It’s all about taste – yours vs. ours! Ask 100 people and you’ll get 101 different answers on how they like to season their fish. Some are purists and opt for the basics: salt, pepper, lemon, garlic.
Others are more creative and like to layer flavors like allspice, ginger, bay, and smoked paprika. And there are those that swear by “mixtures”.
If you’re up for experimenting, here are a few ideas of ingredients that will let you get the flavor you desire:
- Salty: soy sauce, capers, miso, olives
- Sweet: honey, brown sugar, syrup, orange juice
- Sour: lemon, lime, vinegar
- Strong: onion, garlic, ginger, sesame, horseradish
- Creamy: butter, yogurt, cream cheese, crème fraiche, mayonnaise
If you’re looking to use dried seasonings and rubs, try these:
For a general mix:
1 tsp. garlic powder, 1 tsp. salt, 1 tsp. Italian seasoning and ¼ tsp. cayenne pepper
For a Cajun flavor:
1 ½ tsp onion powder, 1 tsp each smoked paprika, oregano, garlic, thyme, and salt
½ tsp black pepper and cayenne to preference
And remember, just as important as HOW you season is WHEN you season. Our tip is that no matter what method you are using to cook – grill, oven, or pan – season immediately before you apply heat. Seasoning too soon, especially when using salt, can break down the proteins and draw out the moisture which will dry out the fish.
Now let’s talk about sauces specifically for seafood. (we’ll include marinades here, also.)
Food&Wine.com offers a great article, 10 Quick Sauces for Fish. Here you’ll find everything from red wine, mint, and rich ketchup sauce to a tangy Sicilian recipe and traditional lemon butter sauce. This will keep you busy cooking for a while!
You CAN season and/or marinate fish overnight in oil and other flavorings. A good marinade not only adds flavor but helps keep in moisture. Remember to only add the acidic ingredients right before you cook, because these can break down the flesh and cause it to be mushy. This extended time– as well as with dry rubs – will allow the flavors to set into the fish and works particularly well with firm fish (think halibut, Mahi, swordfish, sablefish). Flaky fish (like cod or haddock) should only be marinated for an hour or so.
AND NEVER serve fish with uncooked marinade. If you want to serve extra marinade with the cooked dish, divide your marinade before adding the fish!
Now, if all this information is just too much to sort through, know that we’re here to lend advice and discuss how we do it. We also offer pre-packaged seasonings and a variety of bottled sauces for you to try out. We’re fishmongers – we love to cook, we love to eat, and WE LOVE TO TALK EVERYTHING FISH!
