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.
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Writer Bio
Tina Cisneros began writing professionally when she accepted a job that included grant writing in 2007. Her writing was featured in an anthology released by the Society Muse of the Southwest. She completed her Bachelor of Arts in English from the Colorado College then went on to receive an alternative license in elementary education from Northern New Mexico College.