Including more fish in your diet? Try some of these

Including more fish in your diet? Try some of these economical cod fish recipes, with great taste and loaded with nutrition!

Cooking and health magazines, the government and our doctors are all urging us to eat more fish. Almost every diet program also endorses putting fish on our menus at least twice a week. Perhaps due to heavier demand, fish has been rising in price, making it difficult to replace the burger every week with the healthier fish.

However, some fish have gotten a bad rap in the public mind. Cod is one example. Too many of us remember the cod liver oil remedy of yesteryear, almost universally snubbed and abhorred because of its famously bad taste. Many people will simply turn up their nose at the idea of eating cod, believing it must taste awful. Guilt by association.

As a result, cod is one of the few fish which is still truly economical. While the flavor of cod is not as delicate as snapper or sole, it also has a firmer texture, with nothing objectionable in the taste. Cod fish recipes are, in fact, almost interchangeable with snapper recipes. While snapper and sole might best be described as bland, cod has enough flavor to warrant more robust sauces that balance the taste of this underrated fish perfectly. Here we offer several delicious cod fish recipes, along with a number of ways to prepare a meal that may well become a family favorite.

Preparing cod on the grill is one of my favorite cod fish recipes. The firm texture allows you to grill and turn without even using a fish basket. It also adds a bit of crispiness to the edges which imparts an extra bit of flavor to the fish. The effect might be compared to caramelizing onions, rather than just sauting them until soft. Basting the fish with any of a number of marinades or basting sauces adds complexity to the finished dish. While snapper or sole might just fall apart, cod remains firm.

Here's a very simple cod fish recipe which can be prepared on the grill in minutes. Brush the fish with olive oil and grill. Serve with a lemon wedge and tartar sauce on the side. Au Gratin potatoes and a dinner salad complete this delicious menu.

With a palpable taste, cod fish is also great topped with a couple of tablespoons of salsa. A rice pilaf and a steamed veggie makes a filling, but low fat and low calorie dish with plenty of flavor.

For yet another quick and tasty cod fish recipe, try this: dredge the fish in a mixture of flour and corn meal, spiced with lemon pepper or cayenne. Bake in a 350 degree oven until the thickest part of the fish flakes when parted with a fork. This zippy dish lends itself to any number of side dishes and goes especially well with roasted potato wedges topped with cheese and a green leafy salad.

If you've previously had a prejudice towards the cod fish, try any of these cod fish recipes just once. You'll see that you're on to something good. Tasty, healthy and economical!