If they cook the fish and tomato in cast iron it will take up the iron from the pan and, to me, has a very objectionable taste.

I never use cast iron for anything with tomato.

For me, less bread and more juice but that's it!.

The Costco in my area used to set up a portable seafood counter on Fridays with bags of fresh mussels and clams. That was a regular treat for us. Then it switched to selling poke from Hawaii. That was good too but it too stopped.

They don't seem to put out seafood counters as much as they used to.

Agree, less bread, more broth.

This looks good:

This Portuguese Fish Stew is a light yet comforting meal. Called Caldeirada de Peixe in Portugal, it's easy to make, and the recipe is very flexible.

➡️ https://www.karenskitchenstories.com/2019/11/portuguese-fish-stew-caldeirada-de-peixe.html

Now I am craving this stew.

A local grocery market used to have the best mussels and very affordable. In the past few years, I have not bought any from them because a lot of the mussels were way too small (grrr). I believe DH (who usually does grocery shopping) spoke to the seafood manager. I should try again and look them over carefully because I see their flyer advertises PEI mussels.

" she enjoyed both clam and fish chowders made with milk. She ate boiled lobster with melted butter. "

My taste preference enjoys butter and cream with some seafood, no problem. I draw the line at cheese for whatever reason, perhaps because the texture and flavors overpower the gentle seafood flavors.

I think there's too much cheese in American cooking anyway. Too much use of mediocre cheese, it's a cooking cliche. When in doubt, add cheese. Not.

Olychick, you wrote:

But my friend and most commercial farms grow Mediterranean mussels, which are really different and she convinced me to try hers. I prepare them like steamer clams, steamed with white wine, herbs and fresh garlic.

Many years ago I wrote a short paper on mussel farming. I believe those farmed in Europe/Meditereannian are the same species (Mytilus edulis) that we find clinging to ledges and pilings in New England and which you can see in my above photos.

When mussels are rope grown, I suspect they are much less likely to have grit inside their shells. They probably are uniform in size as well.

➡️ https://www.fao.org/fishery/docs/DOCUMENT/aquaculture/CulturedSpecies/file/en/en_bluemussel.htm

Growing up, these blue mussels were all over the place. No one in that area ate them and someone told me or there was a myth that they were toxic. Crazy. But that misinformation (myth) might have come from some people harvesting the large, easy to gather specimens clinging to wharf pilings. These would be exposed to more sun and less water (~12 foot tides) than other specimens further away from shore or cover more of the day by water. Or, perhaps someone did not store them properly. Who knows, but when I think of how these mussels were as easy to get as opening the front door, I could cry. But there were many other species to enjoy, all cheap or free to us.

Later, when I learned about them, I half wanted my parents to start a mussel farming enterprise with me. They lived on a clean bay that would have been perfect.

Maybe it's different at your East Coast location, petalique, but I seem to recall some shellfish can develop a dangerous toxin seasonally. I don't remember the details but I do remember public cautions being issued to not eat certain types of seafood caught or harvested from natural settings at certain times.

I can also recall that our local Dungeness crab seasons get delayed or postponed when animals caught and tested for such purpose are found to be dangerous.

In those days, the paralytic shellfish toxin, red tide, was pretty much unheard of. Summers were cooler, the salt water was cooler, and there were few year-round homes.

Property was not as expensive. Idon’t think it takes lot of change insome variables (like temperature increase and greater surface runoff and increases in wastewater to have sizable impacts.

For years, most of the mud-clamflat shellfish were quohogs (little neck clams, Mercenaria mercenaria) but within a few years, they became scarce and the soft shelled clams (Mya arenaria) were about all there was. I expect this has now changed because of predation by the alien and invasive green crab which has been devastating to the soft-shell clam industry.

Red Tide or HABs (Harmful Algal Blooms)

➡️ https://oceanservice.noaa.gov/facts/redtide.html

”…

While many people call these blooms 'red tides,' scientists prefer the term harmful algal bloom. One of the best known HABs in the nation occurs nearly every summer along Florida’s Gulf Coast. This bloom, like many HABs, is caused by microscopic algae that produce toxins that kill fish and make shellfish dangerous to eat. The toxins may also make the surrounding air difficult to breathe. As the name suggests, the bloom of algae often turns the water red.….”

