Good Eats - From the Garden to Your Table.

Phil says: Everyone knows fish is nutritious and delicious, so it’s somewhat of a mystery that the average American eats only 15 pounds of it per year, compared to more than 115 pounds of red meat. I think the disparity exists because a lot of us are confused about seafood. We may feel overwhelmed by the variety, we’re not sure how to cook it, or we’re just concerned about whether it’s safe to eat. I’m here to tell you that there’s nothing to worry about: go fish!

The Best Value

If the high prices at the fresh seafood counter scare you away, there’s a more affordable option: buy frozen fillets. You can easily save 30 percent or more by heading directly to the freezer case. Not only will you spend less, but because it hasn't already been defrosted you’ll usually find that the texture and taste is better. Confused? Look carefully at the price tag on the fish at the “fresh” seafood counter. You’ll often spot a small sign with the telling words, “previously frozen.”

Defrosting Details

When you’re ready to cook fish, it’s best to defrost it in the refrigerator overnight. You should thaw the fillets in milk, which helps absorb the “frozen” taste and adds “fresh caught” flavor.

Never put frozen fish out on a countertop to thaw. If you do, bacteria can grow rapidly and spread to your counter surface, putting you at risk of food poisoning. In a time crunch, defrost seafood by holding it under cold running water. But be aware that the texture and flavor of fish defrosted this way may not be as good. Unlike meats and other products, seafood that’s been defrosted or cooked should never be refrozen. This causes freezer burn, which can ruin its flavor and texture.

Easy Preparation

Fish is naturally tender and contains very little connective tissue. So unlike meat, it requires short cooking times at a high temperature. Most people actually over-cook fish, which can make it dry and tasteless. Avoid this by either poaching your seafood or cooking it in aluminum foil that has been coated on the inside with olive oil. Fold the foil loosely over the fish to form a tent, and then cook it in the oven broiler or on a grill.

Cooking Tips:

• Measure the fish (dressed or stuffed, fillets, or steaks) at the thickest part.
• Allow 7–10 minutes cooking time per inch of thickness for fresh fish.
• Allow 12–15 minutes cooking time per inch of thickness for frozen fish.
• The fish is ready when it is opaque and flakes easily along its natural lines.
• Remember that a pan will hold heat when it's removed from the heat source, continuing to cook the food for several minutes more. For best results, cook fish until it's almost done; then remove the pan from the oven, microwave, stovetop, or grill. Let it stand for a few minutes to finish cooking, making sure that it cooks through.

The Matter of Marinade

Because fish has very little connective tissue and fat, the flesh is quite delicate when cooked. So it’s best to go easy on the spices and sauces. I suggest marinating fish before cooking to add both flavor and moisture. But marinating should be very brief: if you let fish marinate in acidic ingredients for more than 30 minutes, the acid will break down its delicate proteins, and you’ll end up with a mushy mess. For fish with richer flesh, such as salmon and tuna, you can let it marinate for a little longer, but never for more than an hour.

Wild vs. Farm-Raised

One last issue: the question of whether to buy wild or farm-raised fish has been the subject of a lot of media debate recently. Unfortunately, there’s not a standard answer across all species.

Some farm-raised varieties, such as trout and tilapia, have lower levels of toxins, such as PCBs and dioxins, than fish from open waters. Toxicity levels of farm-raised salmon, however, continue to test much higher than their wild (mostly Alaskan) counterparts.

Salmon is among the most popular fish right now, but remember that the wild variety is widely available only during the summer, as it is typically caught between May and September. Other times of the year, your best bet is to buy farmed salmon that was raised in the U.S., Chile, or Canada. Salmon from those regions have been found to have lower levels of PCBs and dioxins.

Also keep in mind that the larger the fish, the older it is—and more mature fish typically contain more toxins because they have spent more time in the water.

Finally, some farm-raised salmon actually have added pink coloring, which gives them the same hue that wild salmon gain naturally by eating smaller fish. To be sure of what you’re buying, read the fine print on the label. If it says “coloring added” or “natural coloring added,” you can be sure that the salmon was farm-raised.

If you have questions, comments or suggestions for upcoming Supermarket Guru columns, send them to Phil at plempert@supermarketguru.com.