Fish Articles - Fish is easy to prepare and good for you / Stephanie L.


Fish: It’s easy to prepare, frighteningly healthful and boasts a broad palette of flavors. There’s a reason why people serve it with the head still on so it can smile back at you. Thanks to the wonders of modern transportation, those living far inland can sup on nearly fresh denizens of the deep year-round. Fillets and steaks are as easy to cook as a chicken breast. No gutting necessary. A fillet of fish is a section or a full side of a fish. A steak is a cross section of the whole fish. Steaks tend to be thicker. Fillets generally come with the skin on; steaks are usually skinless. Fresh fish doesn’t smell "fishy." That makes cooking much more pleasant and helps minimize the first complaint of many a non-fish-fan: that it stinks. Eyes are the windows to the souls and, with fish, they’re indicators of how long the fish carcass has been lying around. Look for bright and clear eyes, pass on any cloudy ones. Gills should be deep red, not pink or brown. Pass on slimy fish, too. If fish are properly iced, they’ll have bright and clear scales free of goo. Fish flesh should be firm to the touch. Now, inhale. If it smells "fishy," go on to the next fish. If you’re going for fresh fillets or steaks, opt for those that are freshly cut and on ice. Wrapping them in plastic can trap bacteria and speed their slide into non-freshness. Fish can be frozen for up to three months. Wrap it well in two layers of freezer paper. Some stores sell fish steaks that are shrink-wrapped and frozen. Use the lowest defrost setting to thaw it in the microwave. Once fish is thawed, don’t refreeze it. It destroys the flavor and texture. If you’re unsure whether the "fresh" fish you’ve bought has been frozen and then thawed, put it in water - fresh fish should float. If it sinks, you know you need to use it right away. If it floats, you can freeze it and use it later.		Use your fresh fish within a day or two. If you’re wondering how much to buy, the proper serving size is ╜ to ╜ pound per person of steak or fillets; ╛pound per person if you’re cooking it with fins and skin still on. Before you cook it, be sure to remove as many bones as possible. For fillets, run your finger lightly but firmly across the flesh, feeling for bones. When you feel them, use tweezers or needle-nose pliers to pull them out. Fish cooks quickly and with little he

Fish is easy to prepare and good for you, too