➡️ https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Harmful_algal_bloom

I remember these "don't eat shellfish you "catch" yourself" warnings all the way back to my childhood. I also remember red tide periods from back then too when there was an unpleasant odor and it was advised to not enter the water at the peak times. Another feature of these periodic phenomena that I remember back then is that at times the flora/fauna or whatever it was caused the water to become bioluminescent in such a way that breaking waves and water lapping on the sand were beautifully illuminated from within. I spend less time actually on the sand these days compared to my childhood and younger adult years so I don't pay attention to the frequency of when this happens or if indeed it still does.

Yes, I was thinking of the bioluminescent micro organisms that causes the salt water to ”fire.” It was so much fun being in a small boat at night. Absolutely magical and fascinating. We’d reach over the gunwale and move our hands around in the water. I think these were fairly short-lived events, perhaps only lasting a few days. For us children, it was a fun deal. I’ll look it up, but IIRC then phenomenon is from harmless dinoflagellates.

Moules marinières ie white wine, garlic and a parsley. My favourite meal bar none. This lot was made with rope grown Cornish mussels. I've had them with additional cream but if they're good mussels, in my view, they don't need it.

Don't forget to put onions into the broth.

I’m with Elmer, cheese and fish don’t go together

Oh yes they do!

Floral_uk, your mussels look so wonderful! Please set me a place.

I think I overcomplicated things when I made mine. I added just a bit of creme, but I think that was not necessary and probably detracted from the flavor.

Such robust looking mussels compare the the ones I bought 2 years ago. I am inland now, but will try to find decent mussels.

Years ago, there would be pop up trucks selling the small ”Maine shrimp.” Apparently, these small delicate shrimp became overfished and we have not seen any of these small sheimp for perhaps ten years.

Indeed, as much as I love layering on flavors, there is something so clean about minimizing any such extras with good, fresh seafood or other foods.

Cherryfiz! It sounds as though you are doing much better a d it is so good to see you.

So, you and Elmer would not care for a fish sandwich with melted yellow cheese? ;)

I confess to liking the Micky D fish sandwich years ago. It is no longer the same.

A half hour or so ago, DH went to pick up a fried fish sandwich from a local fish restaurant. I have become addicted and love their tartar sauce which has dill in it.

I need your address and the time of mussels dinner. If you are in UK, I can rent a eological time machine a d be your neighbor. That wouldcut down on the amount of rowing hours.

@petalique, I checked with my friend and they grow Mytilus galloprovincialis.

I found this on a different mussel farm's webpage -they are located farther north in Puget Sound: At Penn Cove, we farm both the Penn Cove and Mediterranean Mussels, where both types occur naturally in the Puget Sound region. However, where Penn Cove Mussels are most commonly found throughout Washington State, the Mediterranean mussel is more commonly found further south. This includes California and in the latitudes similar to farms located in southern France, Spain, Italy and Greece.

" So, you and Elmer would not care for a fish sandwich with melted yellow cheese? ;)

Speaking for myself, heavens no.

Not even a fried fish sandwich without cheese. I don't care for fish and cheese together, as I mentioned before.

Breading and frying anything and drowning it in tartar or cocktail sauce is a way to mask any flavor and/or eat something you don't like.

I eat fish I like, prepared in ways to highlight or enhance its flavor. Not to bury it.

I like cheese too but think too many people put too much cheese in too many dishes.

No mussels tonight. The picture is from a previous meal. We had trout today.

I love mussels so much they're the screen saver on my laptop.

Mention of the UK and fish reminds me of an experience I may have shared here before. An English couple have been our dear friends for many decades. We met and became friends when we four were residents of a city on the Continent and have remained close ever since. They returned to their native land long ago as we did. We visit them regularly there and they us.

Anyway, one visit to them involved meeting up with them at their house in the countryside rather than at their flat in London. This home is some hours from London and just outside what they call a "market town", a term which I guess has some historical significance and means more to them than to me.

