# Help Me!  I hate fish!!



## ciship (Jan 1, 2005)

I really hate the taste of fish.  Don't want to smell it or look at it either.  However, my doctor says I must work it into my diet. 

I am looking for VERY simple ways of cooking that will mask the flavor and texture as much as possible.

I have tried broiling it and then drowning it in vinegar and that helps, but can I get some other suggestions please?  I thought grilling (and burning) it might help also??


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## SierraCook (Jan 1, 2005)

Have you tried herbs such as rosemary or thyme?  What about lemon juice?  I agree with you I hate fish also and I am too having a hard time working it into my diet.  Good luck and maybe we both can learn something from everyone, else.


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## kyles (Jan 1, 2005)

What foods do you like? If you pair things you like with the fish that might make it more palatable. I will bump Kitchenelf's spicy fish stew, that's a healthy and easy recipe which tastes of other things, the fish is kind of incidental. Make sure you buy the freshest and best quality fish that you can afford, fresh fish is not as "fishy" as older fish. Teriyaki and other asian flavours go well with fish and might take away the "fishiness".

Best of luck, I love fish so I am lucky, take pity on me though, as it has been suggested to me that I eat liver to boost my iron - YUCK!!!!!!!


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## SierraCook (Jan 1, 2005)

Ciship, the topic below might be of some help.  

http://www.discusscooking.com/viewtopic.php?t=7299


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## ciship (Jan 1, 2005)

I understand what youre saying regarding the LIVER.  The only thing I can offer there is to make sure it is VERY thin when you cook it.  Sliver thin!!  Saute with onions (lots) and cook it WELL.  I almost burn it to get through it.


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## ciship (Jan 1, 2005)

Of course I can get down fish better when it is breaded.....but, that is a big no no according to the doctor.  I'm going to fire up the grill tomorrow and see if I can figure something out.  I will try the lemon and spices.  

How about "blackened"?  How would I do that?


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## marmalady (Jan 2, 2005)

Here's a link for a 'heart healthy' site that has recipes for oven-fried fish, and lots of other 'oven fried' goodies, which are a little better for you than deep fried!

http://www.fitnessandfreebies.com/ovenfry.html


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## ciship (Jan 2, 2005)

Hey that gave me some good ideas Marmalady!  Thanks......

We are breaking out the outdoor grill today also.  I'm going to experiment!


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## Chopstix (Jan 2, 2005)

Ciship, you might want to follow Dr. Andrew Weil's suggestion in his acclaimed book 'Spontaneous Healing' for people who need good cholesterol from fish oils but who don't like fish:  Grind up flax seed into fine powder and sprinkle on food at meals.  I highly recommend his book.  You might also want to check out his newer books at his website.


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## ciship (Jan 2, 2005)

Yes, I am very familiar with Dr. Weil.  Thank you for the recommendation.

I take Flax Seed oil capsules, but when I used to get the grounds or ground them myself, I would gain enormous amounts of weight very quickly even if I cut way back on my intake of the grounds.  My body does that with other healthy fats as well like Avocado, nuts, etc....I just blow up like a puffer fish when I eat healthy fats.


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## Barbara L (Jan 2, 2005)

ciship,

I rubbed some tuna steaks with liquid smoke and baked them--they were almost like steak.  It wasn't fishy tasting at all.

 Barbara


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## jennyema (Jan 3, 2005)

IMO, tuna tastes mor like meat than fish.  Teriyaki tuna may be a place for you tostart


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## mish (Jan 3, 2005)

Haven't tried this one yet.  I've been saving it for a special occasion.  Hoped it might be of interest since there's several layers of flavors goin' on with all the other ingredients.  See what you think.

Salmon in Puff Pastry
1 salmon fillet, about 3/4 or so pounds
1 sheet puff pastry, thawed and rolled smooth
1 c. (about) cooked white rice
1/2 c. (about) cooked spinach
olive oil
lemon juice
salt and pepper

Place puff pastry sheet on baking pan. Prick 1/2 lghtly with a fork. To the same half, add the rice, smoothing out in an even layer to within an inch from the edge. Top rice with spinach. Drizzle with a little olive oil and lemon juice. Place salmon fillet on top of spinach. Season with salt and pepper. 

Fold other half of puff pastry across salmon and other filling ingredients. Press edges together and fold once, crimping with a fork to seal.

Bake at 350 for about 20-25 minutes, until pastry is golden brown. 

If you buy a larger piece of salmon, you can use two sheets of puff pastry, one for the bottom, one for the top. In this case, you might want more rice and spinach to cover the one piece.


