HANDLING AND STORAGE OF FISH

1. Store on crushed ice. Use dip pans to allow for drainage of melted ice.
Cover container or store in a separate box away from other foods.

*Whole fish should be drawn because entrails deteriorate rapidly.

HANDLING & STORAGE OF FRESH FISH

3. Fresh fish may be stored for one to two (1-2) days. If kept longer, wrap
and freeze immediately.

4. Check store fish for freshness just before using.

HANDLING & STORAGE OF FROZEN FISH

1. Frozen products should be frozen, not thawed when received.

2. Items should be well wrapped, with no freezer burn.

3. Store at °F (-18°C or colder)

4. Maximum storage time :

* Fat Fish - 2 months

*Lean Fish 6 months

5. Rotate stock – FIFO

COOKING FAT AND LEAN FISH

1. Lean Fish are those that are low in fat

Eg. Flounder, Sole, Cod, Red snapper, Sea Bass

2. Fat Fish are those that are high in fat

Eg. Salmon, Tuna, Trout, Mackerel

 THAWING AND HANDLING

FROZEN FISH

1. Thaw in refrigerator, never at room temperature. If pressed for time,

keep in original moisture-proof wrapper and thaw under cold running
water.

2. Small pieces like fillets & steaks can be cooked frozen to prevent
excessive drip loss. Large fish should be thawed for even cooking.

THAWING AND HANDLING

SHELLFISH

❖ Shrimps to be served hot must be peeled and deveined before cooking.

❖ Shrimps to be served cold, must be peeled after cooking to preserved

flavor.

2. Scallops

❖ Shucked scallops can be cooked without further preparation.

❖ Keep scallops covered and refrigerated (30°F to 34°F).

3. Lobsters

❖ Live lobster must be packed in moist seaweed, kept in a cool place in

saltwater.

❖ Cooked lobster meat must be covered and refrigerated at 30°to 34°F.

COOK FISH AND SHELLFISH

Principles in Cooking Fish and Shellfish

Fish and shellfish require short cooking time hence, they should not be
overcooked. Here are some principles to observe in cooking fish and
seafood.

1. Fish requires less cooking time.

2. Fish cooks quickly in moderate heat.

3. Roll the fish in breadcrumbs before frying.

4. Fish may be broiled as in inihaw, stuffed as in relleno, boiled as in

sinigang and sautéed with vegetables as in bulanglang.

5. Fish is cooked when it flakes easily and the eyeballs come out.

6. Shellfish (shrimps, crabs, lobster and clam) require only short cooking
time to avoid loss of moisture, flavor, and nutritive value.

7. Fat fish tastes better when cooked in dry heat either by broiling or
baking.

8. Because the fish has a mild flavor, it is served with sauce and some
garnishes.

9. Fish should be served soon after it has been prepared, otherwise it will
dry, become hard and will lose some flavor

10. Fish may be fried at moderate heat until brown.

11. When baking fish, taste the fish to prevent it from drying out.

COOKING TECHNIQUES FOR FISH AND SHELLFISH

Fishes are very delicate and are easily overcooked. During cooking, a
test for doneness must be observed.

1. The fish just separates into flakes

2. If bone is present, the flesh separates from the bone, and the bone is no
longer pink

3. The flesh becomes opaque (usually white)

LEAN FISH

- Lean fish has almost no fat, so it easily becomes dry. It is best served with
sauces to enhance moistness and gives richness..

- Poaching is the moist heat method suited

- Fish should be basted with butter or oil if broiled or baked.

- Lean fish maybe fried or sautéed to gain palatability from added fat

FAT FISH

- The fat in fish, enables them to tolerate more heat without becoming dry.

- Fat fish can be cooked by poaching.

- Fat fish are well suited to broiling and baking. The dry heat methods
eliminate excessive oiliness.

- Large fat fish like salmon, and mackerel may be cooked in fat, but care
should be taken to avoid excessive greasiness.

SHELLFISH

- Cook oyster just enough to heat thoroughly to keep it juicy and plump.

- Clams become tough and rubbery if overcooked

- Shrimps like other shellfish, become tough and rubbery when cooked at
high temperature.

A. SCALING WHOLE FISH

1. Lay your fish flat on the board or hold it steady in the water.

B. FILLETING FISH

1. First, cut behind the head while angling the knife toward the front of the
fish. There is a lot of good flesh on the top side where the fillet extends
under the bony plate of the skull and angling the knife will ensure you
don't waste it. Cut down to the bone and follow the line through to just
behind the fins.

