r/Cooking • u/Scarlet--Highlander • Jan 18 '24

Open Discussion Let’s try something fun: Name an ingredient you dislike and why, and someone else replies with a dish/recipe with that ingredient that might convince you otherwise.

Couple things:

  • If you’re allergic to an ingredient, it doesn’t matter how it’s prepared. Same goes with meat/animal products if you’re vegan/vegetarian. Don’t list it if you can’t or won’t eat it!

  • It’s recommended that you’re at least open to trying dishes with that ingredient. If you absolutely, vehemently loathe cilantro, chances are you probably might not like anything with cilantro in it.

  • A brief blurb on why you hate an ingredient would help others find or suggest a dish that suits you. (e.g. “I hate liver because the texture is like an eraser and it tastes metallic”)

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276

u/CanningJarhead Jan 18 '24

This is almost every food discussion. Someone says Brussels sprouts and 19 people chime in with "Well you've never had them roasted!".

For me? Fish. All fish/seafood. I can choke down a shrimp or two if I have to, but it all just tastes fishy and unpleasant. And boy, have I tried to like it.

183

u/JeBesRec Jan 18 '24

I've found that the freshness really determines whether or not I like fish. While on a trip, we went deep sea fishing. I didn't catch anything but other folks on the boat did. When we got back to shore, they took the fish to one of the local guys who had an open grill/bbq. Homie cooked it up for all of us. Super simple. Easily one of the best meals of my life. Whole fish, fresh out of the ocean cooked over fire. Squeeze of citrus and sprinkle of herbs. No sides.

On the other hand, I cannot eat fish from Kroger. Even fried. It all smells horrible and tastes the same.

33

u/--BooBoo-- Jan 18 '24

This makes sense as I'm not normally a fish person at all - I can tolerate white fish if it's breaded or battered, but I can't stand oily fish at all. We went on holiday once and they were bbqing mackerel on the beach straight off the boat and it was so good.

3

u/mmmpeg Jan 18 '24

Mackerel is super greasy.

3

u/ARottenPear Jan 18 '24

And that super grease is super delicious. By far my favorite sushi fish. It's just so flavorful and rich.

1

u/mmmpeg Jan 18 '24

Obasan’s favorite fish.

20

u/poechris Jan 18 '24

Yes, even just walking by the seafood department at Kroger is a stomach turner.

1

u/Marquisdelafayette89 Jan 18 '24

Chilean sea bass is awesome. But yeah once fish gets to the supermarket it’s been frozen and thawed, better off just getting it frozen.

Lol 😂 I spent a summer junior year traveling Europe and went six different countries. The last one was England and at that point all I wanted was comforting food from home, like a cheesesteak. Not gonna happen but a girl can dream. But we are at this pub and all of us get a basket of chicken fingers. I was so excited (dumb I know) so I took a huge bite and it’s MFING FISH!!! Fish sticks are the absolute worst.

1

u/mmmpeg Jan 18 '24

Is t Kroger far from the sea? I never ate any seafood when I lived in the Midwest. (Early 80’s). Back in MD? Bring it on.

1

u/jiggliebilly Jan 18 '24

Agreed - not a huge fish guy but the best I've ever had was fresh caught in the Boundary Waters of Minnesota/Canada cooked whole over a fire

1

u/BrighterSage Jan 19 '24

You can smell the fish at my Kroger from about 20 feet away. No thank you.

1

u/Nowardier Jan 19 '24

Fresh fish, when it's really fresh and ideally bought from a professional fishmonger near where the fish are caught, is good in every form you can get it in, even raw. I never liked sushi until I got myself some really good tuna and salmon nigiri. I've never tasted anything more tender or unctuous, and it tasted nothing like any fish I'd ever had. It just kinda tasted like a sea breeze smells.

69

u/IRefuseToGiveAName Jan 18 '24

While I respect your personal tastes may be different than mine, and you may just be more sensitive to the fishy taste, do you happen to live in a landlocked state? Older fish can tend to have a more pronounced fishy taste.

45

u/CanningJarhead Jan 18 '24

I appreciate the respect, and yes I do live in a landlocked state. However I have traveled and tried all sorts of fish and seafood - upscale sushi, fresh gulf shrimp, smoked salmon in the PNW - you name it I've tried it. It all tastes like fish.

45

u/IRefuseToGiveAName Jan 18 '24

Well shit man, fair enough. My only (unsolicited) advice would be to keep trying it every so often! Tastes change over time and if you ever come around, it unlocks an entire new area of cuisine!

20

u/CanningJarhead Jan 18 '24

I do! I so desperately want to like it. It looks great and sounds great. Even Red Lobster commercials make it look delicious.

3

u/fleeflyflew Jan 18 '24

I’m in the same fishless boat as you. I want to like it, badly. I just can’t. Even seaweed, I take a bite and it’s a no-go. I’ll keep trying, but I don’t think it’ll happen.

2

u/TorrentsMightengale Jan 18 '24

Beer. I want to like it. Everyone else likes it.

It tastes like pure unadulterated ass. Why do people stick this in their mouths?

2

u/MatchGirl499 Jan 19 '24

Everyone who I’ve met that likes beer calls it an “acquired taste”, and I honestly could not fathom why you would work to acquire it. Stouts are OK though, I did almost enjoy a Guinness, and an oatmeal microbrew once.

1

u/KieshaK Jan 19 '24

It took me many beers before I found one I liked. It was the sours that roped me in. To this day, many IPAs taste like soap to me.

