Fish is a difficult protein to cook for many people. There are many types of fish, but there is no single way to cook them. Instead, there are numerous methods and techniques, including the weird dishwasher trick that involves cooking your fish while you wash your dirty dishes in the dishwasher.
Ahi tuna steaks should be fried or grilled, but not enough to cook the inside. HuffPost notes that flaky fish such as sea bass should never be grilled because of its delicate texture that breaks down easily. There are some tried-and-true tips for properly cooking fish, including cooking fish properly and removing excess moisture before cooking.
Tips are certainly helpful in preparing and cooking the fish, but some pitfalls may arise. Food & Wine warns not to touch the fish too much and to flavor the fish at the beginning of its cooking. However, one of the scariest mistakes to make when cooking fish has less to do with the cooking method and more with the sauce.
According to Food & Wine, one of the most common mistakes when cooking fish is adding cream to the dish. Chef Roberto Bellitti even went so far as to say, “The fish cream sauce is wrong.”
Fish is delicate by nature and its mild taste is best complemented by using lighter sauces. Chef Bellitti suggests pairing the fish with citrus-flavored toppings like lemon, lime, and orange. Most fish have a natural sweetness that pairs well with light sauces that don’t overpower the flavor. The slightly salty and even sour sauce helps to strengthen the natural flavor of the fish without overdoing it. If you’re going to spend time and money cooking fish, you should be able to taste the natural flavor of the fish.
Along with lighter sauces, fish and fresh herbs are a match made in heaven. One tip when cooking with fish is to use fresh herbs. Seasoned Pioneers suggests pairing the fish with dill, tarragon, and parsley. A traditional Argentine sauce that pairs wonderfully with fish is chimichurri (via Insanely Good Recipes). Chimichurri is an herbal sauce made with coriander, parsley, garlic, olive oil, lime and spices. Tasty enough to glorify the fish, yet light enough to let the fish be the star. So skip the cream sauce and try one of these alternatives instead.