Mariner's Menu

Tips from the Kitchen

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The two biggest problems in seafood cooking are lack of freshness and overcooking.

Fish and shellfish cook quickly, and it’s easy to overcook them.

Fish is perfectly cooked just at the point when it turns opaque. Insert a fork or the tip of a sharp knife at its thickest point and gently push the flesh aside, or flake it.

Some fish, such as tuna and shark, do not flake. Cut into the center of these to check for doneness.

Recipes give you a cooking time, such as “about 8 to 10 minutes.” You should always check before this suggested time. If it isn’t done, you can cook it further, but if you check it at eight minutes and it’s overcooked you can’t remedy the problem.

Another method of judging doneness is to cook fish for about 10 minutes per inch of thickness, measured at the thickest point of the fish. Again, you should check before the time is up.

Fish should reach an internal temperature of 145 F. It usually isn’t practical to use a thermometer, but if it is cooked until opaque and flakes easily it is done.

If you’re cooking fish in a sauce or wrapped in foil, add five minutes to the total cooking time. Double the cooking time when cooking frozen fish.

Shrimp, scallops, crabs and lobsters turn opaque when done. Cut into the center to test.

Cook live clams, oysters and mussels until the shells are opened and the flesh is fully cooked. Before you eat them raw or partially cooked, be sure to read up on seafood safety.

From: Mariner’s Menu: 30 Years of Fresh Seafood Ideas

Contributed by Joyce Taylor

Tips From the Kitchen

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Our fish recipes generally call for a number of fillets or steaks rather than weight. The reason for this is simple. I’ve watched countless people in the seafood market look at fish and ask for a certain number of pieces. They are deciding the size that will be served to each person.

If I’m going to cook fish for six people, I might buy six small fillets, three medium fillets or two large ones that can be cut into six serving-size pieces. In the 20-plus years that our newsletter reached several thousand people, we found that consumers preferred this. Most people can look at fillets and visualize how many will be needed to feed a certain number of people, but they can’t visualize the size of one-fourth or one-third of a pound.

Recipes usually state the number of servings. One hundred grams (about 3.5 ounces) is considered a serving. But in reality, we know that people usually eat more than this. In these recipes we have allowed one-fourth to one-third pound per person. Make them smaller or larger so that they meet your needs.

The following suggestions are based on approximately 3.5 ounces per serving:

• Whole or Round Fish – 3/4 pound
• Dressed Fish – 1/2 pound
• Fillets and Steaks – 1/3 pound
• Oysters and Clams, in the shell – 6
• Oysters and Clams, shucked – 1/6 pint
• Scallops – 1/4 pound
• Crab, cooked meat – 1/4 pound
• Crabs, live – 1 to 2 pounds
• Shrimp, headed – 1/2 pound
• Shrimp, cooked and peeled – 1/4 pound

From: Mariner’s Menu: 30 Years of Fresh Seafood Ideas

Contributed by Joyce Taylor