I pledge to myself to eat fish at least once a month

[Inchworm]

That's the theory at least. If I can find it affordable and yummy I want to up it to once a week.

So... I go to the fish counter and asked the guy if he had any fish with the head still on :D

The only fish he gets like that are catfish and usually it is an accident when it happens.

I browse... and decide on a Steelhead Trout filet (with help from a kind lady who was also browsing).

I went with trout because I've eaten a bit of the trout caught around here and liked it.

Any good ideas on how to prepare/acquire good -cheap- fish plates?

:hi:

[grasswire]

1. I won't buy the fish in my two local markets.

It sits too long to be worth eating. And I won't buy fish from outside U.S. waters.

I would buy fish still frozen if I hadn't figured out that it is waterlogged and glazed with ice in order to make it weigh more -- when it is cooked and the water gone, the portion has shrunk by 50 percent.

And I live less than a hundred miles from the Pacific Ocean!

I would buy Alaskan halibut, but it is >$12/pound.

I have to make the effort to seek out a fresh fish source in the city. I could make the effort to go once a month.

[Warpy]

3. The stuff in Costco isn't waterlogged

but I know what you mean. I got some frozen Pacific cod filets from the health food store that have to be wrung out before they are cooked. They're good, but I hate paying those prices for frozen water.

[Retrograde]

25. Check if your local Costco has a traveling seafood selection

Mine has people who come in 3 days a week with fresh fish and shellfish. If I'm lucky, I can get a smallish whole salmon in season (Pacific wild salmon).

Otherwise, local stores are iffy when it comes to fish. Whole Foods in my town tends to have a good fish person, as does a locally owned store. Unfortunately, one place that used to have a knowledgeable fish buyer lost that person and the selection has declined radically. I won't buy fish at Safeway, even though paradoxically they have decent sushi makers.

[Inchworm]

8. Yea, I saw that most of the fish here is from other than US

I guess I'm going to deal with that until I get more particular.

Hec, if all goes well.. I may take up fishing! lol.. I'm basically on a "peninsula" surrounded by the New River.

:hi:

[Warpy]

2. All fish out here in the desert is either flash frozen or old

meaning it sat on the boat, sat on the dock, sat in a warehouse, endured a plane ride, and then hit the ice in the fish counter. I go for the flash frozen stuff at Costco, frozen on the boat and usually high quality.

The cheapest fish out there right now is pollock, which I can generally find at the international grocery still frozen. It's a light, fairly delicate fish that can be done like sole or pan fried like trout. It's also fairly sustainable, unlike the incredibly pricey yellowfin tuna and swordfish, both of which I pass up for the mercury content if not the species endangerment.

Costco salmon filets are my go to fish for those essential fish oils. It's hideously expensive so I can't overdo, but it's a nice treat a couple of times a month.

Costco halibut is also a go to fish, a firm white fish with a mild flavor. They haven't had it for months, though, and I keep hoping one of these days it will come back. I miss it.

Mostly, I'm an ocean fish snob, a difficult thing to be in landlocked NM, because fresh water fish always tastes muddy to me unless it goes into a hot pan next to the pond it came out of.

I've never been much of a meat eater and was a strict vegan for about 10 years until a return to nursing school sharply curtailed my time in the kitchen. I could still live happily without meat. Without fish, not so much.

[grasswire]

6. I get my omegas from a capsule

I'd rather be eating a fresh piece of salmon, with some lemon and dill and butter. Mmm.

[Inchworm]

9. I'm also curious about "seasons"

Like.. when are halibut mostly caught and therefore cheaper than usual.

I'll learn as I go :)

:hi:

[Denninmi]

4. Fish is a problem from the regular commercial sources.

I've found that any place that sells fish fresh enough to even consider eating generally charges such a high price I can't afford it, or at least, can't justify it. The cheaper stuff is generally too old, strong, and nasty to be worth considering.

Mind you, I've been spoiled. My family was always into fishing, father, a couple of sisters and their husband. When he was alive, and especially after he retired, my father was really avid, and would often go out five or six days a week, year 'round. So, we had a lot of great, fresh local fish to eat -- panfish like bluegills, crappies, perch, things like catfish and bass, ,and of course, trout, salmon, and walleye from the Great Lakes waters when he went a bit further afield than the local small lakes.