We'd been there before. On our arrival day , we drove with them back into town and strolled around the food market taking place on the town square. They pointed out established little stores around the square where they often shopped - here the green grocer, there the fish monger, etc. We stopped into the fish monger's to see display cases full of many of the delicious items we'd enjoyed during our years in Europe and the many return visits back. It was mentioned that knowing that we loved fish, they'd stop by the next day (since that first day we were next off to see something else and wouldn't be returning through town) and we'd have fish for dinner. That was exciting. I could imagine what we might have in store - maybe turbot or cod or mussels or sole or salmon or who knew what.

The next day came along and in the mid-afternoon, the female member of the couple said it was time for her to go to the fishmonger to pick up dinner and it would be a surprise. The weather was fine and we were well entertained out in the garden with drinks and some things to nibble on. We were asked to remain outside until dinner was ready. And so we did as some time and many drink refills passed.

Dinner was announced to our great anticipation. We were led inside, into the dining room, and were told they'd chosen to make one of their favorite dishes to honor our visit - fresh mackerel salad made with pan fried mackerel.

My apology to you mackerel lovers reading this but of all the fish we enjoy, mackerel is not one of them. I don't know if the disappointment showed on our faces, we made the best of it, took a few bites, pushed the salad around the plate, and announced how delicious it was. It was awful. I said that I'd perhaps drank and nibbled too much during the cocktail hour(s) and I was full.

We were polite, they were polite and nothing more was said. No fish has again been served to us on two subsequent visits.

You can adjust your expectations to enjoy mackerel? I'm skeptical anyone who dislikes mackerel could do that.

Floral it sounds like you need to give us a recipe for mussels? Again, I just know that I need to have it prepared in a way that would be good? If I can like every other shellfish and seafood there is, surely I can like mussels? Colleen's preparation said milk, and I have to admit I've not tried that.

What do you suggest?

I don't use a recipe, rob333. The first essential is good quality, fresh mussels. All should be alive, ie they are shut or they close up if tapped. Scrub and remove the beards. Then I just saute a bit of garlic in butter, add a little shallot or onion if I fancy. Then tip in all the mussels, in their shells. Add a good slosh of white wine. Put the lid on and cook until all the mussels have opened. Usually just a few minutes. Discard any that don't open. Chuck in a load of chopped parsley. Eat with good bread to mop up the juice.

Being mussels fans we use a kilo for two. ie 2.2 lb.

I don't like every sort of fish, so I would never order something I didn't like and then just adjust my expectations to say "I am not going to like this, but oh well," that's not really what I meant. It's just that I don't expect Morimoto if I am eating a McDonalds Filet-O-Fish, I recognize both for what they are.

But honestly, now that you bring it up, if someone puts something in front of me that I don't like, in their house, I eat it. Not that it happens frequently, but it happens. I feel like I can eat something I don't like if I cut it up small enough, pretty much.

When my dad was about 90, he started saying he didn't want this or that to eat, particularly certain vegetables, if he had his choice. And I said "You used to like ____, you ate it." and he said "I never liked it. And now that everyone is grown up, I don't feel like I need to eat it to set an example. We didn't want you kids or grandkids to be picky eaters. So, I ate what was put in front of me." (There were a couple things though, that were not served when my dad was home for dinner, and a couple things that my mom was not expected to cook at home.) But there was no completely turning down something at the dinner table, especially by children, who go through periods where their tendency would be to turn down everything. Does that mean that sometimes dinner involved a screaming three year old who said she was being poisoned? 100% yes. But there is not a picky, unadventurous eater in my family beyond "I'd rather not eat__if I didn't have to."

,Living here in New England we have an abundance of great seafood. I don't like tilapia becaise of its mushy texture and am not really fond of salmon but enjoy almost everything else. Calamari, clams, sea bass. haddoclk scrod, halibut, tuna, scallops, lobster -- love thelm all.

Another fish/ cheese combo I like is smoked salmon and cream cheese on a bagel. Also lobster macaroni and cheese.

Olychick, That’s great to hear. Isn’t it best to have several edible species?

I found a couple of links and want to learn more, but have to get other RL things taken care of.

➡️ https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC7859593/

Ded, I like a certain type of smoked or cold smoked salmon. I am gifted it and am not sure the type. Perhaps it is ”cold smoked” salmon?

Many years ago, I tried ”lox” or Nova lox from a deli. I did not care for it at all. To my palate it seemed fishy raw and slippery.

