There have long been some questions about the safety of eating fish—even as we’re told that eating fish more often is good for our health. The problems are related to mercury and PCBs as well as the susceptibility to harbor bacteria that cause food-borne illnesses. But the positive effects on our health far outweigh the dangers, especially if you heed some precautions. All fish and seafood is an excellent source of lean protein and is low in fat and calories (unless you cook it in gobs of butter). It is rich in vitamins and minerals, but particularly in omega-3 fatty acids which have been found to combat heart disease, stroke, depression and Alzheimer’s disease. Most of the popular fish and seafood that’s readily available and affordable is safe in any amount such as: salmon, shrimp, scallops, crab, Tilapia, catfish, sole, flounder, herring, sardines, and most tuna.
I have been very pleased with most of the frozen fish in the supermarket. If you watch the label for words like wild-caught or flash frozen right on the fishing boat, you are apt to be much happier with the final product. The quality of fresh fish in our local markets is more difficult to discern. Most have been frozen and thawed once and that means that it shouldn’t be frozen again. A lot of the fish in the refrigerated fish case is already filleted, which means you can’t see the gills, the skin, or the eyes which are the usual signs of freshness. Smell is important, too, but again, in the supermarket, you’ll have to ask to smell the fish—which you might not do.
If after you have thawed your frozen fillets you think they smell slightly fishy and fear that your family or guests aren’t going to love the dish, try thawing the fillets or steaks in a shallow dish with milk to cover. And after cooking, you can neutralize the cooking odor by adding a little white vinegar to a cup of water and simmering on the stove for a few minutes.
There are so many wonderful varieties of fish and so many ways to cook and season them, that you could go a long time without repeating any recipes. This time of year, grilling fish is fun but you really need a grill-basket if you’re not grilling a firm fleshed fish such as tuna or halibut. Fish takes such a short time to cook that it’s not too bad to broil in the oven or cook it in a grill pan or skillet on top of the stove.
Many fruits and vegetables that are in abundance now make great accompaniments for fish. This taco recipe has a delicious melon salsa that makes it perfect for an August supper.
12 8-inch flour tortillas
1 lb. frozen fish fillets, about ½ inch thick
2 Tbsp olive oil
¾ tsp chili powder
¼ tsp. salt
¼ tsp. ground cumin
1/8 tsp. garlic powder
Shredded lettuce
1 cucumber, roughly chopped
Lime wedges
Melon Salsa (recipe follows)
Thaw fish filets in a shallow glass baking dish with milk to cover. Put into refrigerator to thaw. When thoroughly thawed, pour out milk, transfer fillets to a plate. Clean the baking dish and spray with vegetable spray. Place fish in single layer in the pan. Combine olive oil, chili powder, salt, cumin, and garlic powder; brush oil on fish. Bake in preheated oven (450) for 5-7 minutes or when it flakes when tested with a fork. Fill warmed tortillas with a portion of fish, cucumbers, lettuce and melon salsa. Pass remaining salsa and lime wedges. (Makes 6 servings of 2 tacos each)
Melon Salsa
2 cups cubed melon (can use any melon or combination)
1 cup chopped cucumber
½ cup sweet pepper (red, yellow, orange or green)
½ cup thawed frozen corn, fresh corn off cob, or canned corn, drained
3 Tbsp. chopped fresh cilantro or Italian parsley
1 Tbsp. sliced green onion
3 Tbsp lime juice
1 Tbsp honey
In medium bowl, combine melon, cucumber, pepper, corn, cilantro and onion. In a separate bowl, whisk together the lime juice and honey. Toss together; set aside.
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