The taste of fish....

[rjpotts]

I'm not a big fish eater but looking to start incorperating it into my diet, and was just curious as to what the following fish taste like:

• Mackerel
  Herring
  Sardines

Do they have a strong or mild flavor? I read that they are good source of Omega 3 acids to lower cholesteral? Most of the pictures I've seen show them with thier skins, do they have to be cooked this way? What's the best way to eat them?

Thanks

[chez suz]

You picked the fishiest fish to start with...meaning they are strong tasting not at all mild. I don't know that its the best place to start!
Salmon is also one of the healthiest fish you can eat.
Milder fish may include...sole, flounder, tilapia, grouper..to name a few.

Fish can be broiled, baked, fried, stewed....etc....

[rjpotts]

Thanks for the feedback....

Do you know are they fisher due to fat content, the climate in which they grow, etc...?

Is there a place to compair "nutritional" value of the different types of fish.

Thanks again.

[marmalady]

They're oilier fishes, and I think the taste comes from the oil.

Try a google search for nutritional value of fish, see what you get!

[Leaf Storm]

I find Tuna to be very nice. I don't really like "fishy" fish but I like tuna. It's very meaty and not at all strong tasting.

Another thing to keep in mind when buying fish is the freshness of the fish. The freshness can have a big impact on how fishy it tastes. Often supermarket fish isn't that fresh and hence "fishy" in flavour. Make sure the eyes are bright and clear. Make sure the scales are all there. Lack of scales may mean an unhealthy fish. Look at the fish and make sure it looks fresh. Most important, don't be shy, give it a sniff at the store :) While you are feeling "not shy" you can go ahead and ask how long the fish has been there.

Lastly, certain ways of cooking can create a stronger fish flavour. If you fry it rather than cook it with some sauce it's going to taste more fishy. One great way to reduce the strong fish flavour is to cook your fish in the oven with milk. You can also reserve the milk and use it to make a nice sauce!

[DampCharcoal]

I've never heard of cooking fish in milk! Excellent, Leaf, I'll definitely try that! I'm partial to tilapia as it seems to be nearly idiot-proof when it comes to cooking. :roll: :D

[rjpotts]

I appreciate everyone's responses. I will definitely keep your suggestions in mind as I start shopping and preparing fish dishes. If I come across any tricks of the trade as Leaf has shared with us, I will be sure to post them to the forum. :D

[Chopstix]

We were taught at cooking school to soak fish in milk for ten minutes to minimize fishy smells. For example, soak sea bass fillet in milk then pat dry, sprinkle S&P, lightly coat with flour, then pan-fry. Serve with desired sauce. Mmm mmm.

[Rob Babcock]

Pretty hard to find sea bass now, isn't it? I thought most restaurants stopped buying it due to fishing pressure? To bad, I love Sea Bass.

[Chopstix]

Rob, I wouldn't know about seasonality nor constraints of fresh fish supply there. We get only frozen sea bass over here. Like frozen Chilean Sea Bass is normally available here year-round in upscale supermarkets, imported of course, and terribly expensive.