Now, I get it a few times a year from the sisters and their husbands, some panfish and some trout/salmon. So, I don't eat it nearly as often, but it still certainly tastes great.

I've basically usually been disappointed in anything I bought. Once in a while, I've been lucky. Kroger stores usually have a special on whole Alaskan red salmon when they first come on the market in early summer, generally mid to late June -- has been anywhere from 99 cents a lb to about $2.99 a lb the past few years (alas, it goes UP every year, not down). This has been consistently fresh -- they claim it gets to the store within 24 hours, and somehow, it does seem to be true, because it's always been clean-smelling, not fishy.

I guess I could buy a license, the gear, and do it myself, but I'm just not into it, and I don't like killing things unless I have to (well, I don't like it even then).

[grasswire]

5. I've reported my local Kroger to the health dept. for old fish.

They have whole fish in the case that are so old the skin hangs in great wrinkles. The place reeks of ammonia. I've complained to the manager, and notified the health department. Nothing changes.

[flamin lib]

12. It's a local store problem. Contact Kroger headquarters. nt

[Inchworm]

10. I did read that before I went to the store

"Fishy smelling fish is a bad thing" hehe

:hi:

[flamin lib]

14. Fish should not smell at all.

If whole the skin should be shiny, the eyes clear and not sunken, the gills bright red and if you poke it there should be no impression left--it should spring back.

Fillets should be firm and without any smell. You can also give it the finger poke test.

[Inchworm]

15. Noted

Awesome! Thanks!

:woohoo:

[flamin lib]

7. I enjoy farm raised catfish. In Texas we can get it fresh and if you want it really

fresh you can go to one of the Asian grocery stores and pick one that's still swimming around in the tank. They'll skin and clean it for you in a few minutes.

I often buy the fillets individually flash frozen.

Catfish is mild in flavor, low in fat (no omegas here) and quite firm. It will survive the grill, poaching and of course frying. One of my favorite recipes is Almondine--find any sole almondine recipe and sub catfish.

I typically pay $2.99/lb on sale.

[Inchworm]

11. I saw catfish at market

It was definitely cheaper. The only way I remember eating it is fried in masses at bike rallys or American Legions :+

I'm also interested in learning what else is out there. I'm sure I'll be whipping up some catfish soon though :)

:hi:

[cbayer]

13. I eat it about once a month - raw, from a Sushi bar.

Supermarket fish makes me queasy and it seems nearly impossible to get the smell out of my pots and pans. And, other than in New Orleans, I find most restaurant cooked fish equally repulsive.

But Sushi? I could eat that every day.

Good luck.

:hi:

[flamin lib]

16. Alton Brown's

Cheviche

1 lb firm white fish fillets cut in ½ inch cubes (catfish works--AB recommended it)
1/2 cup grapefruit juice 1/3 cup lime juice
zest of two limes and most of one grapefruit
1 medium onion diced 1 clove garlic diced
1 jalapeno diced 2-3 tbs fresh cilantro chopped
One medium tomato seeded and chopped
One avocado diced
tsp salt tsp sugar

Mix all ingredients in a ziplock plastic bag and marinate for 2-4 hours. Adjust seasoning to taste. Drain in a colander before serving. Farm raised catfish is a good choice as is halibut or shark. Diced shrimp or other seafood can be a nice addition but avoid scallops as they turn to mush. For the onion, garlic and jalapeno I just drop them into a food processor and pulse to a coarse chop. The drained liquid (tiger’s milk) is said to be a cure for hangovers.

[cbayer]

18. I have always been nervous about fixing raw fish at home. Does the marinade

kill anything that perhaps could harm you?

[flamin lib]

20. Yes. It pickles the proteins of anything in there including

any bacteria. Parasites aren't a problem because farm raised fresh water fish including trout, salmon, tilapia and catfish grow fast enough that parasites don't mature.

Do make sure it's US farm raised. There aren't many regulations here but there are none in the far east where most fish imports come from.

The pickling process changes the texture of the fish so it has a different feel than raw. You can customize it to your own taste by changing the marinating time. Serve it on tortilla chips or roll it in a flour tortilla with Guacamole for an appetizer. Your mouth will love you.

[cbayer]

21. Great advice and I will try it next time I have access to fresh fish.

I love the texture of sushi, so I will be interested in how it is with this. Thanks!

