always hated fish, but wanting to try again
 

i have never liked fish (except canned tuna). i hate the smell of it. i hate the texture of it. but in the pictures of low cal/low carb recipes, it always looks so good. and i have to pass up so many healthy recipe options that have fish as the main protein.

so my question is, for someone who doesn't like the overpowering fishy smell in the house or the flaky, soft texture of some fishes, what fish should i try? what kind of flavor/texture does tilapia have? i've heard people rave about how good it is, but i'm skeptical to try it. also, i don't grill. i have to be able to cook it in a pan on the stove top or bake it in the oven. it would be super helpful to not just say "try x"...i'm really hoping to get descriptions of the flavors and textures. i've only found one fish in the past that i tolerated well and that was halibut, and i ate it out at a restaurant and have no idea how to cook it or where to buy it. it had more of a firmer texture like other types of meat and the flavor was not fishy, but very mild.

any help that will get me on the fish bandwagon would be greatly appreciated. thanks!

I love halibut and salmon. Fish is super easy to prepare, just pop in the oven with some pepper and lemon. Halibut is also nice baked with some salsa on top of it. I don't find either particulalry fishy and they have a nice firm texture if cooked properly.

I really like tilapia. It is a mild clean fish. I like to bake it in the oven with just lemon pepper seasoning sprinkled over it.

We had baked haddock last night. It is fishier though. Hubby just sprinkled some paprika on it and baked it. I thought it was delicious but it is a flaky fish that you may not like.

If your supermarket doesn't sell fresh halibut, see if they have it frozen. Go to a Trader Joe's, if you have one in your area - they have lots of frozen fish. They also sell lots of marinades that you can use on fish before you bake it - something Asian might change your mind about all kinds of fish.

jen, april, kathy, thank you for your ideas so far! halibut might be first on my list. if i could eat it at a restaurant, then maybe i could actually make it too. i really like the idea about using an asian marinade.

anyone else out there have good ideas like these?

Kathy is spot on here. If you have a Trader Joe's in the area, go check them out. They have tons of frozen fish, good prices. Most of the packages give descriptions about what you can expect from a certain kind of fish; is it firm, is it flaky, what would go best with it. TJ's also has fantastic marinades and seasonings to pair with the fish.

Or you could try grilling the fish in a pan and then making it into a fish taco. I really recommend mahi mahi for this, it has a firmer texture so stands up well to cooking. Put in a warmed mini corn tortilla with some cabbage, some pico de gallo, onion and lime and you have a winner on your hands. :D

I have found tilapia to be an interesting fish. It has a pretty firm texture and a mild flavor. It's not my favorite, I would rather have salmon or mahi mahi, but it's a cheaper fish so it's often a good price. My family just tosses it in a pan with some olive oil, squirt of lemon on top, salt and pepper and that's it. I like to put my fish on top of a salad. It wilts the greens somewhat, but it's absolutely delicious with some honey dijon dressing.

I don't like 'fishy' fish, but I like canned tuna, small amounts of salmon, and some of the milder white fishes. I really like barramundi when it is very fresh, it has a mild taste, it is flaky but more melt in your mouth than other fishes. I think a variety of it is available outside of Australia under the name 'asian seabass'.
You can bake it in the oven inside a little wax paper parcel with flavours that you like. It is also amazing battered and fried but obviously not as healthy!

I used to hate fish with a passion, but all that changed after eating fresh Swordfish that I had caught while on vacation in Maui back in 1997-I'm totally addicted to fish now.
My favorite method to cook it is on the grill and some of my favorites are: Salmon,swordfish, Ahi Tuna, Mahi Mahi, Talapia and when I go fishing and actually catch something its: Trout,Steelhead,Stripped Bass and again, Salmon. I wish I was closer to the coast because I would be eating even more fresh fish, but like what others have posted, Trader Joes is a great place to get frozen fish.

I also indulge in prawns/shrimp on the grill with olive oil,small amount of butter, garlic and some cayenne on skewers wrapped in foil, mmmm..

I also will have Sushi a couple of times a month(not homemade, but in a restaurant).

I've also managed to get the girlfriend into liking fish and she's way picky- that's why I grill it outside, she hates the smell it leaves in the kitchen.
Ahi steaks (Yellow tail Tuna) is her favorite- I'll marinade it in some Newman's Vinaigrette and toss it on the grill- same goes for the Swordfish.

The Mahi Mahi and Tilapia are great in Tacos, I'll grill them outside and saute the hot peppers and veggies on the stove then mix them up once the fish is done on the grill- yummy

I don't eat crab, crayfish or Lobster tho, too much work to get the meat and too rich for my tastes.

Flounder is nice. So is Tilapia and they can be interchanged for one another in recipes.

I bake it in the oven at about 375 with a tomato slice on top and bread crumbs (seasoned or unseasoned whatever you like) a little fresh lemon juice and chopped walnuts. Stick it under the broiler about 4-5 minutes or put it in a 475 degree oven for about 6-7 minutes and wait for the compliments.

there is no problem in trying again fish, it contains lot of good vitamins that are essential for health, good luck for you chance of testing again

I pretty much eat it every day. I dislike any fishy smell, slime, stuff like that but tilapi a is pretty good. I buy the frozen vacum sealed filets. I lightly olive oil a pan, add garlic, fish, sprinkle red pepper , cook both sides. I like to add the lemon towards the end. I lean towards the over cooking side, tends to be less fishy to me.

Yes , you should try it.

I think there is a difference between ocean fish and lake fish - halibut, snapper, fresh tuna, salmon, have less of a "fishy" taste to me than something like catfish. The key is freshness. If you don't live near an ocean you might do better looking for frozen fish. And try different grocery stores - ones that define themselves as more "upscale" tend to have better fish selection. Frozen prawns are also a good alternative.

For salmon, I like baking it slowly covered with foil and with slices of lemon on it. Fresh tuna is good peppered and seared in a pan. Don't cook it too much - it is best almost raw. A whitefish like snapper or tilapia is good baked in parchment with chopped tomato, onions, and herbs. It is lowfat, and the acidity of the tomato and the flavor of the onion counters the "fishy" flavor. The parchment keeps the juices in, which then can be soaked up by brown rice or something like that.
Good luck!

Mahi Mahi is my all time favorite fish. Grill it or cook in oven. Great with steak seasoning or as simple as salt and pepper. When I eat it, I do not miss steak. YUM YUM.

Tilapia, red snapper, flounder, cod, farm raised catfish are all pretty mild fish.

Another way to prepare fish that allows for alot of seasoning is poaching.

Throw some chicken stock in a pan (and some wine if you want) choose your seasonings (works great with fresh herbs.) make sure that there is enough liquid to cover 2/3's of your fish and put a lid on it.

Your fish will be cooked in probably 3-8 minutes depending on the size and amount. It comes out flaky, moist and generally takes on the aromatics that you use to cook the fish in also (so less fishy.)

Personally, I like seared tuna. I had some in New Orleans that was amazing and I'm trying to recreate it. foodnetwork.com has some nice recipes that I'm gonna try, and they are all "easy," which is key for me.