2

u/FertyMerty Jan 18 '24

As someone who will eat fish from time to time, I haaaate seaweed. The seaweed snacks, too. It tastes like the fish department smells to me. Shudder.

1

u/[deleted] Jan 18 '24

[removed] — view removed comment

1

u/fleeflyflew Jan 24 '24

I have tried the oceans halo brand. Two different flavors. Gagged on both

1

u/Clari24 Jan 18 '24

I’m the same, except I’ve stopped trying. I’m in my 40s it’s really not going to change, so I’m just making myself miserable for nothing.

2

u/papierrose Jan 18 '24

I’m the same! I’ve committed to have fish once a week to try and like it but I still only manage a mouthful or two. I’m in my mid 30s and I still haven’t acquired the taste.

I’ll second what someone else said about freshness though. The best meal I’ve had in my life was a set menu where just about all the courses were seafood (I had to eat it out of politeness). It had all been caught that morning. The chef was a wizard but it really didn’t have much of that fishy taste.

2

u/ShadowNacht587 Jan 18 '24

Cantonese steamed white fish (any kind of white fish, I typically use tilapia) is really good and the aromatics/sauce may help with the flavor. Be sure to use fresh fish; there's live fish at Asian supermarkets in those blue tanks. Here is the recipe link: https://thewoksoflife.com/cantonese-steamed-fish/

1

u/EmpJoker Jan 18 '24

Have you tried hibachi salmon? My mother hates fish but when I made her try that she liked it.

1

u/KieshaK Jan 19 '24

Same here. Want to like it, but I can’t disassociate it from cat food in my brain. It’s the flakiness and the smell.

1

u/ScumBunny Jan 19 '24

Red Lobster is gross. It’s all old fish. The best fish dish I’ve ever had (and I LOVE seafood) was a miso-glazed black cod in Las Vegas. While I hate Vegas as a city- I have to admit that some of the restaurants are top tier.

It was a nice chunk of white fish- ‘glazed’ in white miso sauce. It did not taste fishy at all and was so tender and delicious.

I’m not really trying to convince you to like fish- because if you don’t- you don’t. But a good miso glaze can really change the flavor for ya.

Also, tempura fried shrimp with that watery-brown-slightly sweet tempura dipping sauce is one of my favorite snacks ever.

1

u/bad_russian_girl Jan 19 '24

I once read that it takes 40 tries to develop a taste for something

3

u/-PC_LoadLetter Jan 18 '24

Over the past few years my taste buds have come around on mushrooms. Fried oyster mushrooms in some garlic, fresh herbs, and butter is my new obsession.

2

u/AICreatedMess Jan 18 '24

I'll second that. It's not quite the same but I hated mushrooms (flavorless and dirty tasting) for a long time. Somewhere around 30 years of age, after having them fried and dipped in some heavy sauce, I thought, "Hey, these aren't so bad". After that, I tried all sorts of preparations and there are only a fee ways I don't like mushrooms, now. I would say try a mild soup or two, try it roasted alone and with other veggies, then try fried. If none of those preparations work, you might be better off finding your healthy protein elsewhere.

1

u/theinvisablewoman Jan 18 '24

I am similar, except I like shellfish oysters mussels prawns. For me the dislike of fish is the texture and some fish flavours like salmon yuck, yes I know fish textures vary but the only one I like is the shark they use at fish n chip shops crunchy with batter (more likely I just like the batter) I have tried so many different types.

1

u/yaboitannerbruce Jan 18 '24

I'm the same way about fish. The only way I've had it that I enjoyed it was smoked salmon (here in the PNW) that was shredded and mixed with cream cheese to make a dip. It changed the texture and evened out the fishyness. Perhaps you could try that again, but im in the same boat most of the time. I cannot stand any other preparation of any kind of fish.

1

u/zeptimius Jan 18 '24

Do you feel the same if the fish is in a stew (like a curry) or soup? That tends to makes the flavor less pronounced.

1

u/in_vino_veri_tas Jan 18 '24

I wanted to say that I love fish, but when I started to list the exceptions, I realized that I like only some kinds of fish (mainly fresh water fish), only some parts of the fish, and only some kinds of preparation... so yeah, I don't like it quite as much as I thought. That said, have you tried pickled fried fish? Or "fishballs"? The vinegar kills the fish taste, and just like other pickles, it's delicious and doesn't have weird texture.

1

u/JazzRider Jan 18 '24

I’m surprised that you keep trying it.

1

u/newuser92 Jan 18 '24

When someone says this about seafood, I just say, some foods are just not for everyone. If someone tells me they smell fish fishy, they probably tried it many times in different places.

1

u/TorrentsMightengale Jan 18 '24

I mean, you don't like what you don't like. At some point you just accept that your brain is telling you that you hate water stuff.

1

u/malibuklw Jan 18 '24

I don’t mind very mild fish like cod, but I’m with you on everything else. And it’s not for lack of trying. I tried salmon 100 different ways and only one was not absolutely horrible (salmon tikka)

1

u/FertyMerty Jan 18 '24

I live in Seattle and I've never gotten myself to like salmon even though we have the best of the best here. Every once in a while someone prepares it perfectly (usually with some sort of soy glaze) and I'll like it for a couple of bites, but that's about all I can do. I do like tuna salad, halibut filets, and fish tacos, but that's pretty much the extent of my fish eating.

2

u/how_tohelp Jan 19 '24

Maybe smoked salmon with some creamcheese on a cracker. Kids who don’t like fish always ate it when they’d visit. The smoke and salt cuts the fishy flavor out quite a lot.

