Seafood

Classes of Fish

• Finfish – have fins and backbone; found in fresh or salt water.

Classes of Fish

• Shellfish – no fins or backbone 1. Mollusks – two enclosing shells, soft body. Examples: oysters, clams, scallops, snails

Classes of Fish

• Crustaceans – hard upper shell, soft under shell, jointed bodies.

Examples: crab, lobster, shrimp, prawn

More Crustaceans

Forms of Fish1. Fresh – Kinds of fish vary with location/season2. Frozen – steaks, fillets, small whole fish3. Cured a. salted in dry salt or a brine b. smoked – flavors vary depending on the smoking treatment c. pickled – preserved in a brine of vinegar and spices d. canned – flaked meat of a large fish such as tuna or salmon

Vocabulary Terms

1. Whole – Fish is just as it comes from the water.2. Drawn – entrails are removed.3. Dressed – entrails, head, tail, fins, scales removed.4. Fillets – sides of the fish cut lengthwise or parallel

to the backbone.5. Steaks – cross section slices of a large fish, about

1 inch thick, includes a section of the backbone.6. Sticks – uniform pieces of a large fish, often

breaded.

Food Value - Nutrition1. Protein – high in complete protein which

contains all the essential amino acids.2. Fats – low in fat; contains polyunsaturated fat

and omega-3 fatty acids which are beneficial to heart health and blood pressure.

3. Minerals – good source of both phosphorus and calcium which strengthen the bones. Only salt water fish contain iodine which is essential to the thyroid gland.

4. Vitamins – B complex; A and D are in fish oils.

Uses of Fish

1. Appetizer – introduction to a dinner. Example: shrimp cocktail

2. Soup a. Chowder – a stew-like soup Ex. New England Ex. Manhattan

Uses of Fish

b. Bisque – a cream-based soup that contains chunks of shrimp or lobster.

3. Main Dish – stuffed whole fish, fillets and steaks that are baked, broiled or fried.

Principles of Cooking

1. Use a moderate temperature so protein does not become tough.

2. Use a short cooking time because the connective tissue in fish is soft. The fish will fall apart if cooked too long.

Buying Fish

1. Finfish a. Eyes full, not sunken b. Eyes bright and clear c. Gills bright red or pink d. Scales cling to skin e. Elastic, firm flesh that is free of strong

odor

Buying Fish

2. Shellfish a. Sold in the shell or sold shucked (removed from the shell) b. Mollusks – shells should be tightly clamped

together; if shell is open, the mollusk is dead and starting to deteriorate.

c. Lobsters and crabs – should be alive when bought fresh and kept alive until cooked.

Amount to Buy

1. Whole – one pound per person

2. Dressed – half a pound per person

3. Steaks, fillets or sticks – one-third pound per person

Cooking Methods

1. Bake – large whole fish or thick fillets cooked in oven at 350 degrees.

2. Broil – thin fish, lobster and scallops.

3. Cook in water – boiled lobster and shrimp then turned down to a simmer.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LUTYsBIMJxE

Cooking Methods

4. Cook in steam – placed over boiling water, good for delicate pieces.

5. Pan frying – fish is usually breaded and fried in a small amount of oil, turned once.

6. Deep fat frying – small pieces of fish, clams, scallops, or oysters that are breaded and cooked in several inches of hot oil – 375 degrees.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gluRaUv88sk