Lose your fear about cooking the whole fish

With the lenten season in full swing, home cooks are eager to find simple, interesting ways to cook great fish dishes.

While I feel that fresh fish is a delectable entree option that can be enjoyed year-round, the season offers the perfect opportunity to explore the wide variety of preparations and diverse flavors of fish.

Most home cooks have an immense fear of cooking fish. Here are my tips to help you conquer your fish fears.

When selecting a whole fish at a supermarket or fishmonger, it most likely will be dressed (a fancy way of saying it been de-scaled and gutted). If not, don't be shy and ask an expert at the counter to do the dirty work for you.

When selecting your fish, it should smell like the sea, and the skin should have a smooth feel. Also, make sure that the meat of the fish is firm to the touch. The eyes should look clear and not sunken in.

Now that your whole fish is ready to take home, it is time to get cooking! Try starting off with a dish that is both simple to prepare and enhances the mild flavors of the fish.

This Dover sole recipe is a classic one to start with that is not only simple to prepare but also brings out the natural richness and buttery flavors of the fish.

To gauge a fish's "doneness," look for the lift. Insert a fork or a knife in between the backbone of the fish and the top fillet. If the fish lifts easily away from the bone, then you know it is done.

Keep in mind that fish continues to cook once it is removed from the heat, so remove the fish when it still requires a few moments of cooking.

A great tip for removing the bones is to tap along the backbone with the back of a spoon to loosen the fillets. This makes it easier to slide the fillets away from the bones.

If you are still way too intimidated by bones and fish heads, then it is possible to substitute fillets. The same recipe works great for East Coast flounder or fluke, lemon sole or even smaller halibut filets -- just cut back on the cooking time.

Enjoy the flavors of the sea!

Gary Baca is the chef and partner at Joe's Seafood, Prime Steak & Stone Crab, 60 E. Grand.