I'm trying to eat more fish... what's the best fish to start with?

[greenourle]

I'm trying to incorporate more fish into my diet for health reasons but I'm
Clueless as to which dish isn't too strong in taste and also what way to cook it etc? For example in tinned salmon disgusting compared to smoked salmon?
I'm rubbish

Haddock, cod, halibut....the white fish. Grilled or baked with lemon, herbs and a little butter or a light sauce or homemade mayo. BBC Food have loads of ideas.

Tinned salmon is horrible, with little bones in that give me the boak. I hate smoked salmon too. 😄

Salmon fillets are delicious, and easy to cook.

Tinned mackerel is tasty.

If you don't really like the "fishy" taste, go for white, filleted fish like cod, monkfish or sea bass. Cook it in the oven, wrapped in foil with lemon juice, cherry tomatoes, herbs like thyme, tarragon, parsley, coriander. Red chilli works too. It only needs about 12 mins..overcooked is nasty and dry. I like salmon fillet too and fresh tuna steak seared in a pan but it's getting v expensive to do that.

Not really an answer to your question but I can highly recommend Fishbox www.fishbox.co.uk . They will send you a mystery parcel of fishy goodness every few weeks and you can try well-known and more obscure offerings. Very fresh; mine goes straight in the freezer except for that night's dinner.

So salmon

Smoked salmon....you don't need to cook it. Put it in a bagel with cream cheese or serve it cold alongside some scrambled eggs. Shred and toss through cooked pasta with a spoonful of creme fraiche and some blanched asparagus tips.

Tinned salmon...Make it into fishcakes...mix with mashed potatoes, some herbs, bind with an egg, shape into patties...dip in breadcrumb or just fry as is.

Fresh salmon...bake in oven...or fry. You can rub it in olive oil and lemon juice or some dry spices, I like Cajun spice rubbed into it.

@greenourle what fish do you eat?
Do you like any of them?

In contrast to the previous poster ... I can't stand salmon fillets but love tinned red salmon (pink is minging).

Tinned mackerel makes me want to retch but tinned tuna is fine.

Pilchards (sardines) in tomato sauce are good heated up and mashed on toast.

Cod and chips is definitely my favourite though 😄

PS fish is not as good for you as you might think, due to farming methods and microplastics.

All great tips and advice. Thank you. I've only ever really had fish shop cod and tinned tuna. I like the idea of salmon with chilli with a big salad.

Smoked cod seems like it cod be nice too.

Trying to steer away from processed meat/ food and I'm thinking fish would be great

Oh I also like prawns !! I'll add those to my list too

Tinned mackerel comes in lots of sauces if you don't like a strong fish taste. A quick dish is a tin of mackerel already in tomato sauce stirred through pasta.

Monkfish tail or cod make good fish curry. I would make a mild curry or thai and add the fish for the last few minutes only.

Another quick pasta sauce is fry onion & celery until softened, good splosh of white wine, half of garlic Philadelphia or Boursin. Stir thoroughly and add shreds of smoked salmon and black pepper.

I like the tinned red salmon. Love smoked salmon!

What kind of ‘health reasons’ ?

fish isn’t inherently more healthy - tuna has high mercury levels for example.

recommendations are to eat 2-3 portions of oily fish per week (or substitute with omega 3 supplements). Oily fish are mackerel, kippers, salmon (not tinned) so generally the more ‘fishy’ fish.

white fish is often low fat and a lean protein source but not inherently ‘healthy’

So pink and red salmon are two different things then?

I've added some salmon fillets into my basket so that'll be different.

What do you enjoy eating that isn't fish @greenourle - are you into spicy food - if so goan fish curry is a banger, salads? then tuna nicoise is a good starting point, if you like spanish food then there are great fish based paella, loads of parcels of fish recipes. Rick Stein might be a good starting point for recipe searches

Is smoked salmon not all slimy? I always see it and imagine it would have a bizarre texture

If you like prawns look up Nigella's recipe for thai red curry prawns (jar of sauce permitted). Has butternut squash and sweet potato in it. Delicious.

Smoked mackerel is good. Eat with potato salad and a green salad. It is smoked so strongish, but a good quite meaty texture.

Haddock, Pollock and cod are quite firm white fish which are good cooked (added last) in a tomato based stew.

Salmon is best grilled. It is nearly always farmed and quite oily and rich (squeeze a lemon over it, dollop a bit of pesto an some grated parmesan and oven bake it for a quick nutritious meal

Tinned tuna with pasta or with mayonnaise and diced red onion in a sandwich.

Frozen or fresh tuna grilled or barbecued is a totally different thing and delicious with a squeeze of lime.

Tinned sardines are lovely straight out of the tin on toast

Peppered or smoked mackerel make a lovely pate with horseradish and cream cheese.

I love fish but it's expensive so I tend to get whatever is on special offer! Sardines are delicious and don't cost much.

Fresh sardines but tinned are good too.

Tilapia is the least fishy fish I've found! Basically just takes on the flavour of whatever you're serving it with.

I am a bbq enthusiast and there are many times I’ve cooked fish over coals and non fish eaters have enjoyed/tried it. Particularly Salmon and sea bass. I love fish cooked many different ways but there appears to be something about the smoke that makes it less fishy for those not as keen. Prawn kebabs are also delicious.

I love fish. Perhaps visit a few fish restaurants and see what you like. Leiths Fish Bible is only 4.17 second hand on Amazon and has over 600 pages of recipes, information and suppliers.

Tinned tuna is a good start! Absolutely packed with protein 😊 my favourite fish is tilapia, it’s so flaky and tender! Grouper is also delicious but very difficult to find in the UK, if not impossible ☹️

Kippers. Just that.

We eat a lot of fish. Over the last week ir so we have had:

Seafood paella (using frozen seafood mix)

Roast Haddock fillet with roasted vegetables and cous cous

Tuna sandwiches

Prawn yaki udon

Mackerel fillets with oven roasted new potatoes and salad

Smoke mackerel flaked through nasi goreng rice.

Tomorrow we will have smoked salmon and pea risotto