This article is from Zone, hopefully you will find useful too.
Fish Facts
01/18/2005Carolyn Alish, PhD, RD, LD
Okay, so you know you should be eating more fish. But what if you just aren't a fish person? Meaning, you don't know how to select a good piece of fish in the market, or how to prepare it so it's fun to eat. To help you along, here are some tips to take the fear out of buy, preparing and eating fish.
Buying Fish
WHOLE FISH: Look for one with red or pink gills and bring, clear eyes that are slightly protruding. Gray, sagging gills and sunken, pink and cloudy eyes are signs that the fish is anything but fresh.
FILLETS OR STEAKS: Check their aroma before you buy: they shouldn't smell "fishy." Fish should smell like the ocean or a clean pond if it is from fresh water. This goes for whole fish as well.
FRESH OR FROZEN? The choice is yours. But be aware that breaded and seasoned fish has much more fat, calories and sodium than unbreaded and unseasoned frozen or fresh fish.
Preparing Fish - Baking rule-of-thumb: measure fish at the thickest part and bake 10 mins at 375 degrees Fahrenheit for every inch of thickness.
- To bake fish, lay it on a bed of thinly sliced or chopped vegetables such as onions, spinach, mushrooms, zucchini, tomatoes or parsley. Top the fish with any seasonings that appeal to you. The fish won't stick to your baking dish, and it will taste delicious.
- Baking fish in milk (pour a small amount in the bottom of the baking dish) helps to remove some of the fishy taste.
Eliminating Fish Odor - Clean cutting boards and utensils with hot soap and water. You can also rub them with sliced lemon.
- To remove fish smell from your hands, pour some vinegar on your hands, rub them together and rinse well. Rubbing your hands with a lemon wedge or salt and water also works well.
- While the fish is cooking, simmer two tablespoons of vinegar in two cups of water, or, try simmering cinnamon, cloves and orange slices.
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