A lot of people are intimidated by the idea of buying and cooking fish simply because they didn’t grow up eating fish at home. Starting with an easy fish to cook, like tilapia, will up your odds at getting your family to eat more fish on a regular basis.
Choosing fish doesn't have to be scary.
Cuts of Fish
I pretty much stick with fillets, but your recipe will dictate the type of fish cut you need:
- Whole: True foodies might love to cook with whole fish for the quality of freshness and taste, but I am all about the boneless!
- Steak: Fish steaks are made from cross sections of large, round fish. They contain part of the backbone and usually have skin remaining on the outside edge.
- Fillet: My favorite! Boned and cut into individual serving sizes. This is the only way to go with kids!
Go Lean for Fitness and Mild Flavor
Generally there are two categories of fish, lean and fatty. Lean fish usually have less than 5% fat, while fatty fish can have up to 35% fat. Fatty fish also tend to have a stronger flavor. Salmon is a good example of a fattier fish with a stronger taste. Some (I said some…) adults love bold tasting fish, but if you are trying to get kids or other non-fish lovers to try something new, stick with leaner, mild tasting fish like tilapia.
Choosing Fresh or Frozen Fish
Fresh fish should have firm flesh that is not discolored. Skin should be moist and shiny. And if you buy whole fish, look for clear and protruding eyes. A fresh fish should smell a little like the ocean. Never buy a fishy smelling fish!
Personally, I go for frozen most of the time because it’s so much more convenient. When purchasing frozen fish, make sure there are no ice crystals, visible blood, or discoloration on the skin and flesh. You don’t want them to thaw and then refreeze. Individually Quick Frozen (IQF) fillets are extremely convenient for families because you can pull out of the freezer just the number of servings you need.
Fish Servings
It can be difficult when you start experimenting with fish recipes to know how much to buy. The general rule is anywhere between ¼ and 1/3 pound for steaks and fillets. You’ll need more weight if you’re using whole fish. Here’s another reason I like tilapia: each fillet is a serving. I know I’ll eat one and everyone else in the family will eat two.
The Best Tilapia
Frozen, high quality farm raised tilapia is available year-round. It’s important to buy tilapia from a company that controls the water source the fish is raised in because Tilapia absorbs flavor from the water. Many foreign sourced tilapia farms do not control the fish, water, or feed source throughout the life of the fish.
Our family fell in love with tilapia a long time ago for the simple reasons that it’s easy to buy, easy to cook, and easy to eat. Pick some up and let me know what you think!
Tags: buying fish, cooking fish, eating fish at home, fish recipes, Tilapia
Cookie Magazine has a neat article this month about ’sneaking fish in’ to our kids’ diets. I’m not a big fan of the sneaking, but hey whatever works, right? We do what we can! Read it here:
http://www.cookiemag.com/food/sneakitin/2006/09/sneakfish