INTRODUCTION TO FISH AND SHELLFISH:
INTRODUCTION:
Fish and shellfish are commonly known as seafood. Though they could be procured from the sea, ocean, river, or lake or they could also be farmed artificially to meet the demands of the customer; they are still known as seafood.
In many places around the world, especially in Bengal , India , fish is considered to be vegetarian food ,and it is called ’vegetable of sea’. Fish holds a special place in French classical menu, where it forms a separate curse called Poisson. Fish and shellfish can be used in almost any kind of preparation .The highly perishable nature of this commodity has led to its preservation, as people did not want to be devoid of the nutrition that it provide. Fish is rich in protein content and some of them are rich in oils, such as omega 3, which is a preferred choice for people suffering from coronary heart ailments. Doctor advise you to have fish and remain off the other meats even when you are on a diet. In case of fish the only difference is in their species and habitat; but shellfish on the other hand differ not only in species but also in their biological composition .Like the name suggest ,all the shellfish have shells on them. Some of them live in two shells and are called bivalves such as oysters, clams, etc.
CLASSIFICATION OF FISH:
HABITAT
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PHYSICAL SHAPE
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FLESH TYPE
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Salt water –sea, ocean
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Round fish
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white
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Fresh water- river, lakes, ponds
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Flat fish
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Oily
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HABITAT:
Fish can be classified based on its habitat.as we know, fish comes the sea, ocean, river, lake ,and each of these habitats play a very important role in its taste and texture.as we mentioned earlier ,no matter where the fish comes from it is still referred to as seafood. The taste does differ, as sea fish are considered to be healthier because of the salinity in the water. The flavour of such fish is called ‘oceanic flavour’.
FRESH WATER FISH:
Some species of fish tolerate and sometimes migrate back and forth between saline waters and fresh water. Fish that are predominately inhabitants of fresh water are described as fresh water fish and include bass, perch, pike, smelt, etc.
SEAWATER FISH:
These are inhabitants of marine water and are adapted to the sea conditions. These fish do not exercise must because the high concentration of salt in the sea water helps them float and they do not have to move against any current. Oils present in some of them, such as omega 3,are beneficial for heart patients.
PHYSICAL SHAPE:
Fish are also classified as per their shape. There are two shapes of fish-round and flat.as the name suggest, flat fish are flat in appearance while round fish are well rounded and plump.
FLAT FISH
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ROUND FISH
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1. This fish is flat in shape
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This fish is round in shape
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2. Both its eyes are on one side
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Eyes are on either side of the fish.
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3. It swims flat to the surface of the water with the belly aligned parallel to the water
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It swims in a horizontal fashion
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4. Belly side of the fish is white in colour
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Both sides of the fish are same colour
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5. It yields four fillets
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It yields two fillets
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6. Examples: plaice, turbot, flounder…
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Examples: salmon, trout, snapper…
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FLESH TYPE:
Fish are also classified as by its flesh type. The flesh of fish is either oily or white. White fish is also referred to as lean fish. Fish such as herring, mackerel, salmon, etc…are classified as oily fish.
CLASSIFICATION OF SHELLFISH:
CRUSTACEANS:
As the name suggests thee have crust on top of the shell which act as an armour. shellfish have a pigment called ’astaxanthin’, which on contact with the het turns into a coral red colour which must desirable for shellfish.
CRUSTACEANS
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FRENCH NAME
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TYPE
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CRABS: range from tiny to large varieties. The female crab is called hen. Crabs are eaten as soft-shell crabs soon after they complete molting.
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crabe
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Blue crab, brown crab, king crab, snow crab, mud crab, spider crab.
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LOBSTERS: the American lobster are green in colour and the European lobster are blue black and have the best flavour and hence are expensive.
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hommard
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Maini lobster, bugs lobster, European lobster.
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PRAWNS/SHRIMPS: are the most popular of all the crustaceans. Techinically there is no difference between prawns and shrimps.
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crevettes
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Cold water prawns.eg: pink shrimps, deep sea shrimps; mediterranean prawns, warm water prawns eg: gulf shrimps.
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MOLLUSCS:
Molluscs are shellfish that have a hard-inedible shell. They are classified as three other subgroups-
· Gastropods or univalves.
· Bivalves.
· Cephalopods.
GASTROPODS
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FRENCH NAME
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TYPE
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ABALONES: are known as ormer or sea ear. These are large shellfish which is ear shape.
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abalone
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SNAILS: are characterized by spiral shell.in classical French cuisine these are served as a hot appetizer.
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escargot
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Burgundy, petit gris
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CONCHES: are largely related to whelks and rare mostly native to Florida.
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Escargot de mer
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BIVALVES:
These shellfish are covered by two shells or valves.
BIVALVE
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FRENCH NAME
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TYPE
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CLAM: are often eaten raw and are favourites of the American of the Americans. The famous Manhattan clam chowder is considered to be the national soup of the USA.
