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The other day I went to Kuhn’s for my umpteenth pound of ground chuck or chicken, but stopped in my tracks when I saw a display of flounder on sale for $7.99. I asked the meat dept manager “Do you sell a lot of fish?” and he laughed and said no. I said I’d love some “real” fish but was afraid to try cooking it.
He said a lot of people say the same thing. NOW I KNEW I HAD TO BUY & COOK THIS FISH.
When I got home with my goods, I got on my computer and googled “fear of cooking fish” to see if I was alone (nope) and began looking for ways to cook what I bought. How is it I’m 60 years old and have never cooked raw fish?
I found this recipe and decided to give it a try:
- 4 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
- 4 fillets flounder
- Kosher (coarse) salt – I omitted this
- Freshly ground black pepper
- 1/2 cup shredded (not grated) Parmesan cheese
- 1/4 cup seasoned bread crumbs
- 4 cloves garlic, minced
- 3-4 tablespoons lemon juice
1. I tossed together the shredded parmesan, seasoned bread crumbs & (softened) garlic, then “packed” the tops of each of the fillets.
(It said to dredge the fillets in the mixture, but that was a clumsy mess. It was much easier to use the mix as a pressed topping.)
2. The oven is preheated to 425F. I lined a baking pan with aluminum foil and drizzled 2 tablespoons extra light olive oil on the foil before adding the topped fillets.I also drizzled 2 tablespoons extra light oil across the tops of the fish, then 3 tablespoons lemon juice. I added the freshly ground pepper last. These will cook for 20-25 minutes.
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3. After I slid these into the oven, I went downstairs to get my mail. My friend Dave from the first floor was in the lobby, so I stayed and chatted with him for several minutes.
When I came back upstairs and opened my apartment door, it smelled like a pricey restaurant in here! Here’s how those flounder looked when they came out of the oven. They were picture perfect.
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4. I was in honest-to-God shock. These weren’t just okay, or even good. They were melt in your mouth delicious. (And I’m glad I omitted the salt.)
They cooked just right, with the perfect combination of parmesan, garlic & lemon.
I paired one up with a baked potato with sour cream, and a glass of grapefruit soda. I enjoyed it while watching ‘The Lost Leonardo’, a documentary on Leonardo da Vinci. I made too much, but looking forward to the leftovers!
Maybe next time I’ll tackle a fish that still has it’s scales…
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That was a grand first start for cooking fish. Certainly better than "fish sticks" or even the very expensive breaded to bake fillets. I'd avoid getting any you need to scale. Not fun. Let the butcher or processor do it. You don't pluck the feathers from your chickens do you? Have fun going fishing. (Took my son fishing when he was little but we didn't catch anything. We stopped at the store to buy a fish so we'd have something to cook.) Linda in Kansas
ReplyDeleteThank you Linda. Well in all honesty, I am still afraid of fish so for now I might just stick with a flounder. I think over the summer I'll mull trout almondine! Now that would be an accomplishment! 🙂
DeleteI have ichthyophobia as well, I guess. I was working for a very elderly man. He talked longingly of the days when he would catch a trout and pan fry it. I have never cooked a fish with its head on before, and am not at all accustomed to cooking things that are looking at me. But I made up my mind to do this thing for someone that I held in such high esteem. So I showed up at his house with the trout (store bought) with the breading he told me to get. He prepared it at the table, and set it in the pan. I carried the pan over to the stove and turned it on and began to fry it.
ReplyDeleteOh my gosh. When I went to turn it, the mouth moved. I don't know if it was steam or what, but I let out a scream and dropped the spatula. Mike laughed himself silly about it.
Debby--you just made me bust out laughing so hard!! 😂😂 There goes my plans for trout, but thank you for sharing this story! 🙂👍❤️
DeleteThat looks and sounds delicious! Great job, Doug!! I've cooked quite a bit of fish and the key is to not overcook it. I used to always prepare it the day before garbage day because I didn't want the debris to sit in the can for too long. Now I read about people freezing their smelly garbage which is a genius idea. You probably already know this, but don't warm up the leftovers in a microwave. Low heat in the oven. :)
ReplyDeleteFreezing garbage?! Oh my god, hahaha! 😄 I guess that does make sense, but I have such a little trashcan in my kitchen I take out the trash every night. As for the leftover fish, forgive my boasting but it is much too delicious to gamble with the microwave. I had this fish on Monday and leftovers yesterday after warming it in the oven and it was excellent. But I appreciate the heads up, thank you Margaret! 👍🙂❤️
DeleteI freeze any garbage that is likely to go stinky in the wheelie bin (dumpster), because we're a hot country and I really hate walking past people's bins on collection day and wondering if they all threw their dead cats in there. I freeze things like the fat I cut off steaks, left over uneaten cat food, (Lola is fussy) and chicken carcasses once they come out of the soup pot etc. I have an old ice cream container in the freezer just for these things and I don't bag them up until the morning the truck is due, so people can walk past my bin without wanting to vomit. Dry garbage goes right into the kitchen bin of course. I rinse out my egg shells too, so they don't go stinky, along with things like milk cartons, cream bottles and so on.
DeleteHi Doug, we have been vegetarian for so long I am wracking my brain trying to remember if I ever cooked plain fish! Yours looks and sounds incredible! Glad you heated the leftovers in the oven, not the microwave. Some things are so much better slowly reheated in the oven.
