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  3. 12 Fish You Should Try in 2015

12 Fish You Should Try in 2015

July 01, 2015
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Credit: Photo: Brian Woodcock
Based on the latest information from the country's top advocacy groups and seafood experts, we tout these finfish as smart and delicious alternatives to less sustainable choices on the market. By: Tim Cebula
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1. Atlantic Pollock

Credit: Illustration: Narda Lebo

(aka saithe, Boston bluefish)

Wild-caught, U.S. Atlantic

Cook Like: flounder, Pacific cod, halibut, haddock

Medium-firm, white, flaky meat with slightly higher fat content and more flavor than cod. Roast, broil, or sauté. Bake fillets with herbed-breadcrumb topping or grill after soaking in a tangy citrus marinade. 

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2. Rainbow Trout

Credit: Illustration: Narda Lebo

(aka redband trout)

Farmed, U.S. 

Cook Like: red snapper, arctic char

Mild, lightly sweet flavor, delicate white or pink flesh. Cook skin-on to keep the meat in one piece. Highly versatile: Broil, roast, grill, smoke. Sautéed trout with lemon, brown butter, and capers is classic.

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Rainbow Trout with Seared Sugar Snaps

Credit: Photo: Brian Woodcock

Zesty, flaky, and crunchy—our favorite rainbow trout entrée is best served with Glazed Baby Carrots and Quick Chive Mashed Potatoes.

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3. Rockfish

Credit: Illustration: Narda Lebo

(aka Pacific snapper, rock cod)

Wild-caught, U.S. Pacific 

Cook Like: red snapper, sea bass

Medium-firm, flaky white fish. Flakes easily as it cooks, so it's not the best for grilling, but its delicate, lightly nutty flavor comes through clearly when steamed. Sauté or roast; then serve flaked in tacos, or quick-cure in citrusy ceviches (learn how to make ceviche from sister site, MyRecipes.com).

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4. Catfish

Credit: Illustration: Narda Lebo

(aka channel catfish)

Farmed, U.S.

Cook Like: halibut, tilapia, monkfish

Sweet and mild white meat with firm, meaty texture that holds up well to bold seasonings and high-heat preparations like roasting, broiling, grilling, and pan-frying. Great in tacos and po' boys with a spicy rémoulade dressing.

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Bayou Catfish Fillets

Credit: Photo Courtesy of Oxmoor House
View Recipe: Bayou Catfish Fillets

The spicy cornmeal breading stays crispy when the fish is baked on a ventilated broiler pan. You can also use yellow cornmeal. Try this breading on other white fish fillets.

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5. Monchong

Credit: Illustration: Narda Lebo

(aka pomfret)

Wild-caught, U.S. Pacific

Cook Like: cod, red snapper

Mild-flavored, pinkish flesh that turns flaky and white when cooked, with enough healthy fat to keep it moist. Roast, broil, grill, or sauté. Pair it with Pacific Rim flavorings: pineapple or mango salsa, red or green curry sauce, ginger-soy glaze (try this Hawaiian dish from sister site, CoastalLiving.com).

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6. Wahoo

Credit: Illustration: Narda Lebo

(aka ono)

Wild-caught, Atlantic and Pacific

Cook Like: swordfish, marlin, mahimahi

Lean, white, firm flesh with large circular flakes. The flavor and texture are similar to mild tuna like albacore. Grill, roast, pan-sear, broil, or poach. Delicious served raw in Hawaiian poke cold salad.

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7. Red Drum

Credit: Illustration: Narda Lebo

(aka spotted bass, redfish)

Farmed, U.S.

Cook Like: red snapper, grouper, striped bass

Mild, faintly sweet, firm flesh and large flakes. Wild-caught U.S. Gulf black drum is a good alternative. Try blackened in a cast-iron pan with Cajun spices.

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8. Herring

Credit: Illustration: Narda Lebo

(aka brit, pilchard (UK))

Wild-caught, Atlantic and Pacific

Cook Like: mackerel, sardine

Medium-firm, rich, bold-flavored flesh. A fish lover's fish. Its full flavor can handle strong seasonings, but it's sublime when kept simple: Grill or smoke the whole fish, seasoned with lemon and fresh herbs.

