List of fish: the good, the bad and everything in between

About (not) consuming fresh raw fish and fresh raw egg yolks
jfk
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Post by jfk »

I tried swordfish for the first time yesterday as it said 'good' on list. I actually didn't like it but I can see how others might as it was flavourful (as described on the list).
The only other things I have tried are mackeral and haddock which I didn't like and scallops which I really liked :). I am confused though, are scallops allowed according to the Wai way?
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Oscar
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Post by Oscar »

Scallops are ok. They do turn bad pretty fast though.
Too bad you didn't like the mackerel...when it's very fresh it's super good.
avo
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Post by avo »

Yep, swordfish has a pronounced flavor and a firm texture - which not everyone likes - but it is perfect for those who feel raw fish is too soft and bland.

Fresh mackerel is enjoyable - personally one of my favorites. But after a few days, it begins to go 'off' and acquires a strong taste and odor.

For me, it's tough to find fresh haddock. It is usually frozen which negatively alters the texture and makes it watery.

Scallops are great - I had some very fresh ones recently in a sushi bar. They were presented in their shells, with a few slivers of a black dried seaweed sprinkled on top. Exceptional.

Just make sure that your scallops are 'diver' or 'dry,' as this means they were not soaked in chemicals and preservatives as found in 'wet' scallops. Look out for scallops standing in a white liquid - they should never be soaking in anything. What you want are off-white scallops, like a light tan. Never white. And they should smell fresh, no ammonia or fishy-ness. Fresh is good, but frozen is common.

Farmed sea bass is ok, but wild should be readily available in European countries. Where are you located? But yes, bass is good. It is bit firmer and more tasty than a white fish like haddock. Make sure the fish looks and smells fresh, you should be fine.

Keep a look out for other fish mongers and markets to increase your available choices. Selling out of tuna could be a good sign, perhaps try getting there earlier in the day or on the day it is delivered? (Should be a couple times a week). Good luck!
jfk
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Post by jfk »

avo wrote: Fresh mackerel is enjoyable - personally one of my favorites. But after a few days, it begins to go 'off' and acquires a strong taste and odor.
OK - you and Oscar have convinced me to try Mackerel again! Next time I go fish shopping..

I am certain the Mackerel I tried before was fresh, it's just that I prepared it very badly, I forgot to ask the fish monger to do it - I ended up holding it under the water tap to make sure all of the bloody guts had been washed off. So by the time it came to eating it there was hardly any left and it was in a pool of water - this probably didn't do it justice!
avo wrote: Scallops are great - I had some very fresh ones recently in a sushi bar. They were presented in their shells, with a few slivers of a black dried seaweed sprinkled on top. Exceptional.
That sounded so good that I bought some today that were in their shells, no white liquid and brownish so they should be okay. They said they don't freeze anything, but I didn't check if they were "dry" or "diver" - I will though, thank you for the tip :)!

Just one thing I wasn't sure about, the ones in-shell have quite a lot of bright orange roe, is this okay Wai wise? Do they serve the roe in sushi restaurants? It tastes unusual, I am not sure if I like it, I think it might be an acquired taste; it could definitely grow on me though :)
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Oscar
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Post by Oscar »

It's not that easy to fillet a mackerel, and in the end not much fish remains...better ask the fishmonger to do it, although it is rewarding if you can pull it off. ;)

Orange roe...you mean flying fish roe? They should be okay Wai-wise, but they don't have anything to do with the scallops, I think.
jfk
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Post by jfk »

Oscar wrote: Orange roe...you mean flying fish roe? They should be okay Wai-wise, but they don't have anything to do with the scallops, I think.
Is that what it is, flying fish roe? I guess. It looks like http://www.crabmeat.co.uk/scallops.htm
I can buy them without but the ones in the shells always seem to have it.
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Post by avo »

Sounds perfect. I am totally jealous... I need scallops now.

The roe around the scallops might be fine. Although, it may contain a bit much sodium. If you don't like the taste, don't bother. Totally optional.