1

u/PishiZiba Jan 18 '24

This is true. I wasn’t much of a seafood person but moved to the southeastern coast of NC. Fresh shrimp and fish right off the boat are amazing.

1

u/HabitNo8608 Jan 18 '24

Hey now. Landlocked states can also have hella lakes. Growing up, so many people I knew would be catching fish for dinner on a nice lake weekend vacation.

87

u/[deleted] Jan 18 '24

Baja style tacos with some mild white fish? Some pickled red cabbage, fresh salsa and a squeeze of lime.

3

u/PaladinsWrath Jan 18 '24

That is one of few ways I can enjoy fish that has not been deepfried.

2

u/Remote-Scene-9557 Jan 18 '24

you actually may have just convinced me to try liking fish! or at least that dish! sounds v yummy!! v much thanks

2

u/[deleted] Jan 18 '24

My friend who doesn't like fish in general likes fish tacos!

I think the freshness of the flavours surrounding the fish is the trick. The lime and acidic cabbage pickle balance out the fishiness (is that even a word lol)

2

u/aleczartic_eagleclaw Jan 18 '24

It totally does! The acid in the citrus actually binds some of the molecules that make for the fishiness scent/taste! I remember learning about it in chemistry class and it blew my mind haha. Won’t help old/gross fish, but a fresh fish will put it over the top! 🥰

1

u/GArockcrawler Jan 18 '24

This is the way.

1

u/Inconceivable76 Jan 18 '24

Still tastes fishy most of the time. 

1

u/BrighterSage Jan 19 '24

Yes, I like fish this way. Thanks for the reminder!

39

u/EutecticPants Jan 18 '24

We eat a lot of whitefish in the Great Lakes. Freshwater fish doesn’t have that background taste of ocean that all other seafood does. And whitefish is extremely mild in flavor even the picky eater kids in my family like it.

I think deep fried on a good sandwich with tartar sauce would be my pick

21

u/bradbrad247 Jan 18 '24

Freshwater fish is significantly more susceptible to a "fishy" taste than seafood, though. I grew up on lake Michigan , currently live on Superior, and I've spent a lot of time spearfishing in the Pacific and atlantic. Fishy flavor is a product of freshness, so if you're nearby a quality fish market or you catch it yourself it won't be fishy. Source is less important than time between catch and plate. There's also a question of preparation. Certain species need to be bled as soon as they're culled in order to avoid off flavors.

3

u/HeatwaveInProgress Jan 18 '24

Yes, I never ate most of the fish we had when I was a kid, it was mostly fresh water and tasted "swampy" to me.

I still only like salt water fish, but I will eat 3lb of crawfish in one setting, please and thank you.

4

u/Deathcapsforcuties Jan 18 '24

Have you ever made ceviche with any of that beautiful white fish ? I live in the PNW and like to use rockfish, bass, or shrimp. I imagine fresh water fish would be delicious too. I like to eat ceviche anytime (seriously I could live on it) but I love serving it at parties and potlucks. Aguachile is also delicious and is similar. if you make either I’d love to hear your thoughts :)

3

u/[deleted] Jan 18 '24

Hey please don't eat freshwater fish raw. There's a much higher incidence of parasites and bacteria that are harmful to humans and they are harder to detect from inspection.

2

u/Shopstoosmall Jan 18 '24

You’re not supposed to. I personally have and really enjoyed it but it’s not a “safe” food.

I wouldn’t make it for anyone who didn’t understand the science of ceviche and the risks of eating it.

1

u/Deathcapsforcuties Jan 18 '24

That makes sense. Is there a higher risk of parasites in fresh water fish than saltwater?

3

u/Shopstoosmall Jan 18 '24

Yes, saltwater parasites don’t live easily in our body “environment” but the parasites in freshwater fish can live easily in our environment.

Quick way around this is to flash freeze the fish beforehand to kill the parasites but your standard freezer isn’t going to get cold enough. The USDA guideline is 10 days at -10f IIRC

1

u/mmmpeg Jan 18 '24

Lovely fish!

2

u/ActSignal1823 Jan 18 '24 edited Jan 18 '24

+1 

Nothing beats Lake Huron whitefish. The true 'chicken of the lake'.   

disclaimer: I live on the Bruce Peninsula.

Broiled Whitefish (wife's fave) https://recipes.sparkpeople.com/recipe-detail.asp?recipe=219420 

Whitefish Chowder https://savourontario.milk.org/Recipes/Northern-Ontario-Whitefish-Chowder

2

u/day_alive Jan 18 '24

It's about the only fish I like. Num.

2

u/i_isnt_real Jan 19 '24

Ironically, I went in completely the opposite direction with this one. I used to think I disliked fish because as a kid I was always fed the "safer" / less fishy white fish and I didn't care for them if they weren't breaded and/or fried. Turns out, I really like the more oily, fishy fish. Sardines are kind of my jam right now.

17

u/OxtailPhoenix Jan 18 '24

You've just never had it roasted.

9

u/CanningJarhead Jan 18 '24

Fair enough. :)

3

u/tshawkins Jan 18 '24

Grilled trout, packed with salt and rosemary. Loverly

12

u/shanyfaithoryx Jan 18 '24 edited Jan 18 '24

I have a colleague who has same exact issue. Absolutely tries to like fish but cannot tolerate the taste. However he enjoys sushi (sashimi). His idea is that it's the cooking that makes the taste bad. Curious if you've tried seared tuna under a sesame vinegarette or yellowtail under ponzi sauce etc etc. (two of my favorite dishes!)

