FISH COOKERY

17.1 FISH BASICS

The chef should select fish of the best quality. It should be rapidly transported from the source to the
customer. It should smell and look fresh. The following should be kept in mind while selecting fish

 Smell – fresh, clean, with a typical aroma.

 Skin should feel slick and moist. Scales, if any, should be firmly attached.
 Fins and tails- moist, fresh flexible.
 Flesh – should be firm and elastic.
 Eyes- clear
 Gills – blood red to maroon color, moist and fresh looking.
 Check live shellfish for signs of movements as in lobsters and crabs.
 Clams, mussels and oysters should be tightly closed.
 Fish should be carefully stored – preferably it should be used as fresh as possible.

17.2 CATEGORIES
 Round fish such as Trout, Bass, and Salmon have backbone along the upper edge with two fillets on
either side.
 Flat fish such as flounders, Dover sole, back bone runs through the center of the fish with four fillets, two
upper and to lower.
 Non bony such as skate, sharks and monk fish which have cartilage rather then bone.
 Shell fish can be broken into
1. Univalves – Abalone,
2. Bivalves - such as clams, mussels, oysters, scallops.
3. Crustaceans - lobsters, shrimps, Cray fish.

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 4. Cephalopods – squid and octopus. The name translates as “ head footed “; tentacles and arms
attached directly to the head.

CAVIARS & ROES

Eggs of fish sturgeon, which are salted & matured, are known as Caviar. The Caspian Sea provides 98% of
the world’s total supply. Russia is the main supplier, however now Iran also produces about 10% of the
available caviar.

The eggs are removed, washed, treated with brine, drained & packed.
 Beluga – The largest grained caviar & the most expensive, it comes from the largest Caspian sturgeons,
which reach a length of 12ft. The eggs are dark Grey, firm, & well separated & are quite fragile.
 Ossetra – Smaller than the above, but with more even grains, it is golden brown in color & more oily.
 Sevruga – Comes from the smaller Sturgeon & is also one of the smallest grained Caviar. Light to dark
Grey in color, it is considered to be one of the cheapest.
 Pressed Caviar – The ripest eggs are compressed. It is more strong, salty & oily.

Caviar should be kept between –2 to + 4 deg C.The right portion is 2 oz... It is accompanied by sour cream,
blinis, egg white & yolk that are sieved, small dices of lemon & chopped parsley.

17.3 FISH AND NUTRITION

Fish plays a significant role as part of a balanced healthy diet. Fish is a good source of many of the nutrients
we need throughout life from infancy through to old age.

PROTEIN
Fish is a good source of protein which is essential for the body’s growth and repair.

FAT
Whitefish contains little or no fat. Oil-rich fish contain fat which is evenly distributed throughout the flesh.
Research indicates that the Omega 3 fatty acids in oil-rich fish can help lower the risk of heart disease and
may be beneficial in treating rheumatoid arthritis and psoriasis.

CARBOHYDRATE
Fish does not contain carbohydrate so for a balanced meal fish should be served with a carbohydrate rich food
like pasta, rice, potatoes or bread.

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MINERALS
Fish is a good source of iron as well as phosphorus, iodine, fluorine and zinc. Canned fish is an excellent
source of calcium.

VITAMINS
Fish contain many of the B vitamins essential for the conversion of food to energy in the cells and also for
healthy nerve tissue. Oil-rich fish are a good source of the fat soluble vitamins A and D. In fact, oil-rich fish is
the best natural source of vitamin D. Vitamins A and D are essential for healthy bones.

17.4 COOKING METHODS

BRAISING
This method of cooking is applicable to whole fish e.g. Salmon, as well as larger cuts of fish. To braise, a fish
kettle or other suitable pan, which can be tightly covered, should be used.

The base of the pan should be well buttered & lined with sliced onion; carrot & shallots previously tossed in
butter. Add a few parsley stalks. Arrange the fish on top & if required stud on one side with carrots or gherkins,
cut to a suitable size. Moisture added to three-quarters & braised loosely covered in the oven; so that the
stock is reduced as the fish is cooked. When almost done, remove the cover & continue cooking, basting
frequently to glaze the fish. Drain well & dress on a suitable dish. Cover to keep warm. Strain the liquor, skim
off surplus fat reduce if necessary & add to the fish sauce. Braised fish is usually accompanied by an
appropriate garnish.

POACHING
Butter a tray or a dish, place the seasoned fish fillets on it & moisten with fish stock and dry white wine and
cover with a buttered paper and cook in a medium oven. The cooking liquor is reduced and added to the
appropriate sauce.

