THE BEST: Fish (Your favorite)

[Katie Meadow]

Been a few people who like the Sablefish. I love the stuff, but rarely see it fresh back here in NYC. It's a classic when it's smoked, though.

These days, at Russ & Daughters, smoked sable is about the same price as smoked sturgeon. They tell me it is much harder to source and much more expensive. My guess is that's been the case ever since it became a hit at Nobu (who can forget the much ballyhooed miso marinated black cod?), and then appeared on practically every other menu in town.

Probably it never even occurred to me growing up around the corner from Barney Greengrass that there was such a thing as fresh sable or fresh sturgeon or fresh whitefish. Nor can I remember eating fresh salmon, but then my parents didn't eat a lot of fish that wasn't smoked.

Rarely I have been able to get the west coast version of smoked black cod on the northern CA coast, and it is great, but a little differently done than back east. Not easy to find, though, and very expensive. The price of fresh black cod has been on the upswing in the last couple of years. Berkelely bowl used to sell it for about $12 per pound, and Tokyo Market for about the same. Recently Berkeley Bowl has been having difficulty stocking it, and last week Tokyo Market was selling it for $18 per pound, which is the most I have ever paid.

[Jaymes]

I was lucky enough to get to live in Alaska for several years, and noticed an interesting phenomenon. Alaskans eat a LOT of fish, as you might imagine, but when Alaskans got to talking about fish, almost invariably, someone would say, "You know, I probably shouldn't admit it, but I think I might like halibut better than salmon."

Amusingly enough, it was like they were afraid of being "disloyal" to the perceived Champion Favorite Fish of All Alaskans. So much so that they couldn't even outright admit to liking halibut better, and had to soften their statement with phrases like, "I think maybe I might..."

All of the "Salmon Bakes" up there also feature deep-fried pillows of snowy-white halibut. One of the most heavenly dishes on earth. Like those other Alaskans, I like halibut better. But I'm not ashamed to admit it.

We also lived in Panama, where the restaurants served many dishes made with corvina; Corvina Almondine at Las Americas was a favorite. And the corvina ceviches.

I really loved that, too.

And I've had some fabulous dishes made with grouper. I dream about a Grouper in Basil Sauce that I had once in Thailand.

How does that old saying go? So many fishes, so little time?

Edited March 24, 2012 by Jaymes (log)

[haresfur]

Since I live on what basically amounts to an island (you have to cross a bridge at some point no matter which way you come into or leave from town) surrounded by lakes full of walleye that attract a large tourist business every year, I guess I'll go with that for my answer. Especially since quality fresh fish that doesn't come from the local lakes is almost impossible to get most of the time.

So do you call it walleye? When I was growing up we called waleye pickerel even though it's not a true pickerel. It is my favourite freshwater fish although that is probably in part is nostalgia.

Us antipodeans have been discussing our favourites here...

I still haven't found any flathead fish & chips or at a restaurant. Which gets me to the point that my favourite fish is primarily what is fresh and well prepared. So that generally means cooked by someone else. Halibut is very high on my list after leaving a Seattle restaurant thinking, "Why do I even bother trying to cook fish myself?"

King and sockeye salmon if not caught too far upriver are very nice. I also have some good meal-memories of European plaice.

I try to think about sustainability but it is really hard to keep track and it always seems to be shades of grey. I really try to avoid sturgeon for this reason. It's kind of creepy to eat a fish older than I am.

[andiesenji]

I can't eat fish from the ocean because of an allergy. I do have a fair amount of fresh water fish, mostly trout - a friend's brother owns a fish farm and she brings me a lot of lovely fish, much larger than the usual "farmed" fish. These are not raised for direct sale but are bred to produce fish that are restocked into streams and lakes for sport fishing.

The last I got a few days ago were steelhead but I have gotten different species but usually rainbow or steelhead.

A close second would be catfish. Being a Kentucky native, I consumed a lot of catfish when I was young and I don't think anyone ever gets over a preference for this meaty fish.

[azurite]

In the PNW:

fresh halibut, line caught tuna--grilled (so different from canned tuna), smoked tuna. Fresh sardines (cooked). I have yet to be able to get the last in OR though, at least where I live, there's a sardine fishery off of OR but apparently the local fishing boats aren't equipped to fish for sardine, so that they get (much larger then the size that eaten) it used for bait. Or that's what a former commercial fisherperson who now runs a seafood restaurant (featuring locally caught seafood) told me.

