Fish has a delicate, light flavor. It is a healthy lunch or dinner option, not as rich as red meat or as filling as a pasta dish. The light taste is enhanced by sour citrus fruits or sweet exotic flavors like mango. Fish menus can be difficult if you are trying to find a complementary dessert. Chocolate dishes can be too rich and overpowering. Instead, select a dessert that enhances and builds upon the flavors of the fish course.
Citrus Flavors
A key lime pie or lemon meringue pie would be a suitable complement to any fish menu. It follows the sour citrus theme of the dinner dish. Neither of the two pies is a particularly heavy dessert. The cream or meringue on top adds a lightness and airiness to the dessert. Lemon or lime bars would work well for a more casual fish dinner, while a lemon or orange mousse might make the perfect end to a more formal dinner.
Sorbet
Fruit-flavored sorbet would be a lovely end to a fish dinner, especially if you use complementary flavors. Mango is a common topping for fish like salmon or halibut. Serving a mango sorbet would be a nice way to cleanse the palate, keeping the flavors similar. A simple lemon or orange sorbet works well with a simple menu plan. Lime is particularly refreshing, while cantaloupe is exceptionally light.
Something Rich
You could serve a richer dessert if the fish dish is slightly heavier, such as fried cod fillets or butter-herb-crusted salmon. If you want to treat yourself, opt for a rich, creamy dessert like cheesecake. It isn’t as overpowering as chocolate, but it is just as extravagant and decadent. Consider serving a plain cheesecake so as not to overwhelm the flavors of dinner, or opt for a fruit topping like strawberries or oranges.
Exotic Flavors
Fish has a such a light flavor that it is often enhanced with exotic flavoring. Many Thai recipes enhance the fish with coconut, honey or curry. If the fish dish you served had Thai-inspired elements, consider making a traditional Thai dessert. You could make a Thai sticky rice dessert pudding that uses coconut milk and honey.
Something Simple
Fish is the ultimate diet food. But even when you’re on a diet, you still need a little something sweet to finish off the meal. One healthful choice is grilled fruit: pineapple, apples, pears and mangoes. You can serve it with a drizzle of honey or a dollop of fresh cream.