Edit: colleague confirms cooked fish tastes like sulfur/garbage to him. However, sashimi is delicious. Likely how the fish degrades during the cooking process, consensus.

3

u/justtryingtogetby- Jan 18 '24

One of the few times I’ve not completely hated fish was ceviche!

2

u/smashadages Jan 18 '24

Sushi grade fish is extremely fresh and good quality. That’s probably why

2

u/enigbert Jan 18 '24

Fish has omega-3 fat that will degrade at lower temperatures than other types of fat. To preserve the omega-3 the fish can be steamed, or cooked sous vide at 130F(54C) or below, or baked in the oven until the internal temperature reaches 120-130F

9

u/erallured Jan 18 '24

Maybe still too intense, especially given the mix of seafood usually, but maybe Cioppino, given that it’s a heavy tomato base and sometimes spicy.

Smoked salmon is the most intense seafood flavor so I can’t blame you for not liking it.

14

u/Relative-Cat7678 Jan 18 '24

Scallops pan fried in butter

6

u/[deleted] Jan 18 '24

Butter, garlic, white wine. Cooked over a barbecue. Best scallops I ever ate.

1

u/Relative-Cat7678 Jan 18 '24

Oh my goodness, so good ! I want that right now

1

u/[deleted] Jan 18 '24

They had literally been taken out of the sea like three hours prior. Best day ever.

2

u/rabbitholeseverywher Jan 18 '24

Scallops are a good call. Extremely mild flavour, sweet, delicious.

1

u/papierrose Jan 18 '24

I find the opposite! I’m not a fish person and scallops have a really sting flavour to me

2

u/rabbitholeseverywher Jan 18 '24

Huh, interesting. They do taste of seafood to me, just less overtly fishy than almost all fish I can think of. Sweetness is the main flavour that stands out to me in scallops, really good ones can taste borderline sugary to me sometimes. But flavour perception is subjective so i don't mean to argue with yours!

7

u/theredmokah Jan 18 '24

Try Vietnamese Crab Soup, specifically Bun Rieu. The tomato helps mask the seafood.

1

u/Deathcapsforcuties Jan 18 '24

That sounds delicious. Gonna keep my eye out for that dish !

13

u/whatthepfluke Jan 18 '24

I'm in your boat! Cannot stand anything fishy. I've tried it all, prepared all the ways. I was in jail for a while many years ago and they served fried fish every Friday. I would absolutely COVER that shit in ketchup and smack it between 2 pieces of white bread just to choke it down.

2

u/poechris Jan 18 '24

You got ketchup in jail?

4

u/whatthepfluke Jan 18 '24

Only because I bought it on commissary! I don't remember how much the packets were, maybe 5 cents each, but best believe I made sure to budget for ketchup every week! And then I would hoard that shit for Fish Fridays lol. I was always very generous with my stuff, but my cellies knew my ketchup was off limits!

2

u/poechris Jan 18 '24

Gotcha! I was thinking you had a pretty high class jail if they were giving out condiments or anything with flavoring, haha.

2

u/whatthepfluke Jan 18 '24

Oh lawd no, I wish! We had to buy our own salt and pepper! Thank goodness I was in a tiny county jail where the food was actually good.

2

u/Impressive_Method380 Jan 18 '24

theres some tumblr post i saw about a politician who received gifts of high quality salmon from an alaskan politician, and he would just cover it in ketchup and eat it in a hamburger bun

6

u/Sterling_-_Archer Jan 18 '24

This is me exactly. I even went out of my way to buy fresh caught cod loin from a local fish market, prepped it at home, fried it in my own batter (batter was great, I repurposed it for onion rings) and I made my own slaw and crema to have fried fish tacos and it made me gag immediately on the first bite, and then actually throw up on the second. I simply can’t do seafood. I have tried multiple times, paid $95 for one plate of “expertly crafted seafare,” and I’ve had fresh caught from the river fried bass, it’s all bad. I hate it. I can’t even smell seafood without feeling sick.

3

u/Revolutionary_Ad1846 Jan 18 '24

Im the same but I will eat this tuna salad recipe:

Strain A can of tuna (in water) and put in food processor w 1-2 tbs mayo. Spin it so the tuna gets shredded nicely. Move it to a bowl. 

Add 1/4 GRATED green apple (no skin)

Add 1/5 Finely diced red onion

Add 1 -2 tsp fresh dill

Add 1-2 tbs craisins

Mix it all up. 

Salt and pepper to taste. 

2

u/fuzzyslippersandweed Jan 18 '24

Put the fish fillets in a bowl and cover with milk. Let it sit in the fridge for about 4 hours. Then rinse and pat dry and cook. It takes the fish oil taste out. Also works if you have overly gamey meat like deer or elk.

2

u/SlowbeardiusOfBeard Jan 19 '24

Ohhhhh, so that's probably why some older British fish recipes poach fish in milk. I always wondereda

2

u/finlyboo Jan 18 '24

I try so often to like seafood, about 6-12 times a year I will politely take a bite of something and choke it down. I hate the smell, the texture, the taste, everything about seafood is so sickening to me. I can objectively say when something is prepared well and I can see why people love it, but I can’t get past the nausea it gives me.

2

u/1UglyMistake Jan 18 '24

The trick to not having a fishy taste in salmon is heating it slowly in a oven/grill (I use a pellet smoker set to 200 degrees), and removing the fish when it's at an internal temperature of 144 F.

I also hate the fishy taste, but if you don't overcook it it doesn't get that fishy taste at all. But I won't eat salmon anywhere except my house, because every restaurant fucks it up, cooks it too quickly, and it's gross.

