UNDERSTANDING FISH AND SEAFOOD TYPES, MARKET FORMS AND BASIC PREPARATIONS BEFORE COOKING

Fish is different from other proteins: Meat: few types, many cuts Years ago fish were really only eaten near shore or in areas with lakes, rivers and steams. That is no longer true Fish is different from other proteins: Meat: few types, many cuts Fish: many types few cuts Each species has its own characteristics and cooking requirements

Important to learn basic principles of structure, handling and cooking Fish are really divided into two categories: Fin fish: have fins and internal skeletons Shellfish: have external skeletons but no internal bone structure Because of these differences it is important to look at them separately so that is what we will do!!

The cooking qualities of fish are affected by the lack of connective tissue Fish has very little connective tissue, cooks quickly, and is naturally tender. Moist-heat cooking methods preserve moistness and provide variety. Cooked fish will fall apart if not handled properly.

Special problems in fish cookery: When fish cooks flesh breaks apart into natural separations: flaking Fish should not be cooked until it breaks apart so be careful of term flakes easily Fish is very delicate and is easily overcooked so take care

Observe the tests for doneness: Fish just separates into flakes—that is, it is just beginning to flake but does not yet fall apart easily If bone is present, the flesh separates from the bone and the bone is no longer pink Flesh has turned from translucent to opaque ( usually white depending on fish) Remember: major flaw in fish cookery is overcooking

Cooking fat fish and lean fish Fat content of fish ranges from 0.5% to 20% Lean fish are those that re low in fat: flounder, sole, cod, red snapper, bass, perch, halibut, pike Fat fish are those high in fat: salmon, trout, tuna, butterfish, mackerel

Cooking lean fish Because lean fish has almost no fat it can easily become dry, especially if overcooked. It is often served with sauces to enhance moistness and give richness Moist heat methods: especially well suited to poaching; preserves moistness Dry heat methods: if broiled or baked should be basted with butter or oil. Take care not to overcook it Dry heat methods with oil: may be fried or sautéed gains flavor from added fat

Cooking fat fish Fat in fish enables them to tolerate more heat without becoming dry Moist heat methods: can be cooked by moist heat. Poached salmon and trout very popular Dry heat methods: well suited for broiling and baking. Helps eliminate excessive oiliness Dry heat methods with oil: Large fat like salmon and stronger flavored like bluefish and mackerel may be cooked in fat but take care to avoid excessive greasiness. Smaller ones like trout are often pan pried. Drain well before serving

Buying Fresh Fresh fish are very perishable, so look for following characteristics as a guide to good quality: Tips for Buying Fresh Whole Fish Full, clear, bright eyes. Bright red or pink, clean gills. Fresh, mild odor.

Buying Fresh Whole Fish Shiny, brightly colored skin with tightly adhering scales. Firm flesh, elastic to the touch, clinging tightly to the bones. Proper display: on ice tables or in refrigerated units at 1-2 degrees Celsius (34-36 degrees Fahrenheit).

Buying Fresh Fillets and Steaks Glossy and freshly-cut appearance, firm texture. No browning / drying around cut edges. No discoloration. Proper display perforated plastic or metal trays to drain liquid in closed refrigerated units 34-36 F or surrounded by crushed ice.

Buying Frozen Freezing locks in freshness, flavor and texture. Look for solidly frozen products. If surface is visible make sure there are no dried cottony patches or discolored spots on the surface of the fish, and there are no ice crystals or frost inside the wrapping. When buying frozen whole fish, choose fish with an ice coating or glaze, which prevents discoloration and drying.

Market Forms Whole / Round- Whole just as it comes from water Yields- 2-4 servings / kg or 1-2 servings / pound. Drawn / dressed- Whole fish, gutted with head / without head tail and fins Yields- 4-6 servings /kg 2-3 servings per pound. Steaks- Cross-section cuts of large fish. Yields- 4-6 servings /kg or 2-3 servings / pound. Fillets- Meaty sides of fish Yields- 6-8 servings / kg or 3-4 servings per pound. Butterflied- both sides of fish still joined with bones removed usually trout or smaller fish to be served stuffed or rolled Yields-1-2 portions Tranches or sticks- cross section of slices from fillets usually of thicker fillets Yields- 2- 4 portions depending on size

VARIETIES / CHARACTERISTICS HUNDREDS IF NOT THOUSANDS OF FISH VARIETIES ARE EATEN AROUND THE WORLD IN FOODSERVICE USA RELATIVELY FEW ARE REALLY USED SIGNIFICANT DIFFERENCE IN FLAVOR BETWEEN SALT AND FRESH WATER FISH: SALT WATER ARE SALTIER SALTWATER FISH ARE DIVIDED INTO FLAT AND ROUND FISH

