How to Know If Fish is Fine Fare for Fish Eating Fridays

When I go out to eat and it's Friday, I can count on clam chowder being served as the soup of the day. I have always wondered why restaurants don't save themselves a ton of money and just serve potato soup instead. It's vegetarian, it's relatively inexpensive and almost everyone likes it. No, they serve clam chowder to appease the non meat eating traditionalists. Most people I know do NOT look forward to clam chowder Fridays. The last time I looked at a map, the state of Montana is landlocked and, therefore, not really that close to any port or fish market that sells nice, fresh clams. We buy ours in cans, which gags people who get theirs fresh from the water. Potatoes grow here very nicely and our next door neighbor, Idaho, is known for their potatoes. Montana could start a barter system. Montana will give the state of Idaho yogo sapphires in exchange for potatoes.

If you are a person who lives near a fish market and like to buy the freshest fish possible, this could help you in deciding what kind of fish you want. For Friday or any other day of the week, fish is fine eating, if it is perfectly cooked. Over-cooking is the one thing many people do and many people don't like fish and seafood because they have never had it any other way. How sad.

If you are buying fresh fish, look at its eyes. If they are sunken you can be sure that particular fish is not necessarily fresh--buy one with bright, bulging eyes instead. (That must mean the fish was terrified once it was caught. I know my eyes bulge when I'm terrified!) If he's looking straight at you and keeps eye contact, hit him over the head. If the eyes are bulged out the next thing you do is sniff. (The skin, dummy!) If the fish is fresh it should NOT have a fishy odor. Hmmm, I have caught fish straight out of the river that have a fishy odor. I know they were alive when I caught them because they put up a good fight. But, I guess professional fishermen must know what they're talking about.

Buy fish that makes the least work for you--filleted, cut into steaks, or whole fish dressed at the market. Ask the dealer to remove the blood line under the backbone, so the fish will stay fresh and sweet.

Fillets are boneless, solid slices cut away from the sides of the fish. If the skin is left on, the cooked fish will be juicier and have more flavor.

Steaks are cross section cuts of large fish like cod, halibut or salmon and have few or no bones.

Dressed fish has had the fins, innards, tail and scales removed; the head also, if you wish, except for small fish.
My advice is to have the head removed. That way you don't accidentally eat an eye. I always go for a fish steak...that way I don't have to worry about the eyes.

Quick-frozen fish and seafoods need no preparation other than cooking and there is no waste involved. For best results, follow defrosting and cooking instructions on the package.

How to Clean a Fish: If the man of the house is a fisherman, and he brings his catch home for you to clean, just kindly inform him that if he caught it, he cleans it! Give him the following instructions on how to do it.

Lay the fish on a large sheet of paper. Working from the tail toward the head, scrape the scales with a fish scaler or a sharp knife. Cut around the back fins and pull them out. Or cut the fins off with scissors. Leave a small part visible so the bones can be easily located after the fish is cooked. Cut a gash in the abdomen with scissors or a sharp knife and remove the insides. Remove the blood line located in the abdominal cavity under the backbone with the tip of a knife. Wash and dry the fish and store in the refrigerator until cooking time.

Remember: a perfectly cooked fish flakes easily with a fork and isn't dry. It's good for you, low in calories, and full of lean protein. You can find fish recipes at ruddysrecipes.blogspot.com. Enjoy!!