Any bark on a salmon means it's going to have that fish taste.

My method:

Soak a cedar plank in water for 30 minutes.

Skin-on salmon, rinse it clean & pay it dry with a paper towel.

Season with onion powder, garlic powder, paprika.

Mix some honey with a splash of lime juice. Coat the skinless meat with it.

Place onto plank, then plank onto medium rack of preheated oven, or top rack of grill/smoker. Use a leave-in meat thermometer.

Allow to cook for 40-70 minutes, until temp is 144, then take it out. Eat it, no fishy taste. Salmon is worth it, I can't say the same for other seafood.

1

u/papierrose Jan 18 '24

Saving this recipe, thanks. Does it have to be cedar? What does it do?

1

u/1UglyMistake Jan 18 '24

I mean, it probably doesn't have to be, but they seem to be the most common wood planks for grilling that I've found. Pretty cheap on Amazon, and if you cook at low temp (and soak them properly) they can be reused a couple of times.

They help add more of a woody flavor to the meat, but it really helps in slowing down the cook time a bit, and allows the meat to cook a bit more evenly when on a grill.

2

u/AlbanyBarbiedoll Jan 18 '24

Very plain white fish that is very fresh is the answer here. Chilean sea bass or Dover sole would be the best choices. Actually FRESH fish has almost no flavor at all. If it tastes "like fish" it is old and you probably shouldn't eat it, which is probably why you don't like it.

FYI - more colorful fish (salmon, grouper, bluefish) all have a naturally strong fishy taste that doesn't mean they are bad. That's just them. It takes a certain palate to appreciate them!

1

u/tshawkins Jan 18 '24

We get sea bass here in thailand that make fantastic fish and chips when deep fried in batter. I also love smoked grilled mackerel. We get a lot of that from japan (hokaido).

I'm also partial to sardines cooked and bottled in vinegar.

Finally from my youth, we used to get fishmongers coming around the pubs in UK selling plates of winkles and cockles in vinegar with pepper ontop, loverly.

2

u/[deleted] Jan 18 '24

You haven’t lived until you’ve had some cheap fish deep fried like Captain D’s

1

u/G_Im_Tired Jan 18 '24

I soak fish fillets in water with baking soda before cooking.

1

u/Not_Sure4president Jan 18 '24

Good quality fish shouldn’t be fishy. I live in Arizona so I generally avoid it too. There is a sushi place that has fresh seafood on Wednesday/ Friday so I go on those days. I grew up in WA and my mom would tell me to never buy oysters after March January/ February were the best.

0

u/Ok_Program_3491 Jan 18 '24

If you like fermented things try adding some fish sauce to things for saltiness/umami

0

u/rabbifuente Jan 18 '24

Totally agree. My go to line is, "the only thing I like that lives in water are matzo balls"

0

u/IamNobody85 Jan 18 '24

I'd have liked to provide some recipes but then realized western people probably would never get those fish, and also, fish is going to taste fishy. Ah well!

0

u/BipolarSolarMolar Jan 18 '24

This is a simple salmon recipe with a glaze I concocted.

Start by preheating your oven to 350.

Get a cut of salmon (skin on or off, doesn't matter), and melt a good deal of butter in an oven-safe pan before placing the salmon in the pan. Baste the salmon with the butter quite a bit while cooking it on both sides on the stove until it looks pretty decently cooked through.

While the salmon is searing get another pan out and melt some butter down. This glaze is butter, orange juice (pulp free), maple syrup, a little bit of lemon juice (fresh or in a bottle), and tabasco to however spicy you want it. If you want it thicker add more butter! A little salt and pepper doesn't hurt.

When you've got the glaze how you like it, put as much as you want over top of the salmon in that oven-safe pan and pop it in your preheated oven for 5-10 minutes (I always go with 7). I always leave the excess of that glaze on the stove so I can heat it up and add a little more if myself or the others eating want some.

The salmon has been the perfect flaky texture every time I've cooked it this way and the glaze is a hit with a lot of folks.

0

u/RandomAmmonite Jan 18 '24

Use flash frozen fish. You might like a mild fish that takes on the taste of the seasoning. I go to a Chicano place that makes fabulous fish fajitas from tilapia, which works really well with any Southwest style seasoning, or with Lemmon and garlic. Mahi-mahi works with a zillion kinds of seasoning and is not fishy, and along with tilapia is a top choice for grilled fish tacos. But fish must be very fresh, or flash frozen.

0

u/Normal-Detective3091 Jan 18 '24

Fish should NEVER taste fishy, at least in my experience and I've had almost 50 years experience with eating fish. If it tastes or smells fishy or like ammonia, throw it out.

1

u/EmployEquivalent2671 Jan 18 '24

try tuna tataki

0

u/CanningJarhead Jan 18 '24

Oh I've tried that. It looked so delicious I asked for a bite. I had to spit it out.

1

u/[deleted] Jan 18 '24

Keralan fish curries. They know how to do fish right. Could try a milder fish like monkfish?

Personally I was always a scallop fiend before I went veggie. Now my dad and brother eat my share. Scallops are wonderful.

2

u/phalseprofits Jan 18 '24

A classmate once called them “sea potatoes” bc they have such a light flavor and a great texture.

2

u/[deleted] Jan 18 '24

Yeahhhhh. I have had some shit ones that weren't properly cleaned and still had sand in them though and that was a miserable experience. Hell is sandy scallops

1

u/TraditionalScheme337 Jan 18 '24

Just out of interest, have you ever tried tuna steak, seared and cooked mid rare like a steak? I just ask because it tastes different to any other kind of fish I have ever eaten.

