Hello everyone! Happy last week of October and Halloween week. Welcome back. It is good to “see” you here! Tonight we will have a special one blog post all about fish!
In preparing for tonight’s post, I came across several interesting studies and facts. The Inuit people in Greenland, whose diets consist mainly of fatty fish, have less arteriosclerosis and fewer deaths from heart disease than people in the United States. Japanese women, who consume more fish than their American counterparts, have a lower incidence of both heart disease and breast cancer. At the University of Leidi in Holland, researchers studied 852 men who ate 7 to 11 ounces of fish weekly. There was a 50 percent lower death rate from heart disease among those who ate fish compared with those who did not consume any fish. And The Journal of the American Medical Association reported on a study by Brigham and Women’s Hospital that found that eating at least one meal of fish weekly can cut the risk of sudden cardiac death in men in half. Clearly, fish can make a vital contribution to dietary wellness.
There are many different types of fish, some with greater potential health benefits than others. The primary health effects are linked to the level of omega-3 essential fatty acids the fish contain. In general, fish are divided into two categories: saltwater (or marine) fish and freshwater fish.
Saltwater fish are caught in marine environments, typically oceans. They are often divided into three categories, depending on fat content. Fatty fish include sardines, mackerel, salmon, smelt, anchovies, mullet and herring. Medium-fat fish include halibut, ocean perch, red snapper, sea trout, and albacore tuna. Low-fat saltwater fish include flounder, haddock, swordfish, cod, shellfish and whiting. All of these fish are among the best to consume, as they contain good fats.
Freshwater fish are caught in lakes, rivers, and streams. They too are divided into groups according to fat content. Fatty fish include lake trout, mullet, smelt, catfish and rainbow trout (my number two favorite next to salmon!!) Medium-fat fish include carp. Low-fat fish include bass, bream, pike, and lake perch.
One concern about freshwater fish is that they may be more subject to certain types of contamination, especially high levels of mercury, depending on where they are caught. If you consume freshwater fish, it is wise to know where it came from and to find about any advisories concerning fish from that area. ****TIP: You can eliminate some of any mercury that may be present by broiling the fish on a rack so that it remains above the juices that run. (Having lived in Minnesota for 20 years, this is how we always cooked fresh fish we caught!)
Some helpful tips for selecting fish: buy only from reputable sources. Be wary of vendors selling fish out of the backs of pickup trucks. Buy only fresh seafood that is refrigerated or properly iced. Don’t buy cooked seafood, such as shrimp, crabs or smoked fish, if they are displayed in the same case as raw fish. Cross-contamination can occur. Don’t buy frozen seafood if the packages are open, torn, or crushed on the edges. Avoid packages that are above the frost line in the store’s freezer. If the package cover is transparent, look for signs of frost or ice crystals. This could mean that the fish has either been stored for a long time or thawed and refrozen. Put seafood on ice, in the fridge, or in the freezer immediately after buying it. When eating fish caught recreationally, follow state and local government advisories about fishing areas and warnings about eating fish from certain areas.
The length of time raw fish can be stored safely depends on the type of fish. Lean fish, such as cod, flounder, and haddock, can be kept in the fridge for one to two days or frozen up to six months. Fatty fish, such as blue perch and salmon, can also be kept in the fridge for one to two days but should be frozen for only two to three months.
RECIPES:
Easy Halibut. Take 4-5 pounds of halibut steaks, sea salt to taste, juice of one lemon, 1 1/2 cups of chopped celery, 1 large onion, chopped, 1 can of tomato soup, 1 cup of plain yogurt, 1 dash of cayenne pepper, slice of thick tomato for each serving, 1 tablespoon of dried chopped parsley (or fresh), 1 dash of garlic powder for each serving. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Season steaks with sea salt and lemon juice and place in a shallow baking dish. Mix together the celery, onion, tomato soup, yogurt, and cayenne pepper and pour over the fish. Top each steak with a slice of tomato, a sprinkle of parsley and a dash of garlic powder. Bake until the fish flakes easily when probed with a fork, approximately twenty-five to thirty-five minutes. Do not overcook or the fish will become tough. Serve immediately.
Breaded fish. Take 4-6 fish fillets of your choice (perch, haddock and whitefish are good choices), 1 fresh lemon, cut in half, 1 dash of garlic powder for each serving, 1 dash of sea salt for each serving, 1 – 1 1/2 cups of bread crumbs, 1 sprinkle of dried parsley. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Wash the fillets and pat dry. Place them on a platter, squeeze lemon over them, and sprinkle with garlic powder and sea salt. Allow them to sit for a few minutes. Pour bread crumbs into a large plastic bag. Shake the fillets one at a time in the bag until evenly coated. Place the breaded fillets in a well – oiled baking dish and sprinkle them with the dried parsley. Bake for twenty-five minutes to thirty-five minutes, just until the fish flakes easily and the fish looks solid white. Serve immediately as a main dish or this recipe works awesome in a fish sandwich! (I love it with a wheat bun, lettuce, sliced tomato and a little low-fat ranch sauce)
Easy Broiled Fish. Any number of servings of the fish of your choice. 1 dash of garlic powder for each serving, 1 dash of sea salt for each serving, 1 dash of cayenne pepper for each serving, 1/2 teaspoon of olive or vegetable oil for each serving, 1 lemon cut in half, 1 tablespoon tamari for each serving, 1 teaspoon fresh or 1/2 teaspoon dried parsley for each serving. Preheat the broiler. Place the fish on a oiled baking dish. Season with garlic powder, sea salt, and cayenne pepper. Dot with the oil. Squeeze lemon juice over the fish and sprinkle the tamari on top. Broil for ten minutes. Baste the fish with juices from the bottom of the baking dish. Broil another five minutes or until the fish is solid white and flakes easily with a fork. Baste once. Sprinkle with parsley and serve immediately. This broiled fish recipe is wonderful over a steamed rice of your choice or with steamed vegetables of your choice!
I hope you all have a great Friday and weekend. Please continue to stay safe and well! Enjoy tonight’s post. Next week we will chat about water!
“EVERY ACCOMPLISHMENT STARTS WITH THE DECISION TO TRY.”
Lemon and Rosemary 