FRYING
For shallow or deep-frying, the oil or butter must be very hot.

DEEP-FRYING
The fish fillets, that are to be deep-fried are coated with egg and breadcrumbs, or a batter and then dipped into
the hot oil. It is best to marinade the fish, remove excess moisture, dab in seasoned flour, seasoned egg wash

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and then the crumbs, fresh or dry. You may directly dip it into a batter and deep-fry it. , Temperature of oil will
vary according to thickness of the pieces of the fish to be fried.

SHALLOW FRYING OR PAN FRYING (MEUNIERE)-

For this method of cooking, either use only clarified butter or half oil and half clarified butter. This should be
heated well in a shallow pan. The pieces of fish should be seasoned, marinated, then dabbed with seasoned
flour and shallow fried on both sides till golden.

GRILLING
This is a popular method for preparing fish. The fillets are marinated, the excess moisture removed and then
they are placed on a greased grill. After cooking for a few minutes the placement is changed to get the grill
marks, then the fillet is turned and it is cooked on the other side too. These preparations are more often
accompanied by savory clarified butters- mostly lemon or garlic.

STEAMING
This method cooks the food by surrounding it with a vapor bath. Foods are placed in a closed vessel and are
above, not touching the liquid. As the liquid comes to a boil some of it will turn into steam. This circulates
around the food providing an even moist environment, which allows the food to retain its natural juices.
Properly steam foods don’t generally lose much of their original value and are exceptionally moist and tender.
 Bring the liquid to a boil.
 Add the main ingredient to the steamer on a rack, in a single layer.
 Cover the steamer, cook till appropriate doneness.
 Serve with appropriate sauce and garnish. Steamed food should be moist and plump. There should be no
hint of it being rubbery or dry.

EN PAPILLOTE
In this variation of steaming, the main item and accompanying ingredients are encased in parchment paper or
foil and cooked in a hot oven. The main item rests on a bed of herbs of vegetables and the steam created by
the natural juice covers the food to cook.

As the steam volume increases, the paper puffs up.

 Cut the foil into the appropriate size and spread butter on it.
 Place a bed of aromatics, vegetables or sauce and wine on the base.
 Put the main ingredient over it.
 Cover the paper and crimp the edges.
 Put it on a hot platter into the oven.

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 Bake until it is puffed.

BARBECUING
Fish is naturally moist so needs little basting, but for extra flavour on the barbecue it can be left to marinade for
around half an hour before cooking. If barbecuing a whole fish, slits or slashes at the thickest part will make
cooking faster and more even.

Cooking fish in foil parcels will give quick, moist results. Barbecue cooking times are the same for grilling.

MICROWAVING
The microwave is excellent for cooking fish. Always remember to cover the fish with a lid or microwaveable
food wrap. Season after cooking and add less liquid than for other methods of cooking. Cooking time varies
according to thickness and quantity but as a rule of thumb 450g (1lb) of fillets would cook in about 4-5 minutes
plus 2-3 minutes standing time.

17.4 REFRIGERATING
Raw fish can be stored safely in a refrigerator at 40°F or lower for 2 to 3 days. Oily fish will store longer than
lean fish and whole fish will store better than steaks and fillets. There are several factors listed below that will
have an affect on how well the fish will store.

The amount of time that market fresh fish can be refrigerated will depend on:
- If it was stored properly after it was caught, before it got to the market.
- How fresh the fish was when purchased.
- Whether or not the fish was stored properly on ice at the market.
- The temperatures it is exposed to in transporting from the store to home refrigeration.
- The type of packaging used.

The amount of time that fresh caught fish can be refrigerated will depend on:
- How the fish was handled after being caught.
- How long it was kept alive.
- Whether or not it was bruised from flopping around on the bottom of the boat or on the dock.
- If there was any damage done to its skin.
- How soon it was cleaned and if it was cleaned properly.

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Follow the instructions below to store fresh fish in the refrigerator properly.
- Remove the fish from the wrapper. Thoroughly rinse the fish in cold water.
- Pat it dry with a paper towel.
- Line a plate or pan with a double layer of paper towels and place the fish on the towels.
- Cover them tightly with plastic wrap or aluminum foil and place in the coldest part of the
refrigerator, the top shelf in the back.
- Be sure the fish is tightly wrapped so that if there are any juices from the raw fish, they will not
come in contact with any other food.

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