Cooking With Seafood Tips
Read these 14 Cooking With Seafood Tips tips to make your life smarter, better, faster and wiser. Each tip is approved by our Editors and created by expert writers so great we call them Gurus. LifeTips is the place to go when you need to know about Cooking tips and hundreds of other topics.
Halibut [seafod in general] Cooking
You could get sick from only cooking Halibut for 10 minutes at 350 degrees.
While seafood generally does not take very long to cook, cuts of halibut usually are at the thicker end of the spectrum.
At 350 degrees, depending on how think the Halibut is and whether or not it is bone-in, you should cook Halibut at least 15 minutes; however, 20 minutes at 350 is really the suggested cooking time for a fish of this thickness [usually 1 inch or more in thickness.] If it's more like 1 1/2 to 2 inches thick [and halibut can be] then probably 25 minutes.
Bone-in cuts take longer than fillets to cook safely; and in general in cooking any fish in a conventional or convection oven [versus a slow-cooker method] you will turn the fish over once halfway through the planned cooking time.
The halfway through does not need to be exact. It can be a little less or a little more than halfway through.
Had you asked if 10 minutes was sufficient baking for a thinner type of fish fillet, such as sole or flounder or even most trout [if not whole trout, of course, but "butterflied" [all insides except bones removed] or filleted,] the answer would have been yes that is sufficient for such a thin piece of fish.
Even haddock generally should be baked about 15 minutes; although I have at least one top-of-the-stove recipe that it can be safely cooked in a skillet in about 5-7 minutes.
You would not necessarily get sick, raw fish is still widely served in Sushi bars, but as the question suggests you are aware that the wisdom of this has come into question and that as with meat, the risk of food-borne illness is reduced by proper cooking of the meat or fish.
So the correct answer to your question, as posed, is "will you?" -- not necessarily. "Do you run an increased risk of doing so?" Yes.
One final tip: in cooking skin-on fish, I place the fish in the pan first with the skin side up; this allows the juice from the fish to partially seep into the pan; and makes sticking of the skin side less likely when the skin-down is the second side to be cooked..
De-Vein Shrimp For Cooking
Shrimp is a popular seafood choice. Shrimp --- whether large or small, hot or cold, fresh or frozen --- is in a variety of dishes. However, one of the more unpleasant aspects of preparing shrimps is the de-veining process. De-veining a shrimp can be time consuming if one does not know the process. The easiest way to de-vein a shrimp is to take off the shell, cut off the head, take the vein at the head end of the shrimp and with a paring knife, pull it out --- gently, but firmly. This will take off the often-unwanted vein of the shrimp so it will be ready to be cooked and served.
How To Cook Snails
There are many minor differences to the correct way to cook snails. Most experts agree that there are steps that must be taken before adding them to your favorite recipe. Here are some tips.
The first thing you want to do after you get them is put them in a colander to rinse off any visible dirt or debris. Then they must be purged. This usually takes two weeks. You can either put them in water for about four days and then feed them cornmeal for the next ten days, or you can start them on the cornmeal right away for two weeks. Make sure to change the water every day. After that they can be boiled from three to ten minutes. While they are boiling a foam rises to the top of the water which you need to keep scraping off. You may even need to change the water if it gets to polluted with the foam. Once the foam is gone you know the snails are done. Most of them will also be out of their shells when done, you can pick the rest out yourself. Cut off the gall which is the coil part, it will be the last part out of the shell. They can tend to be chewy whole, so a lot of people cut them up and combine them with seasonings.
Tips For Purchasing Shrimp
When you are purchasing shrimp, remember:
*Consume fresh shrimp within 24 hours
*Shrimp should contain a very mild scent and be firm in texture
*Shrimp that are on the verge of spoiling will have the aroma of ammonia *Fresh shrimp will have a translucent look to its flesh; shrimp that has been frozen and de-frosted will have an opaque look
Shrimps Comes In More Than 300 Different Types
There are a number of different types of shrimp --- more than 300! The most commonly purchased are white, pink and brown Atlantic Ocean shrimp. Tiger shrimp is also popular with seafood lovers. The names refer to the color of the shrimp before it is cooked. When shrimp are cooking, the color usually turns orange, because of a chemical released in the shrimp brought about because of the heat. When cooking shrimp, remember the colder the water they live in, the smaller and more succulent the shrimp will be.
