A meal of white fish is a nice switch from traditional salmon, bass, or trout and the fillets are delicious when cooked with this recipe. It is a meat that can easily be served for either casual or formal dining.
Most fish are protein rich food but are they are also lower in calories so a diet friendly food you really can't go wrong in serving as a replacement for red meat. Fish is also highly nutritious so a healthy choice to cook up as your main meal fare. If you are purchasing fillets they can be easily fried, poached, or grilled so even beginner cooks can manage this cooking experience with ease.
For this recipe the fillets are steamed over lemon slices leaving the white fish strips so tender that they fall apart with the touch of a fork. The preparation takes very little work, the recipe is easy to follow, and clean up afterwards is simple.
There are many types of whitefish, some of the more popular are basa, catfish, tilapia, cod, haddock, pollock, grouper, soul, halibut and Pacific swordfish. The meat has a light texture and flavour so is a nice alternative to other darker meat fish species.
Most fish can be baked, fried, poached, or steamed to cook. I enjoy the flavour of fish fried in butter but with my husband having issues with high cholesterol we generally steam or bake the fish instead. It locks in the flavour and makes for a heart healthy meal. To poach white fish fillets you need very few ingredients. All you need are the fillets, one or two lemons, water, and a frying pan.
1. Slice the lemons into thick slices and lie these at the bottom of a poacher or steamer pan. Gently pour in water to slightly cover your lemon slices.
2. Lie your fillets over the top of the lemon slices. The fish fillets will absorb the lemon savour as they slowly steam cook. Optional: For added flavour you can also lie onion slices on top of your fish.
3. Cover and let cook for around 15 to 20 minutes or until fish is white. Don't flip it. The steam will cook it.
4. Gently lift the fillet out with a lifter and serve. Poach or steam cooking fish fillets truly is that easy. Even a novice cook can manage this recipe.
Suggested Side Dishes
As this meat is white it is nice to serve a colourful side item beside it. There are quite a few selections to choose from: Green salad, string beans, broccoli, Brussels sprouts, baby carrots, garlic bread, baked or fried potato sprinkled with spices can look quite attractive served along side this meal.
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