Flying fish roe (tobiko) is just that - roe from 'flying fish.' Fresh roe - right out of the belly - is fine. But any of the orange stuff you can buy or get at sushi bars is a no-no as it has been processed heavily. I mentioned it in the Other Seafood section:

Kazunoko / Komochi (herring roe), Tobiko (flying fish roe), Ikura (salmon roe), Mentaiko (cod roe) and Masago (smelt roe) are all types of roe (fish eggs). While fresh, unadulterated roe is fine to eat, most roe commercially available has been treated with brine/salt, food dye, preservatives, taste enhancers and flavorings, as well as numerous freezing, thawing and even cooking procedures, and therefore not recommended.

I am self-taught when it comes to fish filleting and scaling, although I've watched a lot of experts at work and read up on it as well. Although a free service at most places, I feel it is a useful skill to have (whether going camping/fishing, or going into the culinary arts).
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Post by Biev »

Um, I like to fish, and I'd like to know if I can eat the fish I catch. I filet it on the spot, there's no contact with the internal organs. I sometimes catch grouper and snapper which your list already covers, and if I head out farther I should be able to get dolphin (mahi-mahi), but most of what I catch is grunt (http://www.mexfish.com/fish/grunts/grunts.htm) If you have any information, please share it?

I usually catch a lot and then freeze them and cook them later, but if you tell me it's okay to eat raw I might start going fishing more often and just leave after catching tonight and tomorrow's dinners : P
jfk
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Post by jfk »

avo wrote: Fresh mackerel is enjoyable - personally one of my favorites. But after a few days, it begins to go 'off' and acquires a strong taste and odor.
I'm completely converted! I have been buying pre-filleted, fresh mackerel and it is really good. It is tasty, it comes in fresh everyday and it is such good value compared to the usual salmon/tuna. I'm happy now :)

I was wondering about pollock - it isn't on the list, have you tried it?
Kookaburra
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Post by Kookaburra »

Which part of the salmon do you enjoy the most? The salmon belly, the tail or something else? What do you think of eating the salmon head?
Iris
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Post by Iris »

eating it's head!?! :shock: No thank you, I'll leave that part up to my dogs :wink:
It does contain lots of omega 3 though....

The tail is less fat, and more tough. Nowhere near as good as the flesh from the salmon belly (which is the softest and fattest part of the salmon, and thus the most delicious)
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Oscar
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Post by Oscar »

I agree...the belly! :)

Gavriel's dad regularly gets fish heads from the market and eats the brains...must be quite fatty and full with cholesterol, but it doesn't really appeal to me. I might try it at some point though.
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Re: List of fish: the good, the bad and everything in betwee

Post by zackcentury »

There doesn't seem to be much of a market for raw trout, and thus not much information about consuming them raw. As with all inland fish, mercury poisoning is a serious concern when consuming trout that has spent much of its life confined to a small body of water. I would venture a guess that the most common parasite you'll encounter on a trout is "Anisakis nematodes", just like salmon.

Here are a couple links of interest:
http://www.sushifaq.com/ffaq.htm#Freeze ... ket%20Fish
This link claims that even home freezers are not sufficient to kill parasites.

Interested, I searched a little more. This link
http://seafood.ucdavis.edu/pubs/nematodes.htm
quotes several studies, whose results suggest that slow freezing (home freezing, -17C) degrades fish quality and may not always kill 100% parasites. It is possible that even some living parasites, after freezing for about 3 days, will not be harmful to humans. However, flash freezing and maintaining -34C for 24 hours seems best.

And finally, a case for freshwater-farmed salmon: http://www.sfu.ca/pamr/news_releases/ar ... 190601.htm
But not just any farm-raised salmon. As with most meats these days, quality sources are probably few and far between.
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Re: List of fish: the good, the bad and everything in betwee

Post by Kookaburra »

Can I eat barramundi raw?
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RRM
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Re: List of fish: the good, the bad and everything in betwee

Post by RRM »

Im not sure.
The freshwater fish is said to taste 'muddy'. The saltwater version seems to taste better.
And, the salwater version is less likely to contain harmful parasites.
Saltwater fish may contain roundworms (which dont survive in our digestive tract)
and fresh water fish may contain tapeworms (which may be more nasty), so that you need to deepfreeze the fish prior to eating.
Barramundi are naturally susceptible to parasites.
The barramundi has white, flaky flesh and is also raised in aquaculture.
Its a predator, so its omega-3 contents will be good (particular freshwater barramundi is high in fat).
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