Preparing Fish
DEEP FRYING:
Most fish and seafood can be deep fried. Among the best are shrimp, squid, and white fish such as cod, sole and halibut. The pieces should be equally sized to assure even cooking. The most important part is thoroughly coating the food before placing in hot oil (around 375F). This forms a protective barrier between the food and the oil, sealing in moisture and reducing splattering.
Initially
coat the food pieces with seasoned flour, patting to remove excess. Dip
quickly into beaten eggs and thoroughly cover with outer coating, such as
breadcrumbs or cornmeal. Pat off excess and set aside in a plate. Fry a few
pieces at a time, turning once or twice. When done, drain on paper towels
before serving.
STIR FRYING:
It’s necessary to choose firm seafood that will not fall apart as it cooks. Shrimp, scallops, squid, cubes or strips of firm fish such as halibut, monkfish, salmon, swordfish and shark can be stir-fried. Stir-frying cooks small pieces of food quickly over high heat. As such you must stir constantly to cook evenly and avoid sticking. Avoid overfilling the pan, or the food will release liquid and poach instead of frying. Cooking in batches avoids this. A wok is ideal for stir frying as its size and shape makes easy stirring the ingredients. But any large skillet can be used. As a variety of vegetables can be stir fried with seafood, only rice is needed to make a complete meal.
It is important to prepare all the ingredients to be used before starting to fry. To ensure that the seafood and vegetables will cook quickly and evenly, cut in small, even-sized pieces. Heat oil in skillet or wok, over high heat. Add vegetables first and cook quickly stirring constantly. When just crisp tender, transfer to a bowl and set aside. If needed, add more oil and reheat. Add the seafood and cook, stirring, until light brown and opaque in center (1 to 5 min depending on size of pieces. Return vegetables to pan, add sauces and seasonings, and toss to evenly mix. Spoon the seafood, vegetables and sauce over rice.
BROILING:
Broiled seafood is cooked under the heating element, in the oven. The broiler should be pre-heated before putting the broiling plate and the rack should be set 3-4" from the heat. The close heat of broiling cooks food quickly but requires attention for the food to cook evenly without drying out. More delicate fish are more likely to become dry as the have less natural oil to keep flesh moist under high heat. These fish should be marinated before broiling. Full flavored fish such as salmon, sea bass, bluefish, tuna, shark and sword fish are best for broiling - fillets and steaks should range from 2 to 12@ thick. Shrimps, scallops and squid should preferably be skewered.
Initially combine the marinade ingredients in shallow dish. Add seafood, turning to coat evenly. Otherwise, season with salt and pepper. Set the oven rack 3-4 inches from heating element and preheat the broiler. Line the broiler pan with foil and lightly oil. Take the food from the marinade and arrange pieces on prepared broiler pan. Broil seafood for a few minutes as directed by recipe. Turn the seafood and spoon on any reserved marinade, if using. Continue broiling until the seafood is just opaque in the thickest part (cut to test). Transfer to individual plates and serve.
GRILLING:
Most fish can be grilled. Firm textured fish, such as salmon, bluefish, halibut and mackerel are better because they hold well in the grill and remain moist and tender. The less fatty the fish is, the more probable to dry out in the grill. To avoid this, cook just until it is opaque in the thickest part. Tuna is often cooked medium rare, ensuring the meat will remain tender and tasty.
Before grilling, fish should be scaled and cleaned. Leaving the head on will help to maintain flavor and moisture. Season the belly cavity with salt and pepper. Oil lightly the grate before placing the fish. Brush the outside lightly with oil and cook over indirect heat or toward the edge of the fire. Fish can be marinated before e grilling. Fillets with skin should be cooked skin side down to prevent drying out. Steaks and filets over 1" thick can be cooked directly on the grill. Thin or delicate pieces can be cooked on foil set on the grill.
POACHING:
In poaching, seafood is submerged in hot liquid. The liquid can be plain water or mixed with seasonings herbs, fish stock, wine and other flavoring ingredients. The best pan for poaching is broad and shallow, rather than narrow and tall, so that the seafood can lie flat in an even layer. It is important to note that poaching is not the same as boiling. Boiling can break the fish into pieces and cook unevenly. Scallops, shrimp, squid, whole fish (as poacher size allows) or fillets and steaks can be poached. Yet meaty fish as tuna, swordfish and shark should be avoided.
To poach, combine the water and seasoning in a broad, shallow pan, making sure that the liquid is deep enough to cover the seafood. Bring liquid to a rolling boil, then reduce the heat so that the liquid moves, but no bubbles break the surface. Add the seafood. Poach, uncovered, until the seafood is opaque in center. Transfer the seafood to a plate and cover to keep warm. Ladle some cooking liquid through a strainer into a small pan, and boil to reduce by half. Season as directed. Spoon the sauce over and serve. Remaining poaching liquid should saved and used as a soup base or reduced to a sauce.