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

2. 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

3. 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!!

4. 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.

5. 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

6. 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

7. 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

8. 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

9. 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

10. 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.

11. 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).

12. 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 F
or surrounded by crushed ice.

13. 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.

14. 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 portions depending on size

15. 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

16. 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

17. 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

18. 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

19. 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 #

20. HALIBUT
TYPE: LLEAN
CHARCTERISTICS: LOOKS LIKE GIANT FLOUNDER WITH THICKER FLESH, DELICATE FLAVOR. CUT INTO STAKS AND FILLETS
WEIGHT:4 TO OVER 100#

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

22. 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

23. 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#

24. 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#

25. 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

26. 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#

27. 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#

28. 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#

29. 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#

30. 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#

31. SALMON VARIETIES

32. 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

33. 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

34. 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 #

35. 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

36. 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#

37. 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

38. 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

39. 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#

40. FRESHWATER FISH

41. 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

42. 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

43. 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

44. 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

45. 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#

46. 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

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

48. 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.