Fish is finding its way onto more tables than ever before. Everywhere you look, people are singing the praises of seafood. It cooks quickly and is very versatile, not to mention delicious and nutritious. Nowadays, nearly everybody recognizes that fish are a good source of protein and rich in healthy oils.

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Despite this growing popularity and glowing press reviews, most fish is still eaten out. Many cooks are simply reluctant to try cooking fish at home, and they are unsure about how to buy the right type and handle it properly. This article will give you the facts, and the confidence, you need to start making fish a more regular part of your
home cooking repertoire.

There are so many ways to prepare fish and so many different varieties that you could probably eat a different fish dish every day of the year and not even make a dent. Traditional preparations
are always popular, but with growing interest in global cuisines, more ethnic fish recipes are entering the mainstream. Surprisingly, few of them are complicated or difficult.

It's important not to overcook fish, as this makes the meat tough and destroys flavor. Fish is done cooking when the flesh turns opaque and begins to flake easily when tested with a fork. Cooking times vary with each fish and cut. The following are typical cooking times:

  • 10 minutes per inch of fish
  • 5 minutes per inch of fish cooked in a sauce
  • 20 minutes per inch of fish if frozen

If you simply master a few basic preparation steps and easy cooking techniques, you can cook just about any fish recipe on the planet. Before you delve into each technique, however, take a look at the chart on the next page that provides some helpful information on all types of fish.

Want more information? Try these:
  • Cooking: Learn the ins and outs of some basic cooking techniques in this helpful article.
  • Cooking Seafood: Get your feet wet by exploring the best ways to prepare seafood.
  • Fish Recipes: Reel in dozens of amazing fish recipes from this article.
  • Shellfish: From shrimp and lobster to clams, mussels, and more, you'll find valuable information on shellfish at HowStuffWorks.