Fresh Fish Pointers

There are plenty of family-oriented restaurants in Regent Square; all types of food can be had.  

Unfortunately, very seldom do we see fresh fish on local restaurant’s menus. I’m sure the patrons that live in Regent Square would enjoy a good piece of fresh salmon, tuna, or halibut. Hopefully, the chefs at Regent Square’s soon-to-open restaurants, and , will embrace the inner-fishes, and provide residents with an adequate sampling of fresh sea fare. Until that happens, here are a few suggestions on finding and cooking fish.

Most supermarkets get their fish from the same distributors, so if you’re getting a piece of  salmon at Giant Eagle or another local supermarket, it’s most likely coming from the same source. Here are some pointers on what to look for when purchasing fresh fish:

Choosing Fresh Fish:

Appearance:

Take a look at the fish. The specimen should appear healthy. If you’re selecting a whole fish, the eyes should be clear and the gills should be bright red, not opaque or orange. If you touch the flesh or skin, it should feel taut, not soft.

Smell:

If you’re buying fish fillets, ask your fish monger to let you smell them.  This may sound odd, but believe me, they’ve done this before.  They will simply place a small piece of fish on butcher paper, and let you take a sniff.  The fish should smell fresh and a bit sweet.  There should be no foul, or ammonia-type smells.  If the fish smells even a little fishy, choose something else.   If your fish monger is reluctant to let you smell the fish, take your business elsewhere; this isn’t a good sign.

Cooking Fish:

There are several different cooking techniques you can use to cook fish:

• Broil
• Bake
• Grill
• Sauté
• Poach
• Smoke

Regardless of the cooking technique, the fish should be prepared the same way.

Place your piece of fish on a clean surface. Coat the fish with a small amount of olive oil vegetable oil, or butter. Next, season your fish with salt and pepper. 

At this point, you are ready to cook your fish. If you’re grilling, choose a firm species like salmon, tuna, or halibut - these fish are less likely to fall apart. Make sure the grill is seasoned with a small amount of oil; place the fish appearance side down on the grill. After three to four minutes, carefully flip your fish over (with a metal spatula.)  Leave the fish alone!  People tend to over-use their spatulas, moving the fish around until the flesh breaks.  After an additional three to four minutes, remove your fish from the grill.  A three to four ounce piece of fish, on a 350 degree grill will typically be done in five to six minutes.

Testing to Make Sure it's Done:

The easiest way to determine whether it is done cooking is by cutting the fish and looking inside.  The only downside to this is that it ruins the appearance. The ideal way to tell if a fish has been cooked properly is by touch. Using your index finger, touch the center of the fillet. The flesh should be slightly firm, but soft.   Determining if your fish is done by touch takes some practice, so be patient.

Worried about Mercury?

Everyone is afraid of mercury poisoning - DON’T BE!  In order to actually get mercury poising, you have to consume massive quantities of certain species of fish over a long time.    

Here are a few choices to consider when making cooking fish this summer:

• Salmon
• Sea bass
• Ahi
• Butterfish (delicious with miso!)
• Halibut
• Spots
• Red Snapper
• Mahi- Mahi
• Shark
• Flounder
• Trout
• Catfish
• Cod
• Swordfish

Take some time to ask your fish monger about species of fish that you may be unfamiliar with.  Try something new. You may just experience a new taste treat!

Chef Kerber of Swissvale is the owner and executive chef of Chaz Catering LLC, and specializes in all types of gatherings as well as nutritional coaching. His clients include private individuals, professional sports figures, and corporate entities.

Check out his personal blog and website at www.pittsburghhotplate.com.