We're getting super fishy! Do you ever dread going into a fish market because of the smells you'll encounter, fish eyes that will stare at you, and just not knowing what to buy? Trips to the fish market can be very intimidating. How do you know a fish is fresh? What should you look for? How do you know what to stay away from?
Here are some tips to make your next trip to the fish market less intimidating:
- Find the type of fish you're looking to buy. If you’re a beginner with cooking whole fish, I would recommend buying a lighter/white Fleshed fish such as Swaii, Sea Bass, Branzino or Red Snapper (my favorite).
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Freshness. Signs to look for:
- The eyes should look clear and not cloudy
- The flesh should be firm and have shine to it. The bounce test- touch it and the skin should bounce back
- The flesh should have a nice color and should not have any brown to it. The fresher the fish, the brighter and more metallic the skin
- Gills should be bright and wet, not slimy
- Sniff it! Fish should never smell fishy. Yes, it will have an ocean smell, but it should still smell fresh.
- Become BFFs with the fish guy! Seriously, he will be heaven-sent and may even throw in a couple of free fillets. Aside from free fish, your fish guy knows all the tea! He knows which fish is the freshest and will give you recommendations based on what you're cooking. He is also a fish connoisseur and should have recipes to share. Just ignore him when he asks you for your number and Instagram handle lol.
- Ask for your fish to be scaled, gutted, and rinsed. This is not something you have to do yourself. Make your life easier and ask your new-found friend to do it for you! If you're not into fins, make sure your friend (fish guy) cuts those off too.
- Say bye and bring your fish home! You're a fish pro and now you're ready to chef things up.