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Herring and Apple Salad

Credit: Photo: Randy Mayor

This is a version of the German heringsalat (herring salad), which is traditionally prepared with herring, apples, and raw onions. Serve with a well-chilled lager and Brown Beer Rye Bread. Garnish with dill sprigs.

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9. Albacore Tuna

Credit: Illustration: Narda Lebo

Wild-caught, U.S. Atlantic and Pacific 

Cook Like: marlin, mahimahi, swordfish

"Most people only know albacore in its canned form," says seafood sustainability guru Barton Seaver. "It's very lean, with a bright, almost acidic flavor that pairs very well with fruity olive oil." He likes to poach albacore fillets in flavorful liquid to keep them succulent.

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Poached Albacore with Fennel, Apple, and Radish Salad

Credit: Photo: Brian Woodcock

You can also pan-sear the tuna: Heat a cast-iron skillet over high heat. Coat pan with cooking spray or 1 tablespoon canola oil. Add tuna steaks to pan, and cook 2 minutes on each side.

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10. Pink Salmon

Credit: Illustration: Narda Lebo

Wild-caught, Puget Sound, WA

Cook Like: trout, arctic char, flounder

This boasts the leanest, lightest flavor of all wild salmon varieties. "It's more akin to trout," Seaver says, "with a small, medium-sweet flake that sets a great stage for many flavorings." Because it's lower in fat, it's best cooked low and slow–we grill-roast over indirect heat.

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Pink Salmon with Smoky Herb Rub

Credit: Photo: Brian Woodcock

Grilling the salmon with the skin on keeps it moist and ensures it stays in one piece as it cooks.

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11. Dogfish

Credit: Illustration: Narda Lebo

(aka spiny dogfish)

Wild-caught, U.S. Atlantic and Pacific

Cook Like: cod, grouper, monkfish

"This has mild flavor and a snappy bite and pleasant chew," says Seaver, who likes to braise dogfish or batter it up for fish and chips. It also holds up wonderfully on the grill, taking on tantalizing charred flavor.

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Grilled Dogfish on Late-Summer Caponata

Credit: Photo: Brian Woodcock

For an alternate preparation, Seaver recommends placing the caponata and fillets in a baking dish and baking low and slow at 275° for 20 minutes or until desired degree of doneness.

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12. Acadian Redfish

Credit: Illustration: Narda Lebo

(aka ocean perch, rosefish)

Wild-caught U.S. Gulf of Maine

Cook Like: red snapper, black sea bass, perch

It yields thin fillets with firm skin. Score the skin before cooking over medium heat, and cook all the way through on one side without flipping.

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Sautéed Acadian Redfish with Pistachio and Orange Pesto

Credit: Photo: Brian Woodcock

To grill instead, prepare an indirect, medium-heat fire. Stack the fillets in pairs, flesh side to flesh side, making 4 stacks. Place stacks on grill rack coated with cooking spray, and grill 12 minutes or until desired degree of doneness—no need to flip.

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    Everything in This Slideshow

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    1 of 19 1. Atlantic Pollock
    2 of 19 2. Rainbow Trout
    3 of 19 Rainbow Trout with Seared Sugar Snaps
    4 of 19 3. Rockfish
    5 of 19 4. Catfish
    6 of 19 Bayou Catfish Fillets
    7 of 19 5. Monchong
    8 of 19 6. Wahoo
    9 of 19 7. Red Drum
    10 of 19 8. Herring
    11 of 19 Herring and Apple Salad
    12 of 19 9. Albacore Tuna
    13 of 19 Poached Albacore with Fennel, Apple, and Radish Salad
    14 of 19 10. Pink Salmon
    15 of 19 Pink Salmon with Smoky Herb Rub
    16 of 19 11. Dogfish
    17 of 19 Grilled Dogfish on Late-Summer Caponata
    18 of 19 12. Acadian Redfish
    19 of 19 Sautéed Acadian Redfish with Pistachio and Orange Pesto

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