1. Cooking Fish and Shellfish
Chapter 21
Cooking Fish and Shellfish

2. Overview
Fish and shellfish have little or no connective tissue. The cooking procedures are different than for
meat and poultry.
Fish is naturally tender. Cooking, especially overcooking, will dry it out.

3. Baking Whole fish and fish portions can be cooked in an oven.
Baked fish is often referred to as “roasted”.

4. Combining Methods
Cooking methods can be combined, like broiling and then finishing in the oven.

5. Moist Baking or Braising
If fish is baked with moist ingredients or with liquids, strictly speaking it is not baking.

6. French Method
In French cooking, baking fish with liquid is called braising, but we often call it baking.

7. Broiling and Grilling Broiling and grilling are increasingly popular
Consumers perceive them as healthy

8. Grilled eye appeal
A slightly crisped, browned or grill-marked surface is important to the appeal of the fish

9. Adding Variety
By varying process, vegetable accompaniment, and garnishes, many selections can be offered

10. Sautéing and Pan Frying
A classic method of sautéing is à la meunière.
The fish is dredged in seasoned flour and sautéed in clarified butter.
Other sautéed fish preparations call for the standard breading procedure.

11. Deep-Frying
Deep-fat frying is perhaps the most popular way to cook fish in North America
This method can be of high quality if the fish is fresh and the frying shortening is of high quality and it is at the right temperature
Fish is breaded or battered to provide a crisp, flavorful, attractive, protective coating
Frozen breaded fish portions are used widely

12. Poaching and Simmering
Poaching is cooking in a liquid at a very low heat
Shallow poaching
Fish is not fully submerged in a small amount of liquid (usually white wine or fumet)
Liquid is used to make sauce
Best for lean, delicate white fish such as halibut and sole

13. Poaching Poaching and simmering in Court Bouillon
Submersion method – fish is fully submerged in liquid
Court bouillon is defined as water containing seasonings, herbs, and usually an acid, or short broth in French. The liquid is not used for sauce.
Truit au bleu - a famous preparation-is a dish consisting of freshly killed trout cooked with vinegar, which turns the fish blue. - ORIGIN French, literally 'trout in the blue'.

14. Glazing Poached fish is sometimes glazed before serving.
Combine the finished sauce with
egg yolk, hollandaise sauce,
and/or whipped cream or
with Mornay sauce

15. Steaming and Mixed Cooking Techniques
Cooking En Papillote
cooking in paper - The fish, flavoring ingredients, and sauce are put in a sealed piece of parchment, and the fish is baked in it own juices. It is really steamed in the paper pouch.

16. Compartment Steaming
Several cautions need to be observed if you cook fish in a steamer
Watch the cooking time carefully
Avoid pressure-steaming if possible. It tends to toughen the seafood
Use solid pans to retain juices

17. Stovetop Steaming
Place fish on rack above simmering liquid and steam until done

18. Seafood Served Raw
Clams, oysters, and smoked salmon have been enjoyed in North America for years. Sushi has recently become popular.

19. If you choose to serve raw seafood, please observe the following guidelines:
Use only the freshest and highest-quality fish
Purchase your seafood from a reliable purveyor
Use only saltwater seafood from clean waters
Keep the fish cold and handle as little as possible
Observe the strictest sanitation procedures

20. Raw Fish Recipes - Be Careful
Fish Tartare - chopped fish with condiments and seasonings
Fish Carpaccio - thin slices of fish served with garnishes and usually a piquant sauce

21. Seviche - raw seafood marinated in an acid mixture
Sushi - short grained Chinese rice that can be garnished with fish. .