POST FOOD WEEK: FISH: We talk to a woman chef who says 
when it comes to cooking fish – less is more…on Passport 
to Texas.

This is Passport to Texas

You may be tired of eating those heavy, Thanksgiving 
leftovers by now. If that’s true, it’s easy to find a nearby 
fishing hole where you can reel in something light, fresh 
and delicious. Chef Cindy Haenel says there’s nothing like 
catching your own dinner.

09—It’s fabulous. I know exactly how old that fish is, when it 
came out of the water and how long it’s been dead. And that’s 
important with fish especially. Fresh is always best. 

Cindy, an avid angler, is a chef instructor at Central 
Market in Austin.

08—I love the saltwater as well as freshwater. But the saltwater 
you have more variety. You never know what you’re going to 
pull up. It’s exciting – like Christmas morning.

Immediately place your catch on ice, and if there’s a 
cleaning station on shore, Chef Cindy says consider doing 
the dirty work there.  And when you get your catch back 
to the kitchen, be careful not to overcook it.

22—Most people, if they don’t like the taste of fish, it’s 
probably because they’ve overcooked it. And, as it cooks, and 
the oil of the fish starts to come out of the flesh, it burns very, 
very quickly. So, if you will undercook your fish, or protect that 
fish with either a salt crust, or even if it just has a little butter, 
or some kind of fat on the outside it still protecting that fish 
while it’s cooking.

Find fish recipes from Chef Cindy as well as a link to 
other fish and game recipes at passporttotexcas.org. 

The Sport Fish Restoration program supports our series 
and works to increase fishing and boating opportunities 
in Texas. 

For Texas Parks and Wildlife…I’m Cecilia Nasti. 

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Maximum Script time:		                 0:46.0                     Suggested show time: 85.0 = 1:25