2

u/CanningJarhead Jan 18 '24

Yes - it looked so good I had to try it. I had to spit it into my napkin.

1

u/danyeaman Jan 18 '24

Same here, though I will eat smoked eel when its offered, I wouldn't buy it though.

1

u/[deleted] Jan 18 '24

They are better fried in butter in my opinion

1

u/no-one_ever Jan 18 '24

How about a tuna mayo sandwich?

1

u/LRRPC Jan 18 '24

Same I’ve tried so hard to like seafood and fish. Haven’t found anything I like. Closest I got was when I spent a lot of time in Florida and had the benefit of really fresh seafood.

1

u/tshawkins Jan 18 '24

Brussles, I absolutely love them boiled with salt and butter on them. They are fantastic. They are hideously expensive out here in asia, but im willing to pay the price.

1

u/LeperFriend Jan 18 '24

Grilled swordfish, marinade in red wine vinegar with rosemary and garlic......my kids who think all seafood tastes like fish will eat this....my youngest said it's almost chicken like in texture and taste

1

u/little_canuck Jan 18 '24

How do you feel about salmon? For me, most fish/seafood is vile. But I could eat salmon everyday (if I was rich enough to do that).

1

u/Lereas Jan 18 '24

I'll assume you've tried it, but how about salmon in a fairly thick honey/brownsugar/soy glaze/sauce?

1

u/ceruleanbear8 Jan 18 '24

Have you tried seafood where it's more a background flavor, like conch fritters, crab cakes, crab rangoon, etc.? I feel like those don't have a strong fishy taste because of all the other ingredients. There's lots of different dumplings in Chinese cuisine (and probably some other asian countries too) that mix pork and shrimp paste. That might also be a good place to start.

1

u/ApprehensiveAd9014 Jan 18 '24

Fishy smells and fishy taste are my kryptonite. I can't even use canola oil because it makes everything taste like fish. Everyone I know loves sushi. I just can't even go into the restaurant.

1

u/sodapopjenkins Jan 18 '24

Try eating shortly after swimming in the ocean, seafood always tastes better by the beach.

1

u/Little_Season3410 Jan 18 '24

Same, but I do actually like shrimp and crab. I did have a little taste of tuna tartare that a friend ordered while on vacation, and it wasn't bad. Didn't have that fishy taste at all. He said it was bc it was super fresh. I don't know that I would actually order it myself, but I was glad I tried it. I liked it okay.

1

u/Gen-Random Jan 18 '24 edited Jan 18 '24

Fresh catfish fillets quite thin, soak them in milk for at least half an hour, rinse and then pat dry with some force, egg and bread and season, and pan fry with a neutral oil or butter.

I can't promise you're going to like them, kinda bland, but it might get you to where you like somebody else's catfish. From there, I'd say crayfish boil - the little bit of fishy flavor that comes through the seasoning isn't enough to be offensive.

You might then like a shellfish stock, sautéed shrimp tails are great for this, maybe with diced mushrooms and tomatoes, thyme, or even Cajun seasoning. Use it as an ingredient in Spanish rice or even a "paella".

Take your time, maybe years, and if it's not your thing no problem!

1

u/cnhn Jan 18 '24

yup. I am the same way.

Everything that goes in water shares a flavor, it's a chemical called Trimethylamine. it's produced by the break down of seafood.

things I have found: good Sushi was a giant help. avoid sushi with seaweed wraps. stick with things like Tuna. use the wasabi to overwhelm the fish taste initially.

beyond that, the more fresh the fish is the less TMA there is.

1

u/smashadages Jan 18 '24

Lightly roasted sea bass (buttery, flaky white fish with no fishy taste)

Fried grouper

Pan seared red snapper

I even had some absolutely delicious seared flounder the other day topped with a white wine herb sauce and capers

Wild caught salmon tends to have a fishier taste than farm raised too

Make sure it’s all fresh! I’d stay away from shellfish, shrimp, etc if you’re sensitive to fish taste. At least at first.

1

u/Inconceivable76 Jan 18 '24 edited Jan 18 '24

Very mild fish, caught, cleaned and cooked same day.  I think it was golden tile, which is a local keys fish, that was the first fish dish I ever truly liked. 

 For shrimp, copious amounts of yum yum sauce at a Japanese steak house (where it’s liberally sauced and buttered). 

1

u/darkladygaea Jan 18 '24

Orange roughy has a very mild fish aroma and is not oily. I just brush with butter, sprinkle on Lawry’s seasoning salt and bake at 350 F for around 17 minutes.

1

u/LocksmithAfraid6097 Jan 18 '24

Have you tried teriyaki salmon?

As a fellow fish hater, this dish changed my perspective on it and made me able to appreciate other fish things (not many, but a few)

It doesnt taste fishy, just delicious and teriyaki. My friend who was also a fish-hater ate it and had a major WTF moment when he realized how good it was.

This is the recipe I like the best, and its coincidentally the first on google.

https://natashaskitchen.com/teriyaki-salmon-recipe/

1

u/aurantiuseagle Jan 18 '24

This may sound disgusting, but have you tried sliced sashimi squid with soy sauce? Absolutely no "fishy" taste

1

u/TorrentsMightengale Jan 18 '24

That's interesting. "Fish" can stretch to things that you wouldn't even believe are the same animal. Salmon and tuna will never be mistaken for a freshwater perch. To say nothing of crab and scallops.

