Fish provide more than just a pastime

When I was growing up fish was a staple part of my diet. It might have had something to do with the fact that I was raised Catholic, but odds are when your parents are raising three boys and make about $45,000 a year, fish sticks and macaroni and cheese are about the easiest way to make a meal.

In my mind there is no finer meal, but for the sake of posterity and my own culinary legitimacy, I’ve learned to love all types of fish.

My love of this creature of the water is bested only by my love of its sea-dwelling neighbor, shellfish, but that’s a different article all together.

Fish, for better or for worse, is one of the healthiest things you can eat. In a historical context it has been a staple of human kind since we started walking on two feet.

In fact, some anthropological and archeological circles, fish is credited with a key step in the evolution of humans.

So what is it about fish that makes it so good for you?

Fish and fish oils contain a substance called Omega 3 fatty acids. Omega 3s have been linked with a myriad of health benefits including: reducing high blood pressure, prevention of both fatal and non-fatal heart attacks, and eye and brain development in infants, just to name a few.

All that, of course, is just a by-product of a wonderfully versatile form of food.

I have obviously matured in my tastes from mere fish sticks to better more flavorful types of fish.

For me there is nothing more fun than spending the morning crappie fishing and then that night have a fish fry.

There is something that can be said about having good food in the company of others. It’s a lot of fun and generally spurs good memories and even better stories.

As much as I enjoy fresh water fish, my heart will always be with saltwater fish. I love fresh sushi and just about anything caught from the open seas.

It also helps that my aunt and uncle live on the Oregon coast so a fishing trip in the Pacific Ocean or at the mouth of the Columbia River are only a plane ticket and phone call away.

Sturgeon is one of my favorite fish because it has a steak like texture and when prepared the right way will melt in your mouth.

Sturgeon is a high-fat fish, rich in Omega 3, and a highly sought after fish because of its roe, or true caviar. At one point in time Sturgeon was so prized that King Edward II gave it royal status, meaning anyone in England catching it, first had to offer it to the king.

Although these days it is not offered to kings, it is still a fairly special day when it’s on the dinner table.

Sturgeon, for me, is best served when it is cut into two-inch thick steaks with a diameter of four to five inches and grilled. Its taste is so succulent that it needs very little seasoning of any kind.

I only brush the steaks with a little extra virgin olive oil, salt and pepper it and sprinkle it with a little rosemary or thyme.

Cooking the fish should take no longer than eight minutes with a one-minute sear on both sides, then an additional three minutes on each side after that. Serve the fish with an herb infused butter sauce and grilled vegetables with steamed rice, and dinner is ready.

Fish has been on the table in one form or another, from early humans to kings to middle class Catholic families trying to raise three sons.

Why not try to get a little more healthy? Everyone else is.