What kind of fish for someone who does not like fish?

[NotchJohnson]

This person I want to eat fish has to start somewhere. Any suggestions will be appreciated.

Thanks

[lorilei]

Cod or Orange Roughy are both mild flavored fish -- served with a sauce, they would be a good start for someone who doesn't like a fishy flavor.

Also - watch the freshness of your fish. Fish that is older will tend to take on a "fishy" flavor that is unappealing, especially to non-fish lovers.

Another thought: Tuna steaks have a nice, meaty consistency and can be paired with all kinds of flavors. A good bet for a meat lover.

[This message has been edited by lorilei (edited 10-12-2000).]

[mightyh]

I think salmon is pretty universally like-able. It was the first fish I really liked... now I like them all.

[andrea]

i just tried some Tilapia... it was a really good white fish with NO BONES!!! i think that would be a plus for a non-fish-eater. i got a chili-coated fish sticks recipe off epicurious.com... dredge in mayo & lemon juice, then in a flour/cornmeal/chili powder mixture and bake. they were great and not fishy due to the large surface area of coating.

[Karen from VA]

I'd agree with Kim and others. Swordfish and halibut. Very white, fairly dry, no oily "fishy" taste. I almost always order seafood when we eat out. I prepare a lot of salmon at home (I smoke it on our Brinkman--absolutely wonderful). Grouper is also a good choice I think.
Karen

[venus]

I'm really surprised that no one has mentioned Chilean Sea Bass. I know it's not good to eat it for ethical reasons, but it's a good choice for people that aren't fish eaters, since it has a steaklike texture.

When my husband and I got together, I didn't eat seafood and had never tried many kinds. He cooked me a beautiful meal with tiny portions of many different types of seafood--we had stirfried shrimp, steamed clams, salmon, and several other things. It was a wonderful way to discover what kinds of fish I did and didn't like. Maybe you can cook them something like that?

Mrs. R--I can't stand scallops either--eww!

[S]

I think it is okay for someone to not eat fish.
Please see a previous post about endangered fish species and I ask you to please choose wisely. http://www.cookinglight.com/bbs/Forum1/HTML/000810.html

[Gwenniver]

Ooh, I can answer this one! I grew up with very limited tastes in food--just a childhood-adolescence thing, I guess, but I didn't eat fish at all as a child.

The first fish I ate was breaded flounder. It was very mild and non-fishy--sort of like the old cliche "Tastes like chicken"! I very much enjoyed orange roughy also.

My tastes are a little more broad at this point--I will eat shrimp, crabmeat (but I won't pick crabs!), scallops, salmon, etc. Tuna steaks are pretty mild as fish go but you have to be careful with the preparation--there are some dishes in which tuna tastes agressively fishy.

But basically I'd go with orange roughy, flounder, *maybe* tuna steaks, and a friend of mine who also complains about fishy-tasting fish (kind of a silly thing to complain about, I know, but we do) really likes shark.

Last (in my rambling--almost done http://www.cookinglight.com/bbs/smile.gif ), I had some Pacific Blue Marlin at the Hard Rock Cafe in Honolulu when my husband and I were there that was absolutely wonderful--I don't know how easy it is to get that fish anywhere else, though...

[BernK]

Try a big game fish like Mahi Mahi. It has a very mild flavour. I'm not a big fish eater, but i do like this one.

[RunnerKim]

I used to not eat any seafood (got sick as a kid on shrimp) - still won't touch shellfish but since moving to the Pacific NW I promised my husband I'd work on eating fish and I've come to really enjoy several so far.

Salmon was something I could eat before in small quantities and now I really enjoy. I'd also had orange roughy although not as part of my recent fish tasting adventure.

Recently it's been swordfish and halibut which were both very good and mild. Tried some sole that just didn't do anything for me. Choose a simple recipe. With salmon I like to rub a little soy sauce in and BBQ (or broil) it and serve it with a little dill-cream (half and half) sauce.

One thing - don't have this person around when you're preparing it - the fishy odor can often be worse until its cooked. Serve it with several items that you know the person enjoys - this increases the comfort level with the entire meal.

Kim

[SandyM]

My husband would rather eat dog food than fish of any type. We surprised him one day by making shark steaks. No one told him what it was, which made him pretty suspicious to begin with. He figured it was a fish of some sort. He actually enjoyed it.

[MrsReber]

Cute name there, notch! Anyway, this is a topic that hits home with me. I detest seafood. Don't like any of it, but here's what I've sampled that I felt was not "fishy" at all. It has to be FRESH. My husband and I catch fluke during the summer. When he prepares it that same night, it's not bad. I have tried swordfish steak and that wasn't bad, either (I hate to see people eat swordfish for ethical reasons). Seemed very mild. My husband also caught some fresh trout and cooked that, which was good. Oh, and tuna steaks, if they are very very fresh. I did try the mahi mahi in St. Maarten. That, of course, came right off the boat, and it wasn't bad either. (Notice I don't say any of it was exceptional or delicious).

Bear in mind that we cannot all be converted. I will "taste" a bite or two but I will not eat fish as a main course. I think it's more a texture issue for me, plus I can't stand the smell at all. Oh, my husband has also cooked up some fresh striper that he caught. I didn't try that, but he swears it was very very mild. It bothers me that I dislike fish so much. Some of the dishes I see look so very good, but I know I'd never get past the first bite. Oh, and one word of advice, don't even think about scallops!

[Leanne]

I don't really like fish either, but I do like Mahi Mahi. White fishes are usually the way to go. Dolfphin is really similar as well - it's the only fish my brother will eat & he's very picky about food. He doesn't like any seafood but shrimp.

[Gail]

I think your best cues come from the non-fish people here. I like fish, so my opinions are bound to be tainted. Freshness is certainly your number one issue-- definitely sniff whatever you're planning to buy. If it has an offensive odor, lose it.
Based upon what my mom, a non-fish person, eats, I vote for mahi-mahi as a first choice.
Swordfish (if there are no dark spots) can be meaty and delicious, especially with a lot of garlic; as can certain sharks, such as mako. Halibut is usually pretty safe, too.

[Joyce]

My son, who would never eat fish, spent the first ten years of his life believing that swordfish was chicken...no fish taste at all.

[RunnerKim]

If you opt for a variety of tuna, I also suggest you don't call it tuna. I have yet to try it simply because when I hear tuna - I think of the stuff that comes out of the can - which does have a distinct odor to it. I've been assured its very different and I'll try it soon, we try to eat a small amount of fish once a week since its so good for you.

Kim

[MrsReber]

Yikes! Don't eat the blue marlin! Sorry, my husband and I went marlin fishing on our honeymoon last year (sport fishing). It's all catch and release. We now get a fishing magazine and they urge people not to keep them.

I am kind of surprised that it tasted good, though, since the folks on the island (St. Thomas) said it really wasn't worth the effort to prepare them.