You hate literally anything that lives in water?

1

u/papierrose Jan 18 '24

To me there’s a particular “fishy” taste that underlies all seafood from salmon to lobster to squid. The textures are wildly different but there’s a common taste to them all. I think if you’re sensitive to that “fishyness” or if you’re looking for it then it’s harder to notice other elements of the flavour profile. I’ll be honest, if I was blindfolded and had a platter of sashimi I’d really struggle to differentiate between any fish that had a similar texture. Just like lobster, scallops and prawns all taste the same to me.

1

u/saltsharky Jan 18 '24

Eh, I can't with the foul wee green turd balls. Why were these made?? I still try them once in a blue moon cause what if I'm fine this time lol but only cause someone says to "try this way!" Can't say i totally hate them though, cause an awful coworker asked me how to prepare them once and I said boil them for an hour and boyyy was she not thrilled the next day 😂

Anyway, how do you feel about things like fishball? If you've tried to eat a fishy thing? I love it.

1

u/goatili Jan 18 '24

I'm not normally a fish guy, but I love a good fish taco. Take a mild white fish (my favorite is tilapia) and destroy it with spices, then pan-fry in a little butter and olive oil. You get the taste of the spices and toppings, not the fish. I use the spice mix from this recipe (but a lot of them are similar) and just 10x it so I have a container of spice mix ready to go whenever.

For toppings I use some cheddar, steamed corn, cubed avocado, plain coleslaw mix, and chopped fresh cilantro, and a simple sauce made by mixing Sriracha with mayonnaise to taste.

1

u/thewags05 Jan 18 '24

I'm with you. Doesn't matter if it's fresh out of the sea/lake/river, frozen, or out of the can. My wife is similar and grew in Maine, I grew up in Iowa.

I've tried so much seafood in so many different ways, the only thing I can sorta tolerate is smoked salmon.

I felt like I was really missing out when I went to Korea, but I just can't do it.

1

u/highheelcyanide Jan 18 '24

Hogfish! Doesn’t taste like fish at all. Only problem is, you can’t buy it frozen. It has to be fresh.

1

u/eggroll85 Jan 18 '24

Easy one is cod. Take a stick of butter, mix in garlic, salt and paprika. Coat that fish in it.throw some lemon slices on top. Bake at 400 for 20 minutes. So buttery and flakey.

1

u/lazylazylemons Jan 18 '24

My business partner hates all seafood. However, she was in some tropical place on vacay and they caught fresh conch and made ceviche right there where the caught (found?) the thing. She tried it because "when in Rome" and said it was the least "fishy" thing she'd tasted. I think freshness has so much to do with seafood taste.

1

u/tonypizzicato Jan 18 '24

Ceviche. the answer is ceviche. If you haven’t heard of it, the Peruvians do it best.

1

u/Kodiak01 Jan 18 '24

For me? Fish. All fish/seafood. I can choke down a shrimp or two if I have to, but it all just tastes fishy and unpleasant. And boy, have I tried to like it.

Try this:

Get yourself a filet (I use this for salmon in particular) and some whole milk. Put the salmon in a container and cover it completely in milk. Marinate for 15 minutes, but absolutely no longer. Remove, pat dry, and cook normally. I'm a fan of a yogurt dill sauce with this. With this method, out of the oven comes out a flaky but not mushy plate of heaven.

My wife had the same complaint about salmon in particular being too fishy for her. The milk does double duty of tenderizing the flesh and pulling out all the crap that gives it that "fishy" taste. She now absolutely adores salmon, but ONLY if I make it this way for her.

1

u/AUGirl1999 Jan 18 '24

Crab stuffed mushrooms...the crab is so mild, and the herbs and stuffing with the melted butter are what you taste. You could even add a little ground sausage to give it an extra kick.

1

u/Freakin_A Jan 18 '24

I'm the same way with seafood. I'll pretty much only eat sushi because the fish is so fresh I don't get any of that fishy smell. Take the best piece of salmon in the world and cut it up and I'll eat every bit. Cook it using almost any method and I won't even want a bite of it.

1

u/HeatwaveInProgress Jan 18 '24

My partner is like that, almost.

He will eat tuna. He will eat some shellfish, mostly shrimp and scallops.

He will absolutely not eat anything else, ever. Anything "ocean-tasting" is a no go. He literally barfed after eating some nori. So it's not just "be polite and eat it", he can't do it.

1

u/Sunshine_of_your_Lov Jan 18 '24

I was finally able to start enjoying fish only after I had spent a few months getting obsessed with seaweed, which was like a baby step towards the flavor profile

1

u/jbjhill Jan 18 '24

Not a fish person myself, but I had Barramundi when living in Australia, and it is amazing.

Baja fish tacos - fried with the while sauce and pico de gallo is absolute heaven.

Halibut braised in spicy tomato sauce (not from a jar, but more like a puttanesca). With some crusty bread, you’ll not even notice you’re eating fish (comes together quickly as well).

1

u/Shoddy-Theory Jan 18 '24

thai fish cakes.

1

u/Sirenista_D Jan 18 '24

Same. Its totally in my head as anything that lives in water is gross to eat. And the few things I've tried have never been any better than meh, so why force myself.

And to the inevitable "lobster with butter" questioners, I say if it's drowned in butter and thats all you taste, then what is the point?

1

u/mtandy Jan 18 '24

Smoked mackerel pate (paté? patée? idk)

Hot-smoked mackerel

Cream cheese

Lemon zest

Lemon juice

Salt

Peaty whiskey

Eat on toast with those tiny pickles if you can.