C. SKINNING FISH

When filleting or skinning fish keep the skinning knife clean and wet, this
lubricates the blade and gives a much cleaner cut, more control of the
knife and far less drag on the sides of the blade.

D. DEBODING FISH
1. Gentle strokes of a knife angled towards the gut cavity will reveal the
position and lay of the fine bones. Follow this line, cutting completely
through, to release the top part of the fillet.

COOKING SHELLFISH

1. Crabs

- the meat is cleaned and cooked. and can be used in a variety of

preparations

- can be steamed, sauteed or deep fried

2. Clams

- these are used in chowders, soups and stews

- smaller clams can be eaten raw larger clams can be stewed, braised or
deep-fried

3. Crustaceans

- these should be cooked minimally because they can get dry and rubbery
if overcooked

4. Squid

- it is also called calamari and can be tenderized by scoring the connective

tissue of the body

- quick cooking is best

- can be deep-fried and can also be braised or stewed

5. Cuttlefish

- these can be treated similar to squid in cooking and handling techniques

6. Lobsters

- these can be poached, steamed, grilled, broiled and sauteéd

7. Mussels
- these are commonly steamed or stewed and can also be fried

8. Octopus

- can be tenderized by pounding or tumbling or by braising, simmering

and steaming

- these can also be eaten raw

9. Oysters

- these can be eaten raw but can also be used in soups, stews, deep fried or
baked

10. Shrimp

- commonly prepared by steaming, simmering, sautéing, grilling, and

poaching

METHODS OF COOKING

FISH AND SEAFOODS

DRY HEAT COOKING METHOD

Baking

- It is an ideal method for cooking whole fish, large fish fillets and steaks.

Barbecuing and Grilling

- This method is most suitable for fish which is larger, meatier or fattier.

Deep Frying

- This is a fast method of cooking small whole fish and breaded or battered
fish or shellfish.

Sautéing
- This is a common method for cooking fish and shellfish. The fish can be
dredged in flour prior to cooking.

Shallow Frying

- This is a quick method of cooking small amount of fillets, steaks or small

whole fish. The fish must be protected with a thin layer of coating.

Stir Frying

- This is done in a large shallow pan or a wok. This method is good for fast
and easy cooking of small pieces of fish or shellfish

MOIST HEAT COOKING METHOD

Poaching

- The fish is gently cooked in a liquid such as milk, wine, water or stock.

Steaming

- This is a popular method for cooking mussels and clams. It is a healthy

method that brings out the characteristics of fish and shellfish

Simmering /Boiling

- These are simple methods that can bring out the flavour and subtle
texture of fish and seafood.

PLATE/PRESENT SEAFOOD DISHES

Fundamentals of Plating

❖ Balance

❖ Portion size

Balance- select foods and garnishes that offer variety and contrast.

Portion size - Match portion sizes and plates-select plates large enough to
hold all the items without crowding.
Guidelines to help plating attractive

1. Keep food off the rim of the plate.

2. Keep space between items

3. Maintain unity

4. Make every component count

5. Keep it simple

PREPARE STOCKS, SAUCES AND SOUP

Principles of preparing stocks

Classifications of stocks

Ingredients in preparing stocks

Guidelines for preparing stock

Principles of Preparing Stocks

Stocks- the most basic preparations found in professional kitchen. They

are referred to in French as fonds de cuisine, or the foundation of cooking."
It is a flavorful liquid prepared by simmering meaty bones from meat or
poultry, seafood and/or vegetables in water with aromatics until their
flavor, aroma, color and body, and nutritive value are extracted.

Classification of Stocks

Chicken stock

➤ made from the chicken bones.

White stock

➤ made from beef or veal bones

Brown stock

➤ made from beef or veal bones that have been browned in an oven.

Fish stock

➤ made from fish bones and trimmings left over after filleting

Ingredients in Preparing Stocks

Bones

■ Most of the flavor and body of stocks are derived from the bones of beef,
veal, chicken, fish, and pork. The kinds of bones used determine the kind
of stock, except vegetable stock.

Mirepoix

■ is the French term for the combination of coarsely chopped onions,

carrots and celery used to flavor stocks.

