LESSON 2 PREPARE AND

COOK SEAFOOD DISHES

Overview
Seafood is any form of sea
life regarded as food by
humans. Seafood includes
fish and shellfish. Shellfish
include various species of
mollusks, crustaceans, and
echinoderms.A wide variety
of fish and seafood are
available in the market from
many different sources.
There are so many methods
for cooking seafood, most of
them are fast and easy,
making them the perfect
choice for a quick and
healthy meal. This lesson
provides information about
fish and shellfish, ways on
preparing and cooking fish,
along with some of the most
popular seafood recipes, and
presenting and storing
seafood.
Classifications of Seafood
Fish products are divided
into two categories
1. Fin fish – fish with fins
and internal skeletons
A. Saltwater fish –
 Flatfish
 Round fish
B. Freshwater fish
 Cat fish
 Eel
 Tilapia
2. Shell fish – fish with
external shells but no
internal bone structure.
 They have hard outer
shells.

Two classifications of
Shellfish

A. Mollusks – are soft sea

animals
 Bivalves – they have a
pair of hinged shells
(clams, oysters)
 Univalves – they have
a single shell (abalone)
 Cephalopods –
(octopus, squid)
 B. Crustaceans – are
animals with segmented
shells and jointed legs
(shrimps, crabs)
Composition and
Structure:
Fish consists of water,
protein, fats and small
amount of minerals and
vitamins.
Fish has very little
connective tissue. It means:

1. Fish cooks very quickly,

even at low heat.
 2. Fish is naturally tender.
High heat will result to
toughening of protein.
3. Moist-heat methods are
used not to create
tenderness but to preserve
moistness and provide
variety.
4. Cooked fish must be
handled very carefully.

1. Fat Fish -- are those that

are high in fat. (salmon,
tuna, trout, mackerel)
2. Lean Fish – are those that
are low in fat. (sole, cod, red
snapper, bass)

Market Forms

1. Whole
or round –
completely
intact, as
caught

2. Drawn –
viscera
removed
 3. Dressed --
viscera,
scales, head,
tail and fins
removed

4. Steaks – cross-
section slices,
each containing a
section of
backbone
5. Fillets – boneless
side of fish, with or
without skin

6. Butterflied fillets –
both sides of a fish
still joined, but with
bones removed

7. Sticks or tranches
– cross-section
slices of fillets
Characteristics and Market
forms of Shellfish

Shellfish
Characteristics
Mollusks
 Oysters have rough,
irregular shells.
 Flesh of oyster is
extremely soft and
delicate and contains
high percentage of
water.
 Hard-shell clams – can
be eaten raw
 Soft-shell clams are
called steamers. The
usual way to cook is to
steam.
 The shells of mussels
are not as heavy as
clamshells, yellow to
orange in color and firm
but tender when cooked.
 Scallops are creamy
white in color and have a
sweet flavor.
  Squid is somewhat
chewy and are cut up or
either fried quickly.

Crustaceans
 The lobster shell is dark
green or bluish green but
turns red when cooked.
 Live lobster must be
alive when cooked.
Market Forms
Mollusks
1. live in the shell
2. shucked – fresh or
frozen
 3. canned

Crustaceans
1. live
2. cooked meat, fresh or
frozen
Checking freshness of fish
Fin Fish
1. Fresh and mild
odor
2. Eyes are clear,
shiny and bulging
3. Red or pink
gills

4. Texture of
flesh is firm or
elastic

5. Shiny scales,
and tightly cling,
on skin
Shellfish
1. Oysters, clams, mussels
in the shell must be alive.
Tightly closed shells when
jostled.
2. Live or shucked oysters
must have a very mild,
sweet smell.
3. Discard any mussels that
are very light in weight or
seem to be hollow.
4. Strong fishy odor or a
brownish color is a sign of
age or spoilage.
5. Live lobster must be
alive when cooked. The
meat will be firm and the tail
springs back when
straightened.
6. Frozen shrimp should be
solidly frozen when
received.
7. Glazed shrimp should be
shiny with no freezer burn.
8. All shrimps should smell
fresh and sweet. A strong
fishy or iodine smell
indicates age or spoilage.
 9. Live crabs should be
kept alive until cooked.
10. Frozen crabmeat should
be treated like any other
frozen fish.

Handling and Storage of

Fish
Fresh Fish
1. Store on crushed ice.
Use drip pans to allow for
drainage of melted ice.
Change ice daily. Cover
container or store in
 separate box away from
other foods.
Whole fish should be
drawn because entrails
deteriorate rapidly.
Cut fish should be wrapped
or left in original moisture-
proof wrap.
2. In refrigerated box at 30°
to 34°F (-1° to 1°C.
3. Fresh fish may be stored
for 1 to 2 days. If kept
longer, wrap and freeze
immediately.
 4. Check store fish for
freshness just before
using.

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 0°F (-18°C. or
colder.
4. Maximum storage time
Fat fish -- 2 months
 Lean fish -- 6 months
5. Rotate stock – first
in, first out
Thawing and Handling of
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
and steaks can be cooked
from frozen state to prevent
excessive drip loss. Large
 fish should be thawed for
even cooking.
3. Fillets that are to be
breaded can be partially
thawed.
4. Handle thawed fish as
fresh fish. Do not refreeze.
5. Breaded, battered and
other frozen prepared fish
items are mostly cooked
from frozen state.
Shellfish

1. MUSSELS
Keep refrigerated (32°F
to 35°F/0° to 2°C). and
protect from light. Store
in original sack and keep
sack damp.
2. SCALLOPS
 Shucked scallops can be
cooked without further
preparation.
 Keep scallops covered
and refrigerated (30°F to
 34°F). Do not let
them rest directly on ice
or they
will lose flavor
and become watery.

