I’ve always had a bit of a love/hate relationship with fish. I like the taste and the health benefits it provides, but I’ve always been rather intimidated by the actual act of cooking it. When one is first experimenting with new foods, mistakes are bound to happen. Normally this wouldn’t be an issue, however considering the often high price of seafood when compared with other meats, these mistakes can be rather expensive.
Despite all this, I recently decided to face my fears and start cooking fish. During this time I’ve managed to find a few options that are tasty, easy to make, and won’t cost an arm and a leg.
Here are three fish that are affordable and fairly easy to find. And in case you are wondering, all three of these fish are environmental sustainable so you can purchase and prepare them guilt-free.
Dorade
Also known as the gilt-head bream, dorade has a delicate buttery taste that is ideal for those who tend to find the taste of fish overpowering. Good dorade can be found for as little as $10 a pound making it an ideal substitute for more expensive white fish.
In addition to being extremely affordable, dorade is remarkably easy to cook. Dorade can be baked, pan-fried, or sautéed.
Mackerel
Mackerel is an extremely versatile fish with a delightfully rich flavor. While it’s not exactly in abundance, line-caught mackerel is one of the more sustainable fish options available. Mackerel can be cooked in a number of different ways. From whole roasted to pan fried fillets, it’s pretty much guaranteed to taste great.
Mackerel can spoil very quickly so make sure you purchase it from a reputable fishmonger and prepare it as soon as possible.
Red Mullet
If you want something that’s a little more overtly fishy in taste, look out for some red mullet. This pink fish has a fairly strong bitter and herbal flavor, and isn’t for the faint of heart. Red mullet is one of the more sustainable fish available and is packed full of omega-3 fatty acids, making it an excellent choice for the health conscious.
Due to its strong flavor it’s best to keep it simple when cooking red mullet. Try roasting it whole in herbs and oil, or throwing it on the grill. Alternatively, the fillets can be pan fried.
