12 Fish You Should Try in 2015

1508 Sautéed Acadian Redfish with Pistachio and Orange Pesto

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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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1. Atlantic Pollock

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2. Rainbow Trout

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Rainbow Trout with Seared Sugar Snaps

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3. Rockfish

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4. Catfish

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Bayou Catfish Fillets

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5. Monchong

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6. Wahoo

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7. Red Drum

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8. Herring

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Herring and Apple Salad

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9. Albacore Tuna

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Poached Albacore with Fennel, Apple, and Radish Salad

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10. Pink Salmon

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Pink Salmon with Smoky Herb Rub

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11. Dogfish

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Grilled Dogfish on Late-Summer Caponata

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12. Acadian Redfish

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Sautéed Acadian Redfish with Pistachio and Orange Pesto

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