ReplyDeleteHave a good weekend!❤️
Robin, did I know that about you and Chuck? That's amazing, good for you guys! But thank you so much for the nice comment and I 100% agree about reheating food in the oven versus the microwave. I think the only thing I put in mind is cold coffee. 🙂. I hope you have a good weekend too. 👍❤️
DeleteI just set my DVR to record that movie sometime in the next week when we have access to free Showtime movies through our cable company. I'll never sign up for movie channels but I'll certainly record a ton of them and then go through them the rest of the year after they close off access.
ReplyDeleteWe eat quite a bit of fish in our family. Our favorite is sushi but we do eat a lot of salmon and tilapia or other white fish. Once you get the hang of cooking it, it is so versatile. It is also usually a very quick meal since it cooks quickly. Right now we do a lot of baking or grilling but in the winter time we also make chowders using white fish chunks.
It's a good documentary Ed, you'll like it. Well, compared to you, I'm a fish virgin! Thanks for sharing! 🙂👍
DeleteFish is supposed to be brain food, so after that meal did you feel smarter? We like fish, but cook and eat more in the summer when we can barbecue or cook with the windows open. Fish smells great when you're cooking it; but by my culinary lights the odor tends to linger and isn't so appealing a couple of hours later. Oh, we also take out the garbage the night we have fish.
ReplyDeleteTom, I did feel a little smarter.. for eating fish instead of red meat! 😉 Well, I did worry about the possible fish smell but maybe because I baked instead of fried it, it wasn't bad. Plus I suppose flounder isn't as fishy as others like catfish etc..it honestly smelled really good while cooking. Thanks Tom. 🙂
DeleteYou may have had a fear but you faced it and won handily. That looks great and I love your seasoning. The only fish I have cooked is salmon and now you have me wanting some.
ReplyDeleteI'd say you are a fearless and natural cook Doug. I'm always amazed how you forge ahead and have great success.
Thank you Patti, you always say such nice things. By the way, salmon is a great idea..my grandmother used to make salmon burgers, I always liked those. The next time you cook fish, I'd love to see it on your own blog. Anyway, thank you again for stuff like fearless and natural, that made my day. 👍🙂
DeleteDug, your fish looks great. We used to eat a lot of fish and seafood growing up. Here in Texas, we don't eat as much. But I love fried catfish (but don't fry it myself at home - as I don't fry anything). The only fish I cook is salmon and I cook it in the oven with butter, garlic, and brown sugar. So-oo good.
ReplyDeleteThanks Rian, and thank you for sharing that does sound good! You know what, I've always wanted to try catfish... I am considering that one. 🙂👍
DeleteI cook (and eat) fish regularly, but even I don’t tackle ones that still have their scales on them.
ReplyDeleteGood for you Peter, I really need to do the same. Plus, isn't Australia big on fish and chips? I know it's not quite as healthy as making fish at home, but I wish that was more popular here. 😋
DeleteYes, fish and chips is/are popular here, and the quality is surprisingly good.
DeleteIn the past all you got was “fish”, usually unspecified, and mostly “flake”, ie shark. Sharks are protected now so you don’t get them anymore.
These days you have a choice of half a dozen or a dozen or more different types of fish depending on the size of the establishment, or how up market they are.
You do have impressive cooking skills! I am one that has a fear of cooking fish and I am impressed at how well you faced up to yours. You went above and beyond especially for your first attempt at cooking fish. Doug, you are just a great cook period!
ReplyDeleteIt's good to see you back! 😊
Bonnie, you are way too generous but thank you for this smile I'm wearing! Listen, I was thinking of you today at the grocery store. I saw an item that you mentioned to me once so I got it, I want to try something. If it works out I'll blog it and give you a shout out! 🙂👍
DeleteThis looks so delicious, I'm going to have to try it.
ReplyDeleteThanks River--I liked your thoughts on frozen garbage too. 🙂
DeleteLooks delicious, Doug! I always keep tins of salmon on hand. Mashed with chopped onion, celery, mayo, salt & pepper makes a satisfying sandwich filling. Also, good emergency/treat food for my pampered cat. Full disclosure: I was losing too much weight on my pure vegan diet so have added eggs, cheese and fish back into my fodder.
ReplyDeleteThank you Florence, and that salmon salad sounds very satisfying I want to try that! And I have to tell you, I am very glad to hear you've gone back to some eggs fish and dairy. I bet that was hard keeping weight on with such a limited diet! 👍❤️
DeleteHey, that looks absolutely divine! Please invite me and David over. We'll be right there.
ReplyDeleteGigi, a couple of more potatoes thrown in the oven and it would have been plenty for all three of us! Thank you for your comment and I wish you lived closer! 🙂❤️
DeleteInteresting suggestions. You might want to find a good southern catfish restaurant to try "genuine" fried catfish. Then you can get some boneless, skinned catfish fillets to make your own cornbread sprinkle-on-the-top breading. Let me know when you're in K.C. Jumpin' Jack's Catfish restaurant is the place to go! Linda in Kansas
ReplyDeleteThanks Linda, this is a great idea as I don't even know how catfish is supposed to taste. And if I'm ever in KC you'll be the first person I'll call! ☺️👍❤️
DeleteAh geee... Now you've made me hungry. I cooked fish last night, but yours looks so much better. Hmmm... I wrote a comment on your other post and when I pressed PUBLISH, it disappeared. I hope you got it. My blog comment thing is still nuts.
ReplyDeleteThank you for the compliment Kay, and yes I got both comments!
DeleteYum! That sure looks good! :-)
ReplyDelete