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## AllenOK (Jan 3, 2005)

Well, you mentioned "blackening" and someone else mentioned Tuna steaks.  Blackened Tuna is truly a gift from the gods, if you ask me.  

Blackened Seasoning Mix

2 T paprika
5 t salt
2 t onion powder
2 t garlic powder
2 t cayenne
1 ½ t white pepper
½ t black pepper
1 t thyme
1 t oregano

Mix all ingredients well, and place in a shaker (I use a Parmesan cheese dispenser like the pizzerias use.).  DO NOT breathe in the “dust cloud” while mixing the spices together!

To properly blacken (cook) the tuna steak, please remember that this is best down outside, using a Coleman Camp stove and a cast iron skillet.  I will do this inside, but I don't really get the heat up to high, and don't create a lot of smoke.  The smoke has been referred to a "Cajun Bomb" by some of my co-workers.  

You'll need some clarified butter.  If you know how to make it, great.  You can get by with using vegetable oil, but the flavor will not be quite the same.

Heat the pan until it's hot on the camp stove.  Make sure to get your _mise en place_ ready, and have the fat handy, seasoning mix nearby, and the tuna steak on a plate, platter, or something else similar.  While the pan is heating, season the tuna steak with the seasoning mix.  How much you use will determine how hot and spicy it is.  How hot you can tolerate it will be trail and error.  

Once the pan is hot, add some of the clarified butter or veggie oil.  Lay the seasoned tuna steak on the pan, seasoned side down.  While this cooks, season the other side of the tuna, which is now facing up.  Cook for a few minutes.  Flip once, adding a little more fat to the pan right before you flip it.  Cook to desired doneness.  I prefer a medium tuna steak.

It's been awhile since I last cooked tuna steak like this, so I can't really give you temperatures and times.  I always cook by feel, anyway.  I poke the tuna steak with my finger to feel if it's still slightly "soft" inside.  Again, this is a trail-and-error process that I've learned working in restaurants.

Paul Prudhomme's first cookbook, "Louisiana Kitchen" describes the process, although I always thought his heat was up to high.  He wanted the pan so hot you were developing ash IN the pan, from the season on the pan burning.  I prefer a lower heat, as it doesn't flare up and burn as much, it's a slower process (doesn't burn into inedibility as fast), etc.

I recently reheated some ultra-rare blackened tuna (so that it was blackened medium) and ate it.  Well, my DW wanted some, then my oldest step-son wanted some!  He's the pickiest eater here.


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## ciship (Jan 3, 2005)

WOW....really enjoyed reading about the Blackened/Cajun Tuna Steak....

Thank you to ALL who took such effort in writing out these recipes....just fabulous!!

How about an Orange Roughy recipe that I can do on the grill.  A friend today told me it had very little fishy flavor to it and flaked well (but had no recipe).


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## Yakuta (Jan 4, 2005)

ciship, I admit that blackened fish is my absolute favorite but here are some other recipes that I think you would like.  I am not a huge fish fan either and when I cook fish I like to mask the fishy flavor by using spices (not hot, just aromatic)

Baked Trout

2 Whole Trouts (without the head) - trim the fins and wash it nicely
1 bunch of flat leaf parsley finely chopped
4 cloves of garlic finely minced
1 large lemon 
2 tbsp of olive oil
pinch of red pepper flakes
salt and pepper to your liking
veggies of your choice - I like baby carrots, broccoli and baby red potatoes

In a pyrex dish place the fish, add the chopped parsley, garlic, squeeze the lemon and throw in the rinds as well, olive oil, salt, red pepper, black pepper and veggies in.  Combine it all together with clean hands.  

Cover and cook in a preheated oven (350) for 30 - 40 minutes.  

There is very little to no fishiness in this dish.  All the other flavors permeate the fish. 

Tandoori Fish (An Indian specialty)

2 whole Trouts (I have used this recipe with great success using Tilapia, Trout and Red Snapper)
1/2 cup of plain yogurt
pinch of red food color
2 tsp of freshly ground ginger
juice of 1 lime
1 tsp of ground cumin
1 tsp of ground corrainder
1 tsp of cayanne pepper
Handful of cilantro finely chopped
salt to taste

Combine all the spices, food color, cilantro and yogurt together and pour it over the trout and allow to marinate for an hour. 

Place in an oven proof dish or a stove top grill pan or grill (smear the grill with oil first so the fish does not stick).  Cook until done. 

Serve with slices of sweet onion and lime wedges.


