Fish Phobia

I have had a fish phobia ever since the night fifteen years ago when I was little and we went out to eat at Red Lobster. That night I got the worst stomach flu I have ever had. I have only eaten fish once since then, when my husband begged me to cook it. It was Red Snapper, I baked it in the oven and the first bite was good. Then my mind took over and I started to think OMG, this is fish! I can't eat this!  Even though I thought it tasted ok. Weird huh?

Anyway, my husband loves fish. And since the Red Snapper incident took place about eight years ago, I think I am ready to give fish another try. Especially when the specials at restaurants make it sound so yummy. Like macadamia encrusted so and so. Any suggestions on a certain type of fish that might be tasty, not too flaky, etc. that I can start out with?

Thanks for your advice. I really don't know that much about fish.

Salmon is a nice firm, tasty fish.  A boneless, skinless fillet simply grilled with a little seasoning is quite 'meaty' rather than overly 'fishy'. 

I would start with Chilean Sea Bass personally.  I think it's super mild and buttery, it's got great essential fats and it tastes wonderful.  Salmon is great too, as is tuna. 

I dont' love to eat fish out though, because I think frequently they over cook it.  I prefer to cook my own.  If you buy fish fresh and eat it that day, you shouldn't have that "fishy" smell.  My favorite thing to prepare in America is a pan seared salmon.  4 TBSP lemon juice, 4 TBSP soy sauce, a bunch of garlic cloves minced/pressed.  Rinse the salmon and pat dry, let it marinate for 15 min in the soy mix, then flip it for 15 more.  Take it out, pat it dry, press fresh ground pepper into it on either side, sear it for about 2-3 min in a med-hot pain with a little olive oil on either side.  OMG it's heaven. 

My suggestion would be halibut - it is a very 'meaty' fish with quite a mild flavour to it ... you can pan fry it with a wee bit of butter and some lemon/pepper/salt and it will be absolutely delicious.  Halibut can even be put on the BBQ - and will hold it's shape very nicely.  If the snapper tasted good the last time - you could also try it again (I also think it's quite delicious!).  I've also cut up both halibut and snapper for a curry - yum! 

In the end fish is sooo good for you - look up some recipes that sounds cood to you on a website like allrecipes.com - if there is something that appeals to you in the recipe other than the fish, it may just hook you!

Good luck and happy eating!

No fish in 8 years.....arrr, matey, you don't know what you've been missing....but then again less for you is more for me.....

Freshness is the key.  Ask before you buy, sniff it if they'll let you, and if it's been in the case for more than 2 days or if it looks dried out, pass on it.  Buy local fish if you can, over something that's been shipped from a thousand miles away.  Around here the best choices are Great Lakes whitefish and trout (Lake, golden or rainbow).

Swordfish! Very meaty and mild.

I am such a SALMON LOVER! It's ridiculous! Salmon + Me = LOVERS! ha ha ha ha ha!!! The best part: Salmon is so very healthy for you and not as FISHY smelling/tasting as other fish like sardines & tuna (that are equally as healthy)... When I buy salmon, I buy nice fillets from Whole Foods (the only place that I can trust the farmed salmon - it's a lot cheaper than wild there too... but at any other grocery store, I would recommend you get WILD SALMON) and I simply broil them with a little sprinkle of italian herbs on top! The flavor of cooked salmon is so delicious, that masking it with a sauce is not something you should do! I like to serve salmon with steamed vegetables like leeks & asparagus or roasted vegetables like brussels sprouts & garlic. As a matter of fact, salmon is what I am having for dinner tonight! :) 

Seared Ahi Tuna steak, on cold Soba noodles. Mmm delicious.

UD

I never thought I'd like fish because the few I had tried at restaurants had tasted fishy and I hate that. Then I picked up some tilapia at the store and just pan fried it with a little olive oil and some garlic pepper...yum! It's easy and tasty, none of that fishy smell or taste. Salmon too...I found a recipe on allrecipes.com for a glaze made up of brown sugar and honey mustard. It made me a lover of salmon again! I'd suggest either one of those personally. I haven't had much else except cod which I wasn't a fan of.

Thank you so much for the advice! I am heading to the market with my husband this weekend. He really enjoys salmon, so I think I will be starting with that. Wish me luck!  I love allrecipes.com, so I will look for the recipes and glazes there. Thanks!

Something that's hard to find in Indiana, but is really good when you get it at a restaurant is Grouper.  It's an ocean fish and it's one of the least "fishy" tasting fishes.  Another good option is Mahi Mahi, although I think Grouper is a little better.  For cooking at home, I agree a good salmon steak is unbeatable.  I recommend thawing completely and cooking in a covered grill - at least a covered skillet.  Brush with a little olive oil and sprinkle a little salt and pepper.  I  cook it on medium for about six minutes skin side down, then turn and cook about 4.  If it looks opaque, it's done.

Bon Appetit