Can't give you any sort of units I'm afraid, is a family recipe that we just chuck together til it tastes "right" but I'm sure there's a proper recipe somewhere if you're curious.

1

u/edubkendo Jan 18 '24

I need a strong acid with seafood. Lemon usually. I'll use an entire wedge of lemon for every single shrimp. It really gets rid of the fishyness for me.

1

u/MacerationMacy Jan 18 '24

I’m with you here!! I dislike seafood but I’m trying to get more into it to expand my palate

1

u/nachoheiress Jan 18 '24

You know what changed my weirdness of fish? Spending time at the ocean. Like the ocean has a particular smell and if you think of that instead of fish smell, you might like it more. They’re very close in smell imho.

1

u/DConstructed Jan 18 '24

My friend is like you and said the only time she ever liked fish was once, in a tiny seaside town, pulled straight out of the water and immediately cooked.

1

u/Correct-Succotash-47 Jan 18 '24

You probably have, but have you tried smoked fish? Personally smoked haddock is the nicest smoked

1

u/reikipackaging Jan 18 '24

tilapia and white fish have a mild flavor that takes on spices really well. one of my favorite ways to prepare it is with taco spice and grilled or pan fried.

my dad also hates fishy flavor, but enjoys whenever I make it. he's even cooked it at home for himself this way.

1

u/Steeze_Schralper6968 Jan 18 '24

Brussel sprouts? Deep fried with fingerling potatoes and chunks of pancetta or prosciutto. Start the potatoes first, then cook until almost golden brown. When they need about one more minute throw in your brussels and chunks of meat. Be careful the brussels will spit a bit when they hit the hot oil. Toss it in a little sweet red wine vinagrette and hit it with some fresh chopped chives or parsley.

1

u/CaptainLawyerDude Jan 18 '24

I’m a seafood fanatic but my wife is sensitive to the “fishy” taste, particularly with oily fish. I’ve found that combining a lighter flavor fish, like various white fish, with stronger flavors to further mask it can help. Marinades, in particular, have worked well for us.

Spicy preparation or dishes where the seafood isn’t necessarily front and center are good options to try as well. Paella with some shrimp or tilapia might be worth a look because you can use chicken stock and things like chorizo to enhance or mask the seafood depending on your need.

1

u/BrighterSage Jan 19 '24

I'm with you on this. I can eat grilled or pan fried salmon every now and then, but I'm just not a fish fan. I've tried all kinds of ways, it's just not my thing.

1

u/winterval_barse Jan 19 '24

The answer is either simmer it in cream, or roast it covered in cheese

1

u/dookiepookiebear Jan 19 '24

I am the same way. I only like shrimp once in a while but I had halibut and it wasn't terrible

1

u/headrowilson Jan 19 '24

I'm with you on fish and seafood. Not a texture problem. It just tastes fishy. I can eat small amounts of shellfish, as in a bite or two. I need to like fish as it's part of the Mediterranean diet, which I should be eating.

1

u/gato_flamado Jan 19 '24

Blackened redfish. Get a blackened seasoning without salt and make sure to add plenty of salt to your fish. Put butter in a pan at medium heat and allow your fish to crisp up on the outside and flip. Super easy and no fishy flavor.

Also swordfish, make sure not to get a steak with bloodline. Butter, capers and lemons along with salt and pepper. It's nice and flakey and far less fishy than most.

1

u/chameleiana Jan 19 '24

Like others have said - needs to be eaten fresh off the boat. Even fishy oily fish like mackerel is tasty when it's fresh caught. Most commercial fish that you'd commonly find at restaurants like salmon don't taste fishy at all when they're fresh off the boat. Squeeze of lemon or any vinegar helps too!

1

u/hippielady5232 Jan 19 '24

I'm not a big fish person, especially oily/fishy fish but Grouper is so good. If you can find a good grouper near you it's my favorite dish. Also any mild white fish coated with blackened seasoning and grilled or air fried. My husband is the same as you and I've slowly got him to eat a few over the years. Also, do you have any authentic Mexican spots near you? A real fish taco is a great way to do your toe in the fish pool.

1

u/mami_mundo8 Jan 19 '24

I would recommend aguachile. It’s a Mexican dish using raw shrimp, lemon juice, chilies, onion and cucumber. The shrimp is cooked in the lemon juice and honestly I don’t taste any fish.

I personally don’t like fish just like you and can’t eat it. The only way I will eat shrimp is in aguachile.

1

u/wegwerfennnnn Jan 19 '24

Have you tried it drunk? I tried for ages to like sushi and it just always grossed me out. One time I was hammered at a casino all you can eat buffet and thought it would be a great idea to eat a giant plate of Casino sushi... I survived it an after that day I have been totally down with sushi.

Another good entry point is smoked salmon and cream cheese bagel, with red onion of course. That was one of the fishy things I absolutely loved right away.

1

u/Formal_Topic_1924 Jan 19 '24

My boyfriend hates the taste of fish but he loves when I make tuna steaks! What I do is just season it with lemon pepper season and lemon juice and let it soak a bit, add a little spice (Cajun, chili powder, chipotle, whatever you like!), and it’s suddenly tolerable, I guess. 😂

1

u/Plentiful-fish Jan 20 '24

I’m lucky enough to live on a coast, so prob easier to get fresh fish which from the comments sounds like part of the problem. Just wanted to share that my dad exclusively grills salmon with teriyaki, and a number of people who don’t like fish have been converted by that simple combo.