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## ciship (Jan 4, 2005)

Wow....Trout.....now that is going to be a BIG step for me....but I have printed off your recipe (thank you SO much) and I will work my way up to it.

Thanks again!


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## robbdj (Jan 4, 2005)

Tilapia is the fish for those that don't like that fishiness of fish.  Personally I really dislike tuna and salmon, I'm not big on the fish that are 'fattier'  but I would eat tilapia every day of the week.  You just can't go wrong, no matter how you cook it.  Well, unless you expect to fry it up like some Cat Fish, that just doesn't work well and goes against the whole adding it to your diet to be healthier 

But find some fresh tilapia and try this, get some baby carrots, a sweet onion cut into 1/8's, allspice and dried chiles (use all above to suit your tastes and the amount of fish you're cooking).  Put oil or cooking spray on the pan, add veggies and spices.  Place fish on top, put tent of foil over the top and bake at 400 until fish is about 145 degree F


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## Yakuta (Jan 4, 2005)

I have to agree with rob that fishes such as Tilapia and Trout to me are more lighter, flakier and any day less fishy than tuna and salmon.  

I guess opinions differ from people to people but tuna and salmon are fatty fish and fish fat equates to strong taste and smell (to me atleast).  

Try Tilapia and/or Trout and you will suprised as to how mild those fishes are.  Trout too comes in two varieties, the pink trout is more fishier than the white trout (most of the ones sold in the stores are white).  

My recipes can be used successfully with Tilapia as well.


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## ciship (Jan 4, 2005)

I'm thankful for everyones help and suggestions.  I'm heading to the store to find Tilapia (sp?)


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## AllenOK (Jan 4, 2005)

I was going to mention Blackened Catfish in my original post, but forgot.

The cajun restaurant I used to work at, we would blacken literally anything on the menu.  That I can remember, we did Catfish, Tuna, Halibut, Roughy, Tilapia (only sometimes), shrimp, softshell crabs, lobster tail, etc.


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## AllenOK (Jan 4, 2005)

Here's a Trout recipe I have.  One of these days, I'm going to try this.

Bacon and Sage Pan Fried Trout
Serves: 8

24 slices of bacon
3 T minced fresh sage leaves or 1 T dried, crumbled, + fresh sage springs for garnish
8 trout (about 10 oz each), cleaned and boned, leaving the head and tail intact
about 2 c yellow cornmeal for coating the trout
1/3 c olive oil
lemon wedges for garnish

In a large heavy skillet cook 8 of the bacon slices over moderate heat, turning them occasionally, until they are crisp, transfer them to paper towels to drain, and pour off the fat. Crumble the cooked bacon into a small bowl and stir in the minced sage. In the skillet cook the remaining 16 bacon slices in 2 batches until the bacon just becomes translucent and the edges begin to curl, transfer them to paper towels to drain, and pour off the fat. Preheat the oven to 375°F. Rinse the trout under cold water and pat them dry inside and out. Sprinkle the cavity of each trout with one eighth of the crumbled bacon mixture and salt and pepper to taste. Wrap 2 of the whole bacon slices around each trout, using wooden picks to secure the bacon and close the cavities. Mound the cornmeal on a sheet of wax paper and roll each trout in it, coating it completely and gently shaking off the excess. Heat the skillet over moderately high heat until it is hot, add the oil, and heat it until it is hot but not smoking. In the oil fry the trout, not touching each other, in batches for 3 minutes on each sides, or until they are just firm and the bacon is golden, transferring them as they are fried with long spatulas to a shallow baking pan. When all the trout has been fried, bake them for 5 minutes, or until they just flake and are heated through. Discard the wooden picks, arrange the trout carefully on a platter, and garnish them with the sage sprigs and the lemon wedges.

I have eight other trout recipes on my pc's HDD.  Just ask, and I'll post them 

Another one that I don't really have a recipe for, is Whole Stuffed Trout.  Find a good seafood stuffing recipe, like a Cajun Crab stuffing, a shrimp stuffing, or anything else that you like.  Make the stuffing, but don't fully cook it.

Preheat you oven to about 400 or 450°F.  Take a whole trout, and season the skin with salt and pepper.  Dredge it in flour.  Preheat a large cast iron skillet and add a little clarified butter or rendered bacon grease.  Lay the trout out, skin-side down.  Place some of the stuffing on ONE side of the inside of the trout.  Place the trout, skin-side down, into the skillet.  Cook for a few minutes, until the skin is nice and crispy.  Fold the other half of the trout over the stuffing, so that the trout looks like it would whole.  Place the entire pan in the oven and cook until the stuffing is hot, and fish completely cooked.  Remove, and serve.

I don't really have times or exact temperatures for this, as I'm flying-by-the-seat-of-my-pants on this recipe.  I haven't made anything like this since I worked at the cajun place, back in '98.


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## ciship (Jan 5, 2005)

Any recipe with BACON has GOT to be good!!!!!!!


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## fried fish (Jan 9, 2005)

ciship, you don't like fish?  I take that personally.. just kidding!    here is a good healthy recipe for crab cakes.  And it's great served with roasted red pepper dressing.  I know there is a recipe on here somewhere for that, so you might wanna do a search for it.

Crab Cakes:

1/2 cup mayonnaise 
1 large egg 
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard 
3/4 teaspoon Old Bay Seasoning 
1 1/2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice 
1/4 teaspoon salt 
1/8 teaspoon black pepper 
1/8 teaspoon Tabasco sauce 
1 pound jumbo lump crabmeat, picked over 
4 cups cornflakes 

Whisk together the mayonnaise, egg, mustard, Old Bay seasoning, lemon juice, salt, pepper, and Tabasco sauce, then gently stir in crabmeat. Chill, covered, 2 hours. 

Pulse the cornflakes in a food processor until coarsely ground and put in a shallow dish. 

Form one heaping teaspoon of crab mixture into a 1 1/2 inch-diameter cake (mixture will be very moist), then gently dredge in the cornflakes. Make more crab cakes in same manner, transferring them to buttered baking sheets. Chill, covered for at least 1 hour. (Unbaked crab cakes can chill up to 4 hours.) 

Preheat oven to 400°F. Bake the crab cakes in batches in middle of oven until crisp and golden, about 8-10 minutes. Transfer with a spatula to a platter.


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## fried fish (Jan 9, 2005)

here is that roasted red pepper dressing I was telling you about ciship.  That way you don't have to traipse around looking for it, in case you want it

Roasted Red Pepper Dressing: 

7 oz jar roasted red peppers, drained and patted dry 
1/8 tsp cayenne pepper 
1 tbsp vinegar 
1/4 cup olive oil 
1/4 cup plain yogurt 
salt and pepper to taste 

In a blender or food processor puree the red peppers, cayenne, and vinegar until the mixture is smooth and with the motor running add the oil in a stream. Turn off the motor, scrape down the sides, and blend in the yogurt and salt/pepper to taste.


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## ciship (Jan 9, 2005)

Fried Fish.....you are SO helpful.......THANK YOU!!!


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## fried fish (Jan 9, 2005)

ciship said:
			
		

> Fried Fish.....you are SO helpful.......THANK YOU!!!


You are so very welcome!    I hope you enjoy it .. or both!


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## abjcooking (Jan 10, 2005)

My mother had the hardest time trying to get us to eat fish as kids.  She had the best luck with really fresh orange roughy and tilapia.  Orange Roughe is very sweet, light, and flaky.  For the orange roughy she would crush some Better Cheddar crackers, spray the fillets with Pam and then roll each fillet in the cheddar crackers.  Then sprinkle with salt and pepper.  Bake at 350 for 30 minutes.  She was so proud of herself with this recipe.  It was the first fish we ever ate and enjoyed.  I still fix it today for the BF.

You can also soak the fillets in milk before hand.  We do this all the time with fried catfish.


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## ciship (Jan 10, 2005)

Oh that's just too simple and fabulous!!!  Thank you for that recipe as well!!  Your mom was smart.


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## AllenOK (Jan 10, 2005)

Ok, here's another one from my files.  Enjoy.

Crusty Corn Trout
Yields:  4 servings

4 cleaned and boned rainbow or brook trout
1/3 c flour
1 egg
1 T water
1 c yellow cornmeal
¼ c ground nuts (peanuts, pine nuts, walnuts, etc.)
1 t salt
¼ t cracked black pepper
¼ t paprika
¼ t ground cumin
Vegetable oil

	Roll trout in flour.  Beat egg with water.  Mix cornmeal, ground nuts, salt, pepper, paprika, and cumin.  Dip floured trout into egg and then into cornmeal.  Heat about 1” of oil in fry pan oven coals or medium heat.  Cook trout, turning once, until both sides are brown, 5 minutes per side.  Fish flakes when done.
	Note:  carry the cornmeal and flour in paper bags.  Toss in the trout, shake, and it’s ready to fry.


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