:hi:

[flamin lib]

24. Individually flash frozen fillets work as well as fresh, plus they

have the added benefit of one more barrier to parasites--they don't do so well in liquid nitrogen.

[pengillian101]

27. You just tickled my funnybone!

"I will try it next time I have access to fresh fish."

Seeing as you live on a boat :rofl: :rofl: :rofl:

Don't ya fish?

:hi:

[cbayer]

28. No, I don't actually. I love the fishing part, but...

I can't get past the killing and cleaning.

Isn't that ridiculous?!?!

From time to time, someone will come into a harbor we are in with a freshly caught tuna. If I can get a piece of that, I am in heaven and will eat it raw.

But the only thing I ever catch is some stupid, stinky mackerel or it's equivalent. Nasty.

:hi:

[Inchworm]

17. No sushi bars around here

The locals refer to sushi as bait :D

I like it when I'm "in the big city" though :9

:hi:

[cbayer]

22. Bait? That there's some expensive bait!

:rofl:

[Retrograde]

26. Have you tried cooking it outside?

I can occasionally get fresh sardines (making a comeback in Monterey Bay after being overfished - yay!) but the one time I cooked them inside the smell lingered for days. Then I started grilling them outdoors, and they were wonderful.

Note: if you ever have to scale a fish, don't do it in the kitchen. You will be finding nearly invisible scales for weeks afterwards, no matter how well you think you cleaned. Why, yes, I speak from experience.

[Inchworm]

19. Holy Fishes! That was yummy, easy, and fast

http://www.epicurious.com/recipes/member/views/BROILED-RAINBOW-STEELHEAD-TROUT-50029499
* 1 lb trout fillet
used a 3/4ish pound Steelhead filet from Chili ($4.54)

* 1 clove garlic, chopped fine
prolly shouldn't have put this in mortar/pestle :dunce:

* 1-1/2 tbsp chopped rosemary
dried, whole

* Zest of 1 lemon
Hehe, I had a bottle of "dried lemon peel" from at least 7 years ago. I was still married! :wow:

* Juice of 1/2 lemon
splash of lemon juice from bottle

* 1/4 tsp salt

* 1/2 tsp black pepper
used dash of Lemon Pepper

* 2 tbsp olive oil

Preheat broiler and brush roasting pan with olive oil.

Mix together all ingredients except fish into a well-blended paste. Use a mortar and pestle if available.

Place fish skin-side down (if it has skin) on baking sheet, then spread seasoning over flesh.

Broil in middle rack for 5 minutes or less, just enough to sear flesh but not burn herbs.

Lower fish to 3rd or 4th rack and lower oven heat to 325°F Bake for 10 additional minutes, or until fish is cooked through in the thickest portion.

Served over mixed veggies.

YUM! But.. it was so fast, easy, and filling what am I gonna do the rest of the day?!? :D

Thanks everyone. I'll keep you informed on my master experiment.

:loveya:

[Lucinda]

23. I actually used to do fish baked pouches a lot

You can do it in parchment or foil. Linking a few places for ideas...I don't have recipes per se ...just tossed in what was handy or I was in the mood for.

Bill and I always make individual packages so we can season it the way we want. I am a fan of butter and citrus - he likes asian flavors with fish.

http://localfoods.about.com/od/maindishes/ss/fishinparchment.htm">Local Foods

http://www.marthastewart.com/article/baking-fish-en-papillote-in-parchment">Martha Stewart - 3 recipes

[GoCubsGo]

29. If you want cheap, don't overlook canned salmon

It's inexpensive, and there are loads of recipes using it. My favorite is salmon sausage:

http://www.astray.com/recipes/?show=Low-fat%20salmon%20sausage%20patties

You can also leave out the herbs, or cut back on them to make plain ol' fish cakes. And, you can substitute any fish, including tuna.


Here are a couple of sites that have recipes for soups, appetizers, sandwiches, entrees...

http://www.alaskaseafood.org/canned/recipes/recipes.html

http://welovefish.com/canned.htm


Of course, nothing beat fresh salmon that's grilled, baked, poached, planked, and best of all, smoked. No cooking involved there.

[Duer 157099]

30. Me too. I found a great fish n chips shop nearby

So far I'm doing better than once per month.

But I guess it doesn't really count when it's deep fried, does it? :shrug: