First of all, think in terms of sustainability. This is a good site and they also have an app, which is really handy for looking stuff up while at the fish counter:

http://www.seafoodwatch.org/cr/seafoodwatch.aspx

Now, if you go to a fish counter like at H Mart (I actually shop for fish at latin american grocery stores: Bestway, Grandmart, and Foodway) you will be looking at whole fish. Check the eyes - a clearer definition in the pupil of the eye means fresher fish. The fish is cheap! You select the fish you want and they will gut it and prepare it for you. I ask for the minimal prep, so I'm taking home whole fish.

Just before dinner, I rub the inside and outside of the fish with butter or olive oil, and salt and pepper. Then bake at 350 or 375 for 10-20 mins, depending on the size of the fish. Serve with lemon wedges.

Here is a NY Times video on preparing whole fish:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E6BAkvsTW4I

Save the head and bones. Through them in the slow cooker with enough water to cover and let it cook all night. Strain it and you have super nutritious fish stock. Use your stock in a chowder or a thai curry another day.

My other fish suggestion is to use canned wild salmon and make a salmon salad. I mix the fish with mayo, salt, curry powder, raisins or grapes, and some roasted chopped nuts. Serve on bread, crackers, or with a green salad.

Oh, one more: canned smoked herring is awesome. I get it at trader joes. My kids love it.

Here's a recipe for the best fish tacos ever -
http://allrecipes.com/recipe/grilled-fish-tacos-with-chipotle-lime-dressing/detail.aspx

We typically make it with a firm white fish like mahi mahi. Personally, I'm not a fan of tilapia.

Most fish is frozen when it's caught, so shop the frozen fish section. We also like barramundi. We often do the recipes on the back of the package with the Giant frozen fish and have been pretty happy with them. Once you get comfortable with a few recipes, you'll find it easier to research your own recipes and branch out.

Don't sweat the "bottom feeder" designation. The fish that are bottom feeders tend to have less chemicals in them than those at the top of the food chain.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Get invited to a Indian Bengali home. Ask they cook for you Maccher Jhol.

It is beyond amazing! Learn from them how to cook fish. There are recipes on the internet, but they make it best.

What if OP doesn't know any Indian Bengali people she feels comfortable making such a request?

I love Bengali food! OP, you can find videos on YouTube for how to make Bengali fish dishes.

I am not a cook at all, but I got these frozen breaded fish filets at Safeway (tilapia or cod) that I make into fish tacos (soft corn tortilla browned on the burner flame) with avocado, hot sauce mayo, tomatoes, scallions and lime juice. Delicious.

Try putting some search terms into Pinterest. I feel that the recipes that circulate on there are usually pretty simple and have often been viewed / tried by so many people that they have a lot of comments.

Most white fishes are nice and bland- you can kind of do anything to them (from very little, like pan frying or broiling with a little salt and pepper with lemon on the side, to other more complicated dishes.)

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Get invited to a Indian Bengali home. Ask they cook for you Maccher Jhol.

It is beyond amazing! Learn from them how to cook fish. There are recipes on the internet, but they make it best.

What if OP doesn't know any Indian Bengali people she feels comfortable making such a request?

No, really, even strangers.

Anonymous wrote:Get invited to a Indian Bengali home. Ask they cook for you Maccher Jhol.

It is beyond amazing! Learn from them how to cook fish. There are recipes on the internet, but they make it best.

What if OP doesn't know any Indian Bengali people she feels comfortable making such a request?

Get invited to a Indian Bengali home. Ask they cook for you Maccher Jhol.

It is beyond amazing! Learn from them how to cook fish. There are recipes on the internet, but they make it best.

Anonymous wrote:Love monkfish-- they call it the poor man's lobster.

Wasn't lobster originally for poor people because it is a bottom feeder? Same with talapia.

Flounder. Get 4 skinless boneless fillets. Heat oven to 425 degrees. Combine one cup seasoned panko breadcrumbs with 1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese and 3 tablespoons olive oil. Safeway makes an Italian style panko that's really good. Spray large casserole dish with cooking spray. Place the flounder in the dish. Very lightly salt and pepper one side of the fish. Place crumb mixture on fish, pressing lightly. Bake for 15 minutes.

Love monkfish-- they call it the poor man's lobster.

Go to H Mart or Great Wall Supermarket. Both have amazing fish counters. See what looks good and different; then google recipies on your phone.

Barefoot Contessa fish in mustard-cream sauce:

http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/ina-garten/mustard-roasted-fish-recipe.html#!

Fish corn chowder--yummy for winter (I think I'll make it today):

http://www.eatingwell.com/recipes/tilapia_corn_chowder.html

The recipe says tilapia, but you can use any firm white fish. I'm going to use some pollock I've got in the freezer.

The UK expat's yearning for fish variety has inspired this question.

We are very boring and limited as to our fish menu: salmon, shrimp, scallops. That's about it. But eating out we like lots of things, southern style trout or catfish, calamari, love sushi and sashimi.


Where would we start? Do you have favorite cookbooks, websites, chefs, recipes? Please share and recommend. tia