The smoked salmon I like and was expecting is not dry, and not that cooked, flaky smoked salmon. I like the ”smoked salmon” that usually is sold in a small amount, vacuum packed in a thin cellophane like package. It is not the Jewish deli sort. I think perhaps it is a sort of Canadian or northern US dry cold smoked thin section of a side of salmon, Not slimy or slippery and not fishy at all. And NOT that cooked thick hunk of fillet.

It is thin, smoked, beautiful orange. It is a thin section as it it packaged, and you canslice very thin section of it to serve on crackers. Think Anglos, not Jews for the culinary characteristic. Like most smoked or cold smoked or cured salmon, it is not cheap. It may be corn cob smoked. Do you or anyone here know what I mean?

I never buy it because I amnot sure what to ask for and I do not want the Jewish deli lox type.

Costco carries two good varieties of smoked salmon - one made from farmed salmon of European production, one from wild. In two attached but separate vacuum packages of what I think used to be close to a pound each but have diminished over time to a smaller size. The flavors of the two are different as one would expect but both are delicious. It takes some attention for us to finish the packages before it starts to turn if it's just the two of us eating it but we're both happy to contribute to the effort. We think it's one of Costco's better quality and consistent products and it's reasonably priced versus what one pays for a comparable good quality smoked salmon from other sources.

We tend to eat it as an appetizer with chopped onions and capers. Or plain. Or sometimes as a standalone protein at breakfast (not unlike how Scandinavians eat herring for breakfast, which up there is a delicious habit). Never on a bagel and, horrors of horrors, never with cream cheese or in a meal that before or after that includes cheese. ;-)

There is no kind of fish or seafood that I like. I grew up in a household where it was all eaten regularly; I did not like it then and still don’t. Two of our three kids like it all 🤷‍♀️

To me, if one is not already fond of fish, the key to enjoying it is to get very, very mild fish, as fresh as possible. Like white meat on poultry, the paler the color the milder the taste. I do not eat the gray parts of a filet. Also, when cooking at home, if possible have the skin removed by the fishmonger (that generates a lot of odor due to the oiliness). I cook on parchment if we are not grilling it, and then after the pan cools I roll up the parchment and dispose of it in a plastic produce bag. No odors in the house that way.

We grew up eating seafood fairly often. My Mom used to make flounder almondine (https://www.heb.com/recipe/recipe-detail/pan-fried-flounder-almondine) , which I have not had (or seen!) in years but always liked. She also made pan seared trout, crab cakes, lobster, clam chowder and scallops. I have never had a fish stick, but my kids liked Dr. Praeger’s fish sticks and mixed up their own tartar sauce. My parents used to eat canned mackerel. That was a good time to go outside and play, yuck. That would be tough to deal with if served to me. I agree that, unless you are allergic, you eat at least some of whatever your host serves you. When I host, I not only ask about allergies/sensitivities but also any strong likes or dislikes, and any dietary preferences at all. No sense cooking a meal for someone that misses the mark.

In my teens it became apparent I was very allergic to scallops. I was never tested but since then have been told that I am most likely allergic to all crustaceans and mollusks. I got so sick once after tasting the sauce I was making for Coquille St Jacques that I swore off any and all seafood for a time. This is tough for someone who enjoys cooking and fine dining.

I wanted my children to like seafood so I started preparing fish (but only finfish, due to my allergies). The hands-down favorite in my family is halibut. It has become a New Year’s tradition, too. Yes it is very expensive; I've seen it for $50/lb and up. Sometimes I can get a good price in Maine, during the local season, which is only about a month. But we eat relatively small servings of fish and if you want gourmet food at home the ingredients cost you, but it is still a fraction of the cost of fine dining out. I either make it with just evoo and lemon, blackened (https://www.allrecipes.com/recipe/38028/blackened-fish/), or Heavenly Halibut. The Heavenly Halibut is a big favorite of several dinner guest regulars, and it is often my go-to for company (https://www.allrecipes.com/recipe/76659/heavenly-halibut/). I suggest making it in individual mini casseroles so no sauce is lost. Yes, it has parm. But it has a lot of other things, too. When I serve it most people don’t even detect parm so it may be a less off-putting version of fish and cheese. @texanjana, definitely trying your lemon panko halibut, thanks.

