Dear Chef Kathleen,

My doctor says I need to eat more fish. What do you know about whitefish?

Mike


Dear Mike,

Late last month, I took a vacation in beautiful northwestern Michigan. The days were hot, and Lake Michigan was cold. My niece and I had a wonderful time scouring the beaches for Petoskey stones. Every evening, we visited a different small city or town in search of supper and ice cream. She's 9, and it is summertime, after all!

We had ice cream on light meal nights only! So, fish, salad and veggies for me it was. Thankfully, no matter what type of restaurant we chose, they almost all had several varieties of whitefish on the menu.

Whitefish is a pretty generic term used all over the country to refer to various types of mild-flavored fish with firm, white flesh. Near the oceans, it's usually haddock or cod. In the Great Lakes states, the most widely available whitefish is actually a member of the salmon family that dwells deep in the bottom of our cold-water lakes. They prefer to live in temperatures around 50-55 degrees and are often the catch of choice for ice fishermen in winter months.

Whitefish, a highly versatile fish, can be poached, baked, broiled, grilled, pan fried or stuffed. It's the chameleon of fish in that it's disguised in a variety of dishes. Whitefish is delicious in its natural state; it's the fish in fish and chips and is also used to make a deliciously addictive whitefish dip.

But it's equally prized for its ability to be reconstituted and used in fish food products such as fish sticks, gefilte fish, lutefisk (cod cured in lye - a favorite of Norwegians dating back to the Viking era), surimi (imitation crabmeat) and more. The roe (the female's eggs) is marketed as "golden caviar" and served in some of the finest restaurants around the world.

Lake whitefish is a great source of nutrition. A 5-ounce portion has more than 20 percent of the USDA recommended value for several important vitamins and minerals, including vitamins B6 and B12. It also contains more than 10 percent of the Daily Value for magnesium, potassium, riboflavin, thiamin and zinc. Perhaps more importantly, lake whitefish is rich in healthful omega-3 fatty acids.

Since 2000, the American Heart Association's dietary guidelines have recommended that healthy adults eat at least two servings of fish per week. Omega-3 fatty acids are not just good fats; they positively affect heart health in a number ways. They have been shown to decrease blood clots, decrease triglyceride levels, lower blood pressure, improve overall arterial health and protect against irregular heartbeats that cause sudden cardiac death.

Buying, storing whitefish
Good quality whitefish is not hard to pick out in the markets. The flesh should be moist and translucent looking and give slightly to the touch. It should not smell "fishy" at all. If you're buying a whole fish rather than fillets, the gills should be reddish and the skin moist with shiny scales.

Whitefish is fabulous fresh and equally good for cooking up when previously frozen. If you buy frozen fillets, do not defrost them until you're ready to use them. Never let fresh fish stay out of refrigeration for long. Keep it cool on the way home from the market and refrigerate immediately.

To store fresh whitefish, run the fillets under cold water when you get them home and pat dry with paper towel. Fish will start to deteriorate as it sits in its own juices, so be sure to get it nice and dry. If you need to store your whitefish for up to two days, place the dried fillets on a rack over a pan of ice and cover tightly with plastic wrap. Place the pan in the coldest part of the refrigerator. To store your fish for up to two months, tightly wrap the cleaned and dried fish in two layers of coated freezer paper. This same method is good for up to four months in a deep-freeze.

Cooking whitefish
Whitefish's delicate flavor and firm texture allow you to be creative. You can dress it up and serve it as Smoked Whitefish Tartine or keep it simple by broiling it with a few tasty spices.

My personal favorite is to make a wonderful whitefish dip. You can change the flavor by changing the spices, and this dip is as welcome at a backyard barbecue as it is at a formal garden party.

The recipe is simple. Take 3/4 pound of smoked whitefish, 4 ounces of fat-free cream cheese, 4 ounces of low-fat cream cheese, 2 tablespoons of fat-free mayonnaise or Total brand 0 fat Greek-Style plain yogurt, a pinch of Old Bay Seasoning, 4-6 drops of hot pepper sauce to taste, 3 drops of Worcestershire sauce, 2 teaspoons of lemon juice, and cracked pepper and coarse salt to taste. Combine all of the ingredients in a food processor and blend until smooth. Serve chilled with a variety of whole grain crackers and enjoy!

kd@chefkathleen.com