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Poularde
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Cherry stone, geoduck, carpet shell, razor clams
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COCKLES: are similar to clams and sometimes called ’heart clams’. They do not have claws like clams. They have spiny shells and flesh is in the tails. The head is always used as decorative piece or used in stocks.
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Bucards
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Dog cockles
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MUSSELS: have a sweet tender flesh. They usually have beards which are used as tentacles for locomotion. Mussels must be scrubbed well to get rid of the dirt and sand
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Moule
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OYSTER: have a thick greyish green shell. One of the shells is flat and the other is cup shaped. Oyster are eaten raw in the classical French cuisine.
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Huitre
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Sydney rock, coffin bay, Tasmanian.
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SCALLOPS: are found in sandy sea beds. One of the two scallops’ shells is flat and the other one is ridged and curved, which contains scallop meat.
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Coquille st jacques
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King scallops.
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SELECTION AND STORAGE OF SEA FOODS:
SELECTION:
There are many different ways of selecting a fish and these do not require any sophisticated tools or deep knowledge.
FEEL THE FISH: the fish should be free from slime and should not feel dry t touch. Moist fish indicates the freshness. When the flesh is depressed, it should feel firm and should spring back to its original form. The scales should be firmly attached to the fish.
SMELL THE FISH: it should not have foul smell. This is probably the easiest way of knowing the difference between a fresh and a stale fish. Since it is highly perishable commodity it will smell very unpleasant if it is spoilt.
LOOK ATE THE FISH: the eyes should be bulging and clear. As the fish would age the yes would lose the moisture and would sink into the head.
TOUCH THE FIN AND TAILS: the fins and the tails should be firm and flexible. Brittle or dry tail is an indication of a spoilt fish.
CHECK THE GILLS: the gills should be moist and should have a deep red colour with no trace of grey or brown.
In case of shellfish try and procure only live shellfish such as lobster and crabs. Shells of bivalves should be tightly shut and the ones that are open tap them slightly if they still don’t shut the discard them.
STORAGE:
The ideal situation the fish should be procured as fresh a s possible but in case if it is not possible for various reason then one must follow these steps to keep the seafood safe and fresh to eat.
· Rinse the fish in cold water and pat it dry.
· Place the fish on bed of crushed ice and place on perforated pan to allow for drainage.
· If the fish is not used in the next two day’s then take out the fish and repeat the process.
· Clams, mussels, and oysters should not be kept on ice. Store them inn mesh bags in the refrigerator.
· Do not let the fish to touch the water or to swim in water.
· Do not let fresh water come in contact with shellfish otherwise they will get killed.
COMMON COOKING METHODS OF SEAFOODS:
One can test for doneness by pressing the flesh with finger. If it is firm then it is cooked, otherwise it would feel soft. One can also insert a knife into the flesh pull back the flesh a little and take a look.
GRILLING:
Seafood is just wonderful on grill. One has to select seafood that can withstand the heat of the grill. Sea food such as tuna, lobster, prawns etc… which are sturdy and do not fall. Marinating with oil ensures the fish does not stick to the grill. Using wood for grilling can also add flavours to the fish.
BROILING:
You can broil most seafood even if they are fragile. You can broil them on the beds of vegetables such as onions, celery, peppers.
SAUTEING:
It is the most common method of cooking seafood.it is quick way of cooking.
COLD AND HOT POACHING:
Hot poaching cooks the fish in boiling liquid. You can cold poach by pouring simmering liquid on the fish and wait until the fish is cooked. Hot poaching works well with large piece of fish. Cold poaching works well with small pieces of fish.
OLIVE OIL POACHING:
Poaching seafood I olive oil is great way to slowly cook the fish. Cooking sea food in warm oil keeps the protein coagulating. Olive oil poaching lessens the release of natural oil and fat. The slow cooking results in succulent, perfectly cooked piece of fish.
STEAMING:
Steaming the fish it extremely moist and flaky.in fact steaming is a great way to prepare many low fat dishes and not just delicately flavoured fish .Steaming is very common to many oriental preparations.
ROASTING AND SLOW COOKING:
The only difference between slow roasting and roasting is the temperature. Regular roasting takes place between 160 and 200C .slow cooking on the other hand takes place at temperature as low as 80C and barely cooking fish would take as long as 20 to 25 mins. When you slow roast fish the end result is a piece that is so moist that it melts in your mouth and falls apart when you touch.
SMOKING OR CURING:
A number of popular fish products are smoked or cured or both or they are dried, pickled, or otherwise treated to enhance their taste and prolong their usability. Smoked salmon, pickled herring, smoked oysters, caviar belong to this group of fish food.
COOKING SHELLFISH:
Steamed clams, boiled lobsters-these terms express two things in common to all shellfish cookery –moist heat and low temperatures. Shellfish are all very lean. Dry heat ,high heat, and long cooking times will make them tough and rubbery ,boiling, broiling, steaming and baking will be the broad spectrum for cooking shellfish.
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