

Because fish deteriorates very quickly it is best to cook it within two days of purchase. If you are not going to use it within two days, it is best to freeze it immediately. For best quality of fish frozen at home, use within two weeks. When ready to use, after frozen, thaw fish in the refrigerator. Thawing at temperatures higher than 40°F causes excess drip loss and can adversely affect taste, texture, aroma and appearance.

Don’t be intimidated by fish. Look to your recipe books and find quick, easy recipes to use up that catch of the day. Or try the following recipe to get you started.

Spanish Baked Fish

1 lb fish fillets	1/2 tsp chili powder
8 oz can tomato sauce	1/4 tsp oregano
1/2 garlic clove, chopped	1/4 tsp cumin
1/2 cup sliced onions

Preheat oven to 450°F. Arrange fish in a baking dish that has been sprayed with non-stick coating. Mix remaining ingredients; pour over fish. Bake 10 to 15 minutes or until fish flakes. 4 servings

Nutrition information per serving: Calories 140, Total Fat 1.5 g, Saturated Fat 0 g, Cholesterol 40 mg, Sodium 420 mg, Total Carbohydrates 6 g, Dietary Fiber 1 g, Sugars 3 g, Protein 24 g, Vitamin A 15%, Vitamin C 15%, Calcium 6%, Iron 4 %