I used to make swordfish a lot, maybe I should consider that. I had a Hamptons share in my twenties and we made it every weekend. Take 50/50 mayo and dijon, add a half cup of chopped dill, rub it all over the fish and grill.

Many moons ago after I got my first big job I took my Mom on a trip to England. Among our stops was an upscale inn known for its multi course gourmet meals. The amuse bouche one night was sole in a cream sauce with bananas. (!?!). It was not awful but it sure was weird. Thinking of this, I went and looked up the inn, and found an article on it. In the comments section a woman wrote: “We had lots of holidays in the Lake District and recall when our son was young having fish served with bananas. Son still recalls it. Not good.” Too funny!

I have since seen fish wrapped in banana leaves, which is very good and involves no bananas; the leaf is simply a version of en papillote.

We were just in Malta and of course fresh fish abounds on this tiny Mediterranean Island. My friends and I decided to share a fish. It was a Red Snapper. They cooked it with a salt crust, which I did once with my kids when DH caught trout. Easy and fun. https://www.seriouseats.com/salt-baked-whole-fish-with-fresh-herbs-5212108 They also flambeed it which made no sense but I guess it was part of the tableside show. After they removed the crust and filleted it, they drizzled it with lemon and EVOO. Sublime.

In Puerto Vallarta years ago, they caught a red snapper right off the beach pier. They grilled it, filleted it, and doused it with garlic butter. It was excellent, I could not get enough of it.

We first had ceviche on a few snorkelling/diving trips and my kids love it. They order it often, but it’s slso so easy to make ceviche. They like it on tortilla chips. This is a favorite recipe: https://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/giada-de-laurentiis/halibut-ceviche-salad-recipe-2042760. I have my fishmonger remove the skin and finely dice it for me.

For me, salmon, even that which we had fresh caught along the Russian River in Alaska, has a fishy flavor. I stick with white fish. One exception was salmon with calamansi butter sauce on a bed of pea shoots at the now closed Lespinasse in New York. For a while that was my absolute favorite dish, even though it was salmon. I have not seen calamansi in the market; it is a citrus that to me tastes like tangerine, lemon and lime all together.

I do not eat Sushi because I don’t like the fishy taste of the seaweed wrapper. I do like sashimi, including a foray into “poisonous” puffer fish (fugu). Over the years I have been at various Nobu locations with clients and they have a tuna sashimi with homemade potato chips that brings me back to the tuna salad sandwiches and bag of chips in my middle school lunches!

And thus I herewith make up for all posts missed on vacation. : )

What a great post, Mtn ... and welcome back!

Flounder Almondine! It was such a popular dish in the 70s!

I made your heavenly halibut recipe for SO when i was last there-- he loved it! I liked it but I think I prefer it simple and grilled. I will try the blackened recipe you shared above when i visit in May. (We are kinda planning to do only fish and seafood when I cook at home. It is the midwest but he has a great fish shoppe that flies in fish daily)

I used to have salt-crusted trout at a favorite restaurant I would go to with my dad (now closed). He always had the flat iron steak-- and I always had the trout. I never cooked it at home but it might be fun to try with a guest. Your snapper sounds wonderful!

Also love ceviche -- and so many ways to vary the flavor!

As noted above, i do not eat any raw fish anymore-- and I too am not a fan of salmon. I have had some wonderful salmon -- always on the west coast and always grilled. I rarely choose it as there are so many other great fish!

I have a big meeting tomorrow that is a milestone of sorts-- to celebrate I am planning to make jerk scallops! It is a new recipe from an unproven source-- if it is good, i will share.

Ah, someone else who doesn’t like sushi because of the seaweed wrapper! I think if I could have it made as a rice bowl, I’d enjoy it.

Mom was a big fan of Trout Amandine. I liked it … all but the almonds.

Funky, what a wonderful way to celebrate…and how nice that you’ve made your goal (work project, I assume)!

Funky, congrats on the milestone!

Ah, someone else who doesn’t like sushi because of the seaweed wrapper! I think if I could have it made as a rice bowl, I’d enjoy it.

Try Poke

Posts above reminded me how much I love ceviche! And we had very good seafood in Jamaica. Can’t wait to hear about the jerk scallops.