SOME FISH SPEND TIME IN BOTH SALT AND FRESH WATER SALMON FOR EXAMPLE LIVE MOST OF THEIR LIVES IN SALT WATER BUT SWIM UP FRESH WATER STREAMS/RIVERS TO LEY EGGS AND SPAWN: ANADROMOUS FISH THAT LIVE IN FRESH WATER BUT SWIM INTO OCEAN TO SPAWN ARE CALLED CATADROMOUS. EELS ARE IN THIS GROUP SO WE WILL LOOK AT SALTWATER 1ST

SALTWATER FLAT FISH VERY POPULAR IN COMMERCIAL KITCHENS LEAN WHITE FLESH WITH MILD DELICATE FLAVOR VERY FLAT AND OVAL IN SHAPE WITH BOTTH EYES ON ONE SIDE OF FISH HEAD

FLOUNDER TYPE: LEAN VARIETIES: WINTER( Fluke) lemon sole, grey sole, Pacific Dover sole, sand dab CHARCTERISTICS: white flesh, fine flakes, mild sweet flavor WEIGHT: ½ to 5 # Hard to see lying on the bottom because it blends in with sandy bottom

Sole (Dover or English sole) TYPE: lean CHARCTERISTICS: narrower, more elongated than flounder; flesh similar to flounder but firmer in texture. Prized catch!! EXPENSIVE$$$ WEIGHT:1 T0 2 #

HALIBUT TYPE: LLEAN CHARCTERISTICS: LOOKS LIKE GIANT FLOUNDER WITH THICKER FLESH, DELICATE FLAVOR. CUT INTO STAKS AND FILLETS WEIGHT:4 TO OVER 100# http://www.fishex.com/galleries/halibut-upclose/halibut-upclose-08.html

TUBRBOT TYPE: LEAN CHARCTERISTICS: LARGE BROAD FLATFISH. WHITE FIRM DELICATE FLESH WEIGHT: 1 TO 25#

SALTWATER FISH—Round Fish Shape more like what we think fish to be shaped like Bone structure with round backbone and curved rib bones protecting belly and innards

Artic Char TYPE: Fat, anadromous CHARCTERISTICS: similar to salmon and trout its relations. Flesh similar to salmon but with less fat but more than trout WEIGHT: usually around 4# but can be as large as 25#

Bluefish TYPE: Fat CHARCTERISTICS: Flavorful, oily flesh that is bluish when raw and gray when cooked. Abundant and inexpensive because of its flavor being fishy tasting WEIGHT: 1-10#

Chilean sea bass TYPE: Fat VARIETIES: not really a bass marketing term for Patagonian toothfish. Has become seriously overfished numbers have declined and price has risen. US imports highly regulated. Many chefs have agreed to stop serving to slow illegal fishing which threatens its survival. CHARCTERISTICS: white, oily flesh with large flakes, firm texture and mild flavor WEIGHT: usually around 20# but can be much bigger

Cod TYPE: Lean VARIETIES: small, young cod also called scrod CHARCTERISTICS: lean white delicate flavored flesh with large flakes. Most widely used fish in North America. Most fish sticks and similar items are made from cod WEIGHT: scrod 1-2 ½ # Cod: 2 ½ to 25#

Mahi-Mahi also known as dorado and dolphin fish (not related to mammal called dolphin ) TYPE: Lean CHARCTERISTICS: firm fine textured flesh with rich sweet taste. Becomes very dry when overcooked so best cooked with moist heat or with fat or served with sauce WEIGHT: 5 to 40#

Monkfish also known as lotte, anglerfish, belly fish and poor man’s lobster TYPE: Lean CHARCTERISTICS: large, ugly fish but only tail is used. White flesh with fine texture somewhat like lobster. Holds up well in soup and stews but dries out if cooked dry without fat WEIGHT: 5 to 50#

Red snapper TYPE: lean CHARCTERISTICS: firm delicate sweet white flesh with large flakes. Large coarse bones, skin is red. Highly prized: popular in restaurants WEIGHT: 1 to 15#

Salmon TYPE: fat, anadromous VARIETIES: Atlantic, Chinook, sockeye, Coho, chum, humpback CHARCTERISTICS: rich pink to red flesh with somewhat meaty texture and flavor. One of the most prized of all fish. Also canned and smoked WEIGHT: 4 to 25#

