Fish is one of those things that can seem a little intimidating to cook at first. There are a million and one ways to cook a chicken but fish is not quite as universal. You always hear how good it is for you and all the benefits of eating it, but when it comes to actually trying to find a good fresh piece of fish and then trying to prepare it in a way everyone will eat it overwhelms people and instead they grab the frozen fish sticks and call it good. So many people have had one bad experience with fish that they just decide they don’t like any fish and rarely venture out to try different types of fish let alone different ways of preparing it themselves.
I read somewhere that you need to give a baby a new food item at least 10 times before you should rule out that they don’t like it. Maybe the same rule should be applied with fish and adults.
My husband and I have tired to introduce our young kids to what is sometimes deemed as “grown up” food and have been amazed at the results. Our kids love sushi, fish of all kinds, shrimp etc. and since they have had these things from such a young age none of it seems strange or different. If all your kid has is mac and cheese and chicken nuggets until they are 10, of course they are going to balk at their friend Nemo being plated to them for dinner.
This experiment of introducing all types of food to your kids can back fire on you if you’re not careful though, as my husband learned the hard way. He wanted crab legs for his birthday so we went to an amazing seafood restaurant in town. He splurged and ordered the king crab legs for his birthday treat. My five-year-old son asked for a bite and after he ate it his eyes lite up and one word summed it up, ”yum”. Needless to say, my husband did not get much of his birthday dinner that night but my sons’ preschool teacher got a good laugh at his little program when every other kid in preschool said mac and cheese to her request of “what is your favorite food?” And from our son she got the response in a very matter of fact way “I think it must be crab legs”.
This recipe is a very easy to make and a yummy way to introduce fish to the youngsters or anyone for that matter. It uses salmon, which is a readily available and a very mild fish that is hard to mess up. There are so many benefits of eating fish, but lets be honest if it doesn’t taste good you can tell your four-year-old until you are blue in the face that it's good for them and they still aren’t going to eat it. This is one everyone can eat, including the four-year-olds. Enjoy!
{PARMESAN CRUSTED SALMON}
1 1/2 lb salmon (fresh is best, if you use frozen make sure you thaw it first)
4 tsp. fresh lemon juice (or out of the bottle in a pinch, I won't tell)
3/4 T. McCormick Grill Mates Salmon Seasoning
1/2 c. mayonnaise
4 T. parmesan cheese, grated
1/8 tsp. ground cayenne pepper (more if you like a little kick)
15 Ritz Crackers, coarsely crushed
Wash and pat dry your fish with a paper towel, I usually like to take the skin off as well. Put in a 9x13 pan that has been lined with tin foil and sprayed with cooking spray. Sprinkle lemon juice and McCormick seasoning over your fish.
In a separate bowl mix the cheese, pepper and mayonnaise and then spread it onto your seasoned fish. Next top it with the crushed crackers and bake it at 400 degrees for 20-25 minutes or until your salmon easily flakes easily with a fork.
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