Basic formula for Mirepoix used to flavor white stocks and - soups,
tomato paste or puree is often included for brown stock, gravy, stew or
soup.

2 parts onion

1 part celery

1 part carrot

Acid products

■ Acid helps dissolve connective tissues, and extract flavor and body from
bones.

Scraps and left-over

■ Scraps may be used in stocks if they are clear, wholesome, and

appropriate to the stock being made.
Seasoning and spices

Bouquet garni

■ assortment of fresh herbs and aromatic ingredients tied in a bundle with

string so it can be removed easily from the stock.
 Guidelines for preparing stock

1. Follow the correct procedures for cooling and storing stock and make
sure that any stock you use is flavorful and wholesome.

2. Follow the cooking time for stock

The following are approximate cooking time for different stocks; the time
will vary according to numerous factors such as ingredients quality,
volume and cooking temperature:

✓ White beef stock - 8 to 10 hours

✓ White and brown Veal Game stock - 6 to 8 hours

✓ White poultry and Game Bird Stocks - 3 to 4 hours

✓ Fish Stock - 45 minutes to 1 hour

✓ Vegetables Stock - 45 minutes to 1 hour, depending on the specific

ingredients and the size of vegetables cut

3. The stock ingredients are boiled starting with cold water. This promotes
the extraction of protein which may be sealed in by hot water.

4. Stocks are simmered gently, with small bubbles at the bottom but not
breaking at the surface. If a stock is boiled, it will be cloudy.

5. Salt is not usually added to a stock, as this causes it to become too salty,
since most stocks are preserved to make soup and sauces.

6. Meat is added to the stock before the vegetables and the scum that rises
to the surface is skimmed off before further ingredients are added

CLASSIFICATION OF SOUPS

SOUPS are based on stocks added with other ingredients for variety of
flavor, consistency, appearance and aroma.

1. Clear Soups - They are soups based on a clear, unthicken broth or stock.
They may be served plain or garnished with a variety of vegetables and
meats. They are very similar to stocks, except that broths are based on
meats rather than bones so they are richer and have a more defined flavor.
Broths can be used as a liquid in preparing soups. A good quality broth
should be clear, aromatic and rich-tasting with a very evident flavor of the
major ingredient.

A good quality consommé is crystal - clear, has a good body, amber to

brown in color, and completely fat-free.

• Broth and bouillon simple clear soup without solid ingredients. Broth
and bouillon are similar to stock in technique and in cooking time. The
major distinction between broth and stock is that broths can be served as
is, whereas stocks are used in production of other dishes.

• Vegetable soup - clear seasoned stock or broth with the addition of one
or more vegetable, meat, or poultry.

• Consommé- rich, flavorful stock or broth that has been clarified to make
it perfectly clear and transparent.

2. Thick Soups are soups that are thickened to provide a heavier

consistency.

THICK SOUP

1. Cream soups are soups thickened with roux, - beurre manie, liaison or
other thickening agents, plus milk, or cream.

2. Purees - vegetable soup thickened with starch

3. Bisques are thickened soups made from shellfish.

4. Chowders are hearty soups made from fish, - shellfish or vegetables

usually contain milk and potatoes.

5. Veloutes - soup thickened with egg, butter and cream.

3. Other types of soup

A. Dessert soup
• Ginataan - a Filipino soup made from coconut milk, milk, fruit, and
tapioca pearl served hot or cold.

• Osheriku a Japanese asuki bean soup

• Tonge sui - a Chinese soup b. Fruit Soup can be served hot or cold
depending on the recipe where dried fruits are used like raisins and
prunes.

B. Fruit soup may include milk, sweet or savory dumplings, spices or

alcoholic beverages like brandy and champagne.

C. Cold soup is variations on the traditional soup wherein the

temperature when served is kept at or below temperature.

D. Asian soup is a traditional soup which is typical broth, clear soup, or

starch thickened soup.

THICKENING AGENTS FOR SOUP

Rice

Flour

Grain

Cornstarch

INGREDIENTS OF SOUPS

Meat Seasoning Eggs

Cornstarch Onion

Salt Cream

Butter Vegetables

Pepper Garnishes

BASIC PRINCIPLES OF PREPARING SOUP

1st Principle
Starting with cold water

2nd Principle

Cutting vegetable to appropriate size for the type of stock.

3rd Principle

Select your protein based (beef, chicken, pork or fish).

4th Principle

Simmering

5th Principle

Skimming