ISO not so fishy fish?

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mike011689

Assistant Cook
Joined
Oct 6, 2010
Messages
1
Hey everyone, i'm new here, but i've got a real quick question. I personally love pretty much any kind of fish, but my fiance pretty much hates any kind of fish (with the exception of tuna, which IMO does not count).

My question is, what kind of fish does not have that really strong "fishy" flavor? And what would be a good way to make it so that someone who doesnt really care for fish might like it?

Thanks everyone!
 
If she like those tuna from tin, how about making a nice real tuna steak if you can find a fresh quality fillet? That may well be her gateway to the world of seafood :cool:
Usually those strong typical "funk" comes from the less than freshest fish, but if you live somewhere it is impossible to find such superfresh fish, try ocean perch, haddock or flounder fillets. Or if they are available try baccalà (salted cod), very very versatile you can do many "fish-hater friendly" dishes.
I also stress on making a dish with a fillet, instead of the whole fish. Those who are not used to fish dishes may be turned off by the sight of a figure of a dead fish on a plate!
 
I refuse to buy my fish wrapped in cellophane!You can't smell it and it probably didn't get into that wrap the same day.
Go to descent fish market and smell the fish.
it's eyes should bright and clear too.

Cod is one of my favorites and is a meaty white flesh fish.A good old fashioned fish fry is a great way of getting people to eat fish who normally don't.
You can dip potato wedges,whole cloves of garlic and any vegetable into the same batter and fry.i suggest you do the fish last so everthing has a cleaner flavor.

Another great way is put fish portions in foil packs with
herbs and vegggies and little white wine and bake them.

Grilled is awsome too and gives that smoke flavor a little.
 
Good fish does not smell "fishy!"

A mild fish that is readily available, very fresh or fresh frozen, would be:

Trout, tilapia, salmon, catfish.
 
Good fish does not smell "fishy!"

A mild fish that is readily available, very fresh or fresh frozen, would be:

Trout, tilapia, salmon, catfish.

I love fish but I find Tilapia and catfish to taste muddy to me.Even when fresh.The only way I have enjoyed Talapia is in Sweet and Sour fish.it can stand up to the sweet.
 
Canned tuna is actually albacore, and fresh tuna, which needs to be cooked rare, would not be the same. Any fresh whitefish purchased from a good fish vendor will not smell or taste fishy.
If your girlfriend will not be turned off by whole fish, the Thai or Cambodian style sweet and sour is delicious, attractive, and not fishy at all. It is a bit of work to prepare, but the results are worth it.
I do not buy fish from the supermarket. It has all been frozen and "thawed for your convenience"
Basically, you are looking for a fresh whitefish. I have found some of the best at oriental markets.
 
I will break it to you, Mike - you can't change your beloved, all you should do is discover your fiance, in morsel bits. Maybe it's not the "fishy taste," but rather its texture, its smell, its look, its haunting whale-song on a plate; maybe just the word fish is a nasty four-letter word, or that squid sounds way worse.

All I can suggest for you is shrimp. The next seafood step from canned tuna. Which most people love. And learn to appreciate: that not all seafood are the same.
 
tilapia is a good un-fishy fish, but i just can't get past the idea of how some fish farmers feed them. (in case you've never heard, some farmers release tilapia into the poo filled ponds after striped bass or salmon are removed for sale. the tilapia feed on the poo, then are sold to fish mongers as well). :sick:

this isn't all farm raised tilapia, but the idea and uncertainty of it's origin just grosses me out too much to eat it. i know it's hypocritical as i love pork and they inadvertantly eat excrement, but for some reason it bothers me in fish.

on a more positive note: basa or swai are very good un-fishy fishes. they are types of river catfish native to asia, but are now being raised in the u.s..

as far as a good preparation for un-fishy fish, my wife makes an excellent dish of fish filets in (her version of) beurre blanc based on a recipe from a rachel ray cookbook. i searched but couldn't find it online.

still, you can't go wrong with a simple lemon, butter, and fresh parsley sauce to go with plain fish filets.

hth. :chef:
 
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yup, gross to the extreme, imo.

it's become somewhat of an urban legend after the practice was shown on an episode of "dirty jobs".

it's probably not so common to be worried about, but i keep thinking of what i have to clean out of my son's turtle/goldfish/minnow tank every month.

yucky-poopy.
 
My first experience with tilapia was definitely less than stellar...very muddy tasting. Perhaps the cheap fish you are talking about BT. I recently decided to try it again, believing it was unfair of me to base my dislike on a restaurant offering. We bought a pound of fresh tilapia and I pan-fried it in a non-stick with just a bit of spice on top. Shrek loved it and he won't even eat good salmon! I liked it, too!

No more eating fish in restaurants that do not specialize in fish.
 
Catfish are bottom feeders (scavangers) and are more "poo-oriented" than tilapia are! :pig:

American, farm raised catfish are feed predominately grain pellets. :chicken:

Asian catfish (basa and swai) are caught wild from rivers polluted with human excrement. :sick:

Give me American catfish or tilapia any day! :clap:
 
Selkie, I still gotta say YUCK! I'm a bit of a fish snob myself and have not eaten catfish (although I'd probably try that) and didn't care for the tilapia I've eaten (guess now I have a reason for why it tasted like poo!!!) Up here on the Canadian prairies, we have to be a bit picky about our fish or you could end up getting something nasty.

In our limited world we eat salmon most often, as it is the easiest for me to acquire. We also enjoy both sole and pickerel. Pickerel is a particular favorite of mine, but not that easy to get these days. If you are looking for non fishy tasting, I'd vote for pickerel (or walleye I think some folks call it). We get pickerel cheeks and pan fry with garlic butter. OMG, I'm drooling just thinking about it!
 
Oh, Walleye!!! Yummm!

If you ever have a fish fry, I'll bring trout and hush puppies!!! :LOL:
 
I have to agree about catfish. I was not impressed the couple of times we tried it. As far as tilapia - to me it has no flavor.

I'm not a huge fan of fin fish. I like swordfish, salmon, bluefish the best. They are very strong flavored fish.
 
OK, taking this thread a bit off topic, sorry Mike!

Andy, have you ever had ceviche made with swordfish? TO DIE FOR!!!
 
OK, taking this thread a bit off topic, sorry Mike!

Andy, have you ever had ceviche made with swordfish? TO DIE FOR!!!

Just getting into ceviche. I've made it with shrimp so far. I'll have to convince SO that swordfish ceviche is a good idea.
 
I have to agree about catfish. I was not impressed the couple of times we tried it.
If you ever feel like trying it again Andy then go to Fireflys BBQ (Framingham, Marlboro, and now Quincy) and get the fried catfish. I promise it will change your mind.
 
mmmm, scallop and shrimp ceviche!!!!!

now, i would leave a woman who didn't like shrimp and scallop ceviche. ya hearin' me mike? :)
 
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