The Comfort Fish Dish Everyone Ate In The '50s That We Never See Anymore

When we think of "comfort food," fish isn't exactly the ingredient that comes to mind. Seafood is ideal for giving classic meals a lighter spin or using its mildness to experiment with bolder flavors. Decades ago, however, seafood was transformed into fish loaf, a cozy dish that was all the rage.

Meatloaf and shepherd's pie are just two of many meals that take meat, mince it, and turn it into a hearty, compact dish. With the exception of crab cakes, seafood rarely gets this treatment — but it did in the 1950s. The decade gave us plenty of meals that toed the line between comfort and convenience, and the fish loaf is one that we desperately need back. Fish loaf has been around for at least a century, but the popular '50s dish took off due to how simple it is to make. The recipe features canned fish, butter, eggs, and breadcrumbs that are folded together and baked for about 35 minutes. The loaf can be eaten on its own or topped off with anything from gravy to a can of mushroom soup.

Salmon was the common seafood choice used in the fish loaf, but tuna or another canned variety would also do. The fish is flaked apart and bound together with eggs and breadcrumbs, similarly to any other type of loaf. After baking, the result is a mildly sweet, hearty loaf that's topped off with savory mushroom soup or gravy.

Back in the day, boomers ate a lot of fish due to everything from religious reasons to the rationing of meat during WWII. A fish loaf provided the same dense tenderness as a meatloaf, but adhered to the restrictions of the day. There's no singular reason for the drop in popularity that fish loaves experienced, but Americans consuming less canned fish could be part of it. Either way, it's never too late to bring back the recipe with a few tweaks.

Thanks to its rich taste and oily constitution, canned salmon produces a juicy, flavorful loaf of fish. Rather than simply using salt and pepper to season the loaf, brighten up the fish with lemon zest, basil, and mint. In line with the lightness of the dish, swap the cream of mushroom topping for a garlic butter sauce instead.

A garlicky sauce also works well with fish loaf made from cod. The white fish has a much milder taste, so folding minced garlic, plenty of fresh herbs, and lemon juice into the batter will ensure you have a flavorful loaf. You can also amp up the taste with your choice of breadcrumbs. Rather than using the standard kind, opt for Parmesan or Italian-style.