Can you help a recovering picky eater?

For starters, I'd go with a mild fish. That would include tilapia (which has zero fishy taste---not much taste at all, when it comes to it) and, my favorite, cod. Lot's of others. Basically we're talking about white, flaky fish. So-called black cod (actually, sablefish) is another good one, but has gotten rather expensive. And sea bass fits that mold as well.

Unfortunately, really bold flavors cover up the taste of mild fish, and the fish just serves as a platform for those other flavors. So you want to cut back on them, a bit, to achieve your goal.

One of many recipes that accomplishes this is Le Bernardin Restaurant's great:

Black Bass with Port Wine

1 cup ruby port
1/2 cup Sherry vinegar
1 stick butter, softened
Salt & pepper to taste
1/4 cup vegetable oil
Four 6-oz sea bass filets (or substitute similar fish)
1/4 cup five-spice powder
4 tbls peanut oil
1 1/2 cups wild muishrooms, sliced
2 large shallots, finely chopped
1 tbls minced fresh parsley
1 tbls fresh thyme leaves, finely chopped

Boil the port in a heavy saucepan over moderately high heat until thick and syrupy; there should be just enough liquid to thinly coat the bottom of the pan. Stir in the vinegar and boil until syrupy. Remove from heat and whisk in the butter. Season with salt and pepper.

In a large skillet heat the vegetable oil over moderately high heat. Season fish filets lightly with salt and pepper. Coat each filet on both sides with the five-spice powder. Saute the filets in the hot pan, turning once, until crusty on the outside and opaque throughout. Transfer to a platter and keep warm.

In a large skillet, heat the peanut oil over moderately high heat. Add the mushrooms and cook, stirring frequently, until softened and browned. Add the shallots, parsley and thyme and cook until the shallots are translucent. Season with salt and pepper.

Arrange filets on a bed of mushrooms. Top with the sauce.

 

Try something simple perhaps, one of the fish as suggested by KYH above, moderately hot pan, half oil half butter till foaming. S&P the fish fillet, fry few minutes per side until done (when it's all gone white) , not too long. Serve on a bed of mash, side of boiled beans & carrots, or a tossed salad, some tartare sauce on top. Wedge of lemon to squeeze on top. Easy, quick, healthy...most importantly, tasty.

Once you get used to fish, there is so much that can be done with it. Start slow, then build up your repetoire.

P.S. Nice recipe KYH - I'll steal that one if you don't mind :thumb:

 

For a beginner who likes fish and chips, i would say to roast the fish at a very high temp, having spread it outside on the skin and inside the cavity with garlic and parsley and maybe another herb, like marjoram.
Roast it so it gets a crispy skin and that is very appealing. A little red pepper flakes can be good there, if you like it.
Add some potatoes to the roasting pan, use a low sided pan so the fish crisps and doesn;t steam, and use parchment paper on it so the potatoes don;t stick. I usually do this on the base of the oven to get maximum crispness. Don't overcook the fish though or it will be dry.

 

Like you, one of my sons is trying to enjoy fish and likes fish n chips and smoked salmon.
His latest triumph was griddled tuna, served med rare. he says it doesnt taste too fishy. I cook it simply on a smoking hot griddle,after rubbing with S&P and olive oil.
He's also getting into spicy hot smoked salmon, and Teryiaki salmon. Baby steps, but we're getting there

 

One thing I should have mentioned, H-S, is that if there's a fishy smell to the fish, it's not fresh. Fish should have a clean smell of the ocean, is all. Or, as Emeril likes to say, "if the fish smells fishy, go for the lamb."

What you do have are mild, medium, and strong tasting fishes. As a general rule, the oilier the fish the stronger the flavor. Thus, white flaky fish, such as cod, haddock, and the flat fishes tend to be mild, because they aren't very oily. But something with a lot of oil, such as bluefish and the various tunas, will be strong tasting.

So, one of the secrets is to find a good fishmonger, who can help assure you get the freshest fish possible, and who can make recommendations as to choices and preparation. While this can be tough in many parts of the country, you should have little trouble finding one in the Bay area.

 

P.S. Nice recipe KYH - I'll steal that one if you don't mind :thumb: It's a wonderful recipe, DC, that works with a fair number of fishes. But it's not mine. Belongs to the great Chef Eric Ripert, of the Le Bernardin restaurant.

 

Congrats, H-S. Glad it worked out for you.

As to the tilapia, I'd say a little of both. Tilapia is often called the ideal fish for Americans, because, as a rule, we don't like strong tasting fish. It's very mild, and usually takes on the flavors of whatever it's cooked with.

Next time, try making the same dish with a different fish, and see how that works out for you. Sea bass, for instance, would work very nicely with that technique and sauce, but bring a bit more of its own flavor to the table.

 

You ask what kind of fish... unfortunately, I don;t know names of fish, and in particular, have no idea of the names of fish in the states. Here there are different fish, and the same fish with different names, and dictionaries are not usually very useful. I almost always have only cooked fish when staying with my inlaws at the beach, and they'd get the fish directly from the fisherman. Sorry, i can;t help there, but maybe others will give you more expert advice.

 

Turning the fish can be tricky, keeping it in one piece. With the non-oily flaky fish in particular, they love to crack So glad it worked out well for you both! You might try using a fish slice/spatula underneath, then use the world's oldest tool, your other hand, to support the top of the fish as you gently turn it. Fish should be turned only once, or you can end up with a sad looking mess.

Well Done!

 

RJM,

Very happy it went well for you. You had a few questions afterwards. For instance, Turning fish can be pretty tricky, although tilapia is one of the easier ones to turn. So, "both." That is, it IS normal, AND you should be working on your technique.

Fresher is generally milder, but not all fish -- no matter how fresh -- is mild. Some have a quite a bit of their own character, and smoe are just plain strong. As a general rule, the "oily" fishes are the most assertive. Tilapia is particularly mild.

BDL