Trust Your Senses When Purchasing Fish
Your senses --- specifically your eyes and nose --- are your best weapons against purchasing spoiled fish. Here are some tips to keep in mind the next time you are shopping for seafood: Fish should have bright eyes with black pupils Seafood should be have shiny, taut skin Fish should not have slippery gills and they should be red Seafood should not have a strong "fishy" odor Fish should be clear-cut into moist, bright fillets or steaks No fish should have dull, bloody or otherwise odd-looking eyes
Check Crab's Gender Before Cooking
Known for its tender, flavorful meat, recipes with crab are numerous and often creative. Many of these recipes specify the crab gender --- in most cases, calling for she-crabs. How can you tell the difference in gender? Look at the underside of the crab. Females have a triangle-shaped marking in the center of the shell; a long spire marks males. Check the crabs you are using for your recipes to be sure you have the right gender.
Store Tuna Properly
Tuna is another popular seafood option and comes in a variety of species, cuts and more. Fresh tuna should be firm, almost translucent in color and have absolutely no smell. Keeping your fish stored properly until you are ready to use it is key to maintaining the integrity and flavor of the fish. Use previously frozen tuna immediately.
Wrap and store fresh in the freezer for future use. To store fresh tuna: Add one tablespoon of ascorbic acid crystals to a quart of water or use 1/4 cup of salt in a quart of water and dip the fish in the solution Seal the fish in a plastic wrap and place it into a zip-lock bag.
It is best to freeze the fish in an ice block. You can do this by placing it into the plastic bag and covering it with water. The tuna can be frozen for up to three months. When you are ready to prepare it, simply thaw out the fish in your refrigerator. Do not microwave the fish as this process can prematurely cook it.
Fast Fish Ideas
Cooking fish does not have to be difficult or time-consuming. By adding fresh herbs to the fish, such as paprika, cayenne pepper, curry, and Rosemary, you can add extra flavor to it and prepare it quickly and easily. If you choose to fry your fish, try using butter and oil in the pan for extra taste and to avoid sticking. Cook a few minutes on one side and flip. Do not flip it again or it will begin breaking into pieces. Another easy and fast way is to bake fish in an oven. After brushing it with lemon, lime, or apple juice, add your favorite herbs and then a little oil. Place it on an oven rack and put it on the highest level it can go. Cook for 5-10 minutes and remove.
Shrimp Comes In Many Sizes
Shrimp, like most other seafood, also come in a variety of sizes. As a rule, the number of shrimp you will receive per pound breaks down as such: Colossal shrimp: 10 or less Jumbo shrimp: 11-15 Extra large: 16-20 Large: 21-30 Medium: 31-35 Small: 36-45 Mini: Around 100
Serve Oysters With Tasty Accompaniments
Oysters are a daring delicacy, eaten raw by seafood adventurers. Always serve raw oysters on ice. Eat them with cocktail or horseradish sauce, fresh lemon, with biscuits, toast or crackers or without a food accompaniment with a great tasting beer beverage.
Tips For Cooking With Crabs
Additional tips for cooking with crabs include:
*If possible, purchase live crabs for seafood recipes. They should move around and be alert upon purchase. They should smell fresh and salty --- similar to their ocean environment. If they smell odd or too fishy, do not buy them.
*If you are not able to access live crabs, look for cooked crabmeat, thawed on the day of purchase and has little to no smell.
* Do not buy already deceased crabs
*If you are feeding a small group of people, a pound and a half of crabmeat is equivalent to 10-15 hard-shelled crabs. Therefore, a good rule of thumb is six hard-shelled crabs or two soft-shelled crabs per person.
Fish Come In Different Forms
There are several different forms to fish when they are ready for purchase. This includes: Whole: Fish in its natural state, as it has been pulled from the water Drawn: Whole fish without its internal organs and possibly already scaled Dressed: Fish without internal organs, scales, gills, fins and ready to cook Steak: Cut into slices 1/2 to 1 inch thick in a crosscut style and ready to cook Fillet: Boneless piece of fish, cut from the side and away from the backbone, sometimes skinned, ready to cook
Sea Urchins
Sea urchins can be eaten raw or cooked. First, you will need to open the sea urchin. Take a knife and cut around the outside of the top of the sea urchin. Do this as if you were carving the top off of a pumpkin.
Drain the liquid out of the sea urchin. You are now left with six roes. Squeeze the juice of a lemon over top of the roes. Scoop the roes out with a spoon and eat them.
If you prefer your roes cooked, you can drizzle some olive oil over a slice of french bread. Set your roes on top of the bread and then place the bread on top of a grill. Cook until toasted. Serve warm.
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| Alicia Bodine |