3. LOBSTERS
 Live lobsters are either
live or cup up before
cooking. Live lobsters are
plunged head first into
boiling water, then simmered
for 5 – 6 minutes. If served
hot, they are drained well
and split in half, and claws
are cracked.
 Live lobsters can be kept
in two ways
1. packed in moist
seaweed, kept in a cool
place
2. in saltwater
 Cooked lobster meat
must be covered and
refrigerated at 30° to
34°F. It is very perishable
and should be used in 1 –
2 days.
 4. SHRIMPS
 Kept frozen at 0°F (-
18°C). or lower
 Thaw in refrigerator
 Peeled shrimp should be
wrapped before
placing on ice
 Shrimp served hot must be
peeled and
deveined before
cooking
 Shrimp to be served cold,
must be peeled after

cooking to preserve flavor.

5. CRABS
 Live crabs should be
kept alive until cooked.
 Frozen crabmeat is very
perishable when
thawed. It must be
treated like any other
frozen fish.
 Cooking Techniques for
Fish and Shellfish
Fish is very delicate and
easily overcooked. During
cooking, 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.
 Guidelines for Baking
Fish

1. Fat fish are best for

baking because they are
less likely to dry out.
2. Lean fish may be baked
but care should be taken
not to overcook it. Basting
with butter or oil helps
prevent drying.
3. Baking temperature is
350°F to 400°F.
4. Served baked fish with a
sauce or seasoned butter
 to enhance moistness and
improve palatability.
Guidelines for Broiling or
Grilling Fish
1. Overcooking should be
avoided in cooking fish.
2. Select appropriate fish
for broiling or grilling.
3. Fat fish and lean fish
should be coated with fat
before broiling to reduce
drying.
4. Lean fish may be
dredged in flour before
dipping in oil or melted
 butter. The flour helps form
a flavorful browned crust.
5. To prevent splitting
during cooking, score the
skin with a sharp knife. For
small fillets, scoring may
not be necessary.
6. Broil fish to order and
serve immediately.
7. Broiled fish may be
garnished lightly with
paprika if more color is
desired.
Thick cuts should be turned
once during broiling in order
to cook evenly. Thin pieces
may be arranged on an oiled
pan and broiled on one side
only. Lobster is also broiled
without turning
Guidelines for Sautéing
and Pan Frying Fish and
Shellfish

1. Lean fish are suited to

sautéing because of the
added fat.
2. Fat fish can be sautéed
with care so as not to
become greasy.
3. Breading the fish with
flour or starchy products
forms a crust that browns
attractively, enhances
flavor, helps hold the fish
and prevent sticking.
4. Use fat, enough to cover
the bottom of the pan.
5. Be sure the pan is hot
before adding fish. Small
items are sautéed over
high heat, larger items
require lower heat to cook
evenly.
6. Very large fish may be
browned in fat, and
finished in an oven,
uncovered.
7. Brown the most
attractive side – the
presentation side.
8. Handle fish carefully
during and after cooking to
avoid breaking the fish.
9. Sauté or fry to order and
serve immediately.
Guidelines in Deep-Frying

1. Lean fish, both whole or

small portions, and
shellfish like shrimps,
clams and oysters are best
for deep-frying.

2. Fish to be fried is
breaded or buttered to
prevent sticking from frying
pan. The batter also
provides a crisp, flavorful,
and attractive coating.
3. Frozen breaded fish can
be fried without thawing.

4. Fried fish is usually

served with lemon or cold
sauce such as tartar,
remoulade or cocktail
sauce on the side.

5. The oil used should be

enough to submerge the
food item during frying.
Plate/Present Seafood
Dishes

Part of serving any kind of

food is presentation. You
don’t have to be a trained
chef to learn the basics of
plating, which is the art of
presenting food in an
attractive way.
Fundamental of Plating

1. Balance – select foods

and garnishes that offer
variety and contrast

 color – two or three

colors on a plate
 shapes – variety of
shapes
 textures – variety of
textures
 flavors –
2. Portion size
 match portion sizes and
plates – select plates
large enough to hold all
the items without
crowding
 balance the portion sizes
of the items on the plate –
don’t let the main item get
lost with excessive
garnish
 arrangement on the plate
–
 Guidelines to help
plating attractive
1. Keep food off the rim of
the plate.
2. Arrange the items for
the convenience of the
customer.
3. Keep space between
items. Each item should
have its own identity.
4. Maintain unity. Create a
center of attention and
relate everything to it
5. Make every component
count.
 6. Add gravy or sauce
attractively.
7. Keep it simple.

3. Serve hot foods hot, on

hot plates
Serve cold foods cold, on
cold plates
Serving Baked Fish

 Serve baked fish with a

sauce or seasoned butter to
enhance moistness and
improves palatability. Serving
 with lemon also enhances the
fish.
 For service, the fish is
removed from the dish, the
liquid is strained, degreased,
reduced and finished by
adding butter, cream or
veloute sauce.

Serving Broiled Lobster

Serve immediately with
melted butter or appropriate
sauce and garnish.
Serving Sautéed and Pan
Fried
 Remove the fish with
spatula and place on serving
plate with presentation side
up.
 Sprinkle fish with lemon
juice and chopped parsley.
 Heat raw butter in the sauté
pan until it turns light brown.
Pour over fish immediately
and serve at once.