SALMON VARIETIES

SHARK TYPE: Fat VARIETIES: MAKO OR BLACK TIP USUALLY USED FOR COOKING CHARCTERISTICS: firm texture, similar to swordfish but softer and a little moister and finer grained, less expensive. Has cartilage skeleton, no bones, usually cut into steaks. Must be used quickly or becomes off smelling and tasting WEIGHT: 25 to 40 or more #s

Skate: also known as ray TYPE: lean CHARCTERISTICS: may be sold whole but is usually only triangular wings. Skeleton only cartilage not bone, tough skin, gray on top white on bottom. Consists of sweet white gelatinous strips of meat extending the width of wings. Two fillets per wing above and below cartilage WEIGHT: varies up to a ton but most 1 to 4 # per wing

Striped Bass TYPE: Lean CHARCTERISTICS: wild highly prized but catch limited so price high when not locally in season. Farmed developed in recent years in response to demand is a cross between white bass and wild striped bass (wiper) WEIGHT: 1 to 10 #

Swordfish TYPE: fat CHARCTERISTICS: very large fat fish with dense, meaty not flaky texture. High yield. Sold mostly as steaks. EXPENSIVE WEIGHT: UP TO 1000# Many Chefs against using small under 40# called pups

Tilefish TYPE: Lean CHARCTERISTICS firm sweet mild white flesh pinkish raw. Used as steaks but smaller can be filleted or poached whole WEIGHT: 4 to 8#

TUNA TYPE: FAT VARIETIES: yellowfin and bluefin have red flesh, gray when cooked. Albacore (usually canned) has pink flesh fresh , off white when cooked. Other varieties are available CHARCTERISTICS: meaty texture and appearance. Belly cuts much fattier than loin. Red fleshed served raw as sushi or sashimi WEIGHT: depends on variety could be up sot several hundred #s

Wahoo or Ono TYPE: fat CHARCTERISTICS: firm flesh similar texture to mackerel and tuna to which it is related. Pale pink flesh turns white when cooked. Concerns for overfishing. Popular sport fish. Has prehistoric looking scales WEIGHT: 11 to 80#s

Weakfish: sea trout but not related to trout TYPE: lean CHARCTERISTICS: mild light gray flesh with mild flavor. Fillets must be handled carefully or they will break up WEIGHT: up to 10#

FRESHWATER FISH

CATFISH: bullhead is similar but not same species TYPE: Fat to somewhat lean depending on origin CHARCTERISTICS: firm flesh with abundant flavor. Layer of fat directly under skin. Has no scales is usually skinned before frying or pan frying. Farmed is milder flavored and leaner than wild WEIGHT: 1 to 8#s

Eel TYPE: Fat CHARCTERISTICS: long slender snakelike fish with slippery skin, firm mild oily meat. Must be alive of very shortly dead before cooking. Japanese unagi grilled basted with soy based glaze WEIGHT: 2 to 4 #s

PERCH (ZANDER) TYPE: LEAN VARIETIES: Yellow most common. Walleyed pike is actually a perch. Zander is European perch. CHARCTERISTICS: mild flavored flaky white flesh with firm texture and fine grain WEIGHT: ½ to 5# walleye

PIKE TYPE: lean VARIETIES: NORTHERN MOST COMMON CHARCTERISTICS: firm white flesh similar to perch but not as thick and with small bones WEIGHT: 2 to 12#s

TILAPIA TYPE: Lean CHARCTERISTICS: nearly always from aquafarms because otherwise they taste muddy. Firm mild white flesh WEIGHT: up to 3#s but usually 1 ½#

BROOK TROUT TYPE: Fat VARIETIES: LAKE, RIVER, BROOK, BROWN, RAINBOW, STEELHEAD CHARCTERISTICS: soft, fine texture flesh with rich delicate flavor. Color of flesh varies from white, pink or reddish WEIGHT: ½ to3# LAKE to 10#+ LAKE LAKE RAINBOW BROWN STEELHEAD = OCEAN RUN RAINBOW

WHITEFISH TYPE: FAT CHARCTERISTICS: flaky white flesh with somewhat sweet flavor WEIGHT: 1 ½ to 6# Usually served smoked

Scombroid food poisoning results from eating spoiled (decayed) fish It is second most common type of seafood poisoning second only to ciguatera It is often missed because it resembles an allergic reaction Commonly reported with mackerel, tuna, mahi-mahi, bonito, sardines, anchovies, and related species of fish that were inadequately refrigerated or preserved after being caught. Scombroid syndrome can result from inappropriate handling of fish during storage or processing. One toxic agents implicated in scombroid poisoning is histamine. Other chemicals have been found in decaying fish flesh, but their association with scombroid fish poisoning has not been clearly established.