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Fish: It’s what’s for dinner
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Fish is a powerhouse when it comes to nutrition. With healthy fats and protein, fish is an excellent and nutritious addition to any eating plan. But if you’re a bit intimidated about which kind of fish to choose, how to handle it and how to prepare it, here are three things you need to know before you get started cooking up a fabulous fish dish.
1. Choose Your Fish Wisely
Not all fish are created equal. Certain fish contain very high levels of the metal mercury. In fact the EPA and the FDA advised that women who may become pregnant, are pregnant or are nursing, and children should avoid consuming certain fish because of their high levels of mercury. The blacklisted fish are: shark, swordfish, king mackerel, or tilefish, and albacore tuna.
Also, as you visit the fish counter at your local grocery store, look for fish that are wild-caught rather than those that are farm-raised. Farm-raised fish are likely to contain pesticides, have less nutrient value than wild-caught fish and the farming practice itself has raised significant environmental concerns.
2. Safety First
The same safety practices that are heeded when preparing chicken and red meat must also be used when cooking fish. Make sure you keep the utensils and surfaces that are being used on the raw fish separate from the rest of your cooking area. A piece of fish is cooked properly when it flakes easily with a fork.
Raw fish like sushi is safe to eat as long as it is fresh and handled properly.
3. Experiment with Flavors and Techniques
In addition to its impressive nutrition profile, the appeal of fish also comes from its versatility. From salmon to mahi mahi and from poached to blackened fish, the possibilities are truly endless. If you’re a culinary novice, you can keep your fish dishes simple by only using a handful of ingredients – such as salt and pepper – and still savor the clean and delicate flavor of the fish. Consider adding fresh herbs, a spice rub or a quick marinade.
Grilling, steaming, broiling, baking or even adding fish to stews are a few of the endless cooking possibilities. Use flaked salmon in place of ground turkey or beef for burgers or grill fish kebabs using a firm fish like shrimp or scallops.
Before you know it, you’ll be whipping up fish dishes that are delicious, nutritious and time-efficient.
Here’s to your health!