[liuzhou]

Probably the fish dish I remember most was several years back in a Mediterranean village in France, close to the Spanish border. It was the Feast of the Assumption (August 15th) and the local tradition was for the fishermen to feed the entire village, for free. They set up on the quayside and simply grilled mountains of very fresh sardines and served them with baguettes, a local wine and a peach for dessert. You could go back as often as you liked.

One of the best meals I have ever eaten.

[DanM]

Thanks to the head of a local sushi restaurant and books on fish (mainly the River Cottage Fish Book), I have to say that it is a very tricky question to answer. My "favorite" will vary based on what is freshest at the fish monger and if it is sustainable or locally caught/raised. Wild salmon is always available frozen in good quality near me. I prefer sockeye, but will take what is available. I try to vary my choices to not put strain on any one species. Spanish Mackerel, striped bass, and rainbow trout are typically available whole around here as well. Unfortunately, I have not been successful at convincing my wife to eat a fish that is looking back at her.

[Heartsurgeon]

What ever is freshest!

I've had memorable swordfish, salmon, chilean sea bass, trout, ahi tuna, even bluefish!

Probably the most memorable was chilean sea bass (pillowy, meltingly soft, unctuous), some fresh "pink" swordfish (the fish monger claimed it represented a fish that likely fed extensively upon shrimp?) incredibly juicy and flavorful. Totally fresh off the boat bluefish (in Cape Cod), just caught...simply yummy.

[Kitchen Detective]

In KS, fresh catfish from a muddy stream, with a Panko crust and panfried in olive oil. Add a mustard dill to it.

[harrysnapperorgans]

For me it would have to be freshly caught river trout from ice cold NZ rivers.

Smoked, fried, poached or baked, heaven in a mouthful.

[rod rock]

Very Very fresh Salmon, (wild) filet, cut just behind the head. 'Pan-roast' with Penzies Chicago Steak seasoning, starting skin side down in a hot, heavy pan. After turing over, finished in a 350 oven until still rare in the middle.

Vote up!!!!

[Doodad]

It is considered a trash fish, but I love amberjack. Great taste and texture that stands up to any cooking method.

Trash fish? gulp

I'm on the Florida west coast and for me there is no best fish. Fresh fish is quite available. My job is to not screw it up. Here are some amberjack fillets I cut a few weeks ago. I like it a tad pink in the middle for best texture. Currently amberjack is a favorite since it is plentiful, fresh and down right tasty.

My brother went fishing in the Gulf a few years back and caught an amberjack. He was thrilled and the guide was incredulous that he wanted to keep it.

[Lindacakes]

Fresh local fish.

Lake Erie perch, but not anymore.

Trout for breakfast.

Catfish and walleye, agreed.

Mackerel, agreed.

Skate. Even my parrot loves skate.

[qrn]

Oregon salmon,lightlysalted ,sit a while and pan sear in butter,freshcaught trout from Colorado streams,However I catch and release most of em and only keep a few,from time to time

Bud

[BadRabbit]

It is considered a trash fish, but I love amberjack. Great taste and texture that stands up to any cooking method.

Trash fish? gulp

I'm on the Florida west coast and for me there is no best fish. Fresh fish is quite available. My job is to not screw it up. Here are some amberjack fillets I cut a few weeks ago. I like it a tad pink in the middle for best texture. Currently amberjack is a favorite since it is plentiful, fresh and down right tasty.

My brother went fishing in the Gulf a few years back and caught an amberjack. He was thrilled and the guide was incredulous that he wanted to keep it.

Lots of guides from the Gulf region hate amberjack because they are often incredibly wormy and even a seasoned fisherman can be put off by it (which is what I was alluding to in my earlier post). After you've fileted a few jacks that look like they are hosting a tapeworm convention, you find it incredible that people still want to eat them.

Note: The worms are harmless to humans; they are just disgusting.

Edit: Typo

Edited April 6, 2012 by BadRabbit (log)

[GlorifiedRice]

Mackeral!

I could eat grilled Mackeral every day for life if theyd develop a boneless breed.

Maybe if I hit the lottery Ill hire a personal mackeral deboner. lol

Especially in Takikomi Gohan

Edited April 6, 2012 by GlorifiedRice (log)

[david11238]

Cooked is a tie. Skate wing & roasted tuna head (when I can get it). Raw, any kind of tuna.

[jmolinari]

Obviously sardines...grilled with fresh lemon and lots of salt.

[rod rock]

Smoked catfish with some spices!