DH always orders fish tacos at our local Mexican restaurants. I’ve not tried them at home yet.

LOLI may have overstated it. It is a minor milestone for sure-- a bigger one coming -- but all kind of "normal" expectations of my job/role. Still, I like to mark things big and small 😂 -- cooking a normal meal you all would make any day of the week IS a "thing" for me .. i am about to have an apple and a bagged salad for my dinner tonight.

But lots of traditional sushi does not have seaweed. Sushi only requires vinegared rice, and sashimi is the fish without rice.

Yes, and my kids try to get me to eat California rolls and Philadelphia rolls for that reason. IDK i think of them as fake "sushi" and surely they are Americanized. Truth is I am not wild about cold white rice either. I mention sashimi because that is usually available at sushi places and that I can enjoy.

I like cream cheese but not in sushi (Philadelphia). California roll kind of makes sushi accessible to people because it is one of the cooked types.

I think if I could have it made as a rice bowl, I’d enjoy it.

As mtn said, that is a Poke bowl. Delicious!

I thought I didn't like sushi. The thought of eating raw fish made me nervous. I would eat California rolls (I called them fake sushi too!). Especially if I could find them with real crab and not the fake stuff. I never liked philly rolls. Way too much cream cheese.

But then we were on a cruise that has a Morimoto popup restaurant once per trip. Everyone raved about the sushi platter so we decided to order it. I mean, why not? It doesn't cost extra and if we don't like it, we'll know for sure we don't like it. OMG, one of the best things I ever had. So I guess I do like sushi and I just try not to think about the dangers of eating raw fish.

---

I was practically weaned on bagels and lox. Well really nova because I don't like the salty version, Also, smoked white fish. And sorry but cream cheese is a must. Not a lot, but some.

---

I pretty much love all fish. Only things I don't like are mussels, clams, oysters. The weird thing is I hated it when I was younger. My dad did not like fish so we never had it at home (except Jew fish!). Then in my 30s I started trying mild fish and discovered I really like it. When eating out, it is very rare that I order anything other than fish.

The key thing about sushi is that it is made from specially handled fish that is frozen at -4 degrees F for seven days or -31 degrees F for 15 hours minimum. So it's not fresh, it is a fish that has been processed and then frozen specifically to kill parasites.

Oysters.

Before my Dr. told me to assume that I was allergic to all crustaceans and mollusks, I used to like oysters. There was a place near my old office, Alma de Cuba, that made a dish called "Oysters Rodriguez" It consisted of "crispy fried oysters over mashed sweet plantains with bacon and a bed of sauted spinach with horseradish and huacatay sauce. " I even made them once.

I recall, and have adopted as a joke with DH, something I learned from a Spanish client I dined with there. He laughed at the name of the dish, and told me what it meant in Madrid. I was just able to look it up and verify his story!

The Spanish expression for a husband whose wife is away, often used humorously, is "estar de Rodríguez" (to be in the Rodriguez situation). This phrase, popularized by a 1965 film, refers to a man left to his own devices while his wife and children are away.

They also had a great ceviche, Fire and Ice – fluke with preserved lemon, sage, hot garlic oil and crispy lemon rings.

Any and all fish or seafood.

Mtn I remember that restaurant.

Reviewingbthis post now because I am heading to costco and may invest in a side of fish.

Unless your fish is sourced from a day fisher, not that common even for those living at a coast, all caught fish is put on ice or frozen when caught.

It's not just that sushi grade is frozen, it's that it is frozen to specific temperatures after being processed a certain way. You could not just use salmon or tuna out of a home freezer unless you know that it can be set to and maintain at least -4. Mine is set at -1, and I am not sure I could set it to -4, and definitely not -31. And this refrigerator is Much colder than the refrigerator it replaced which was also new, just really inexpensive.

My point was, it's rare for most people to have access to"fresh" fish that wasn't at least partially frozen travelling from ocean to plate.

I've also heard that virtually all our fish has been frozen before it is sold. I live near the coast and believe it. I love Kirkland frozen shrimp, always "fresh" when I need it.

No, I get that, but you can't mistake that because virtually all fish is frozen, that it is suitable for sushi. That is how untrained people get parasites.