Fish & Seafood Articles

Article / Updated 03-11-2021

Show me someone who doesn’t love crispy fried fish, and I’ll show you someone who doesn’t like fish . . . period. But not all fried fish are equal. Some recipes call for so much batter that the fish inside is almost an afterthought. Batter is there for two reasons. First, crisp and crunchy are surefire additions to the pleasure of pretty much any food. Second, a successful batter coats the fish so that it gently steams inside its crispy overcoat. The following recipe is about the lightest batter I have ever come across. It calls for regular all-purpose flour and then rice flour—which is the flour that they use in tempura. Beer has long been used by camp cooks to lighten a batter (something about the bubbles and evaporating alcohol aerate the batter). A splash of vodka (more alcohol) cooks off to make it even lighter. If you don’t have vodka, you can use gin. And if you don’t have gin, then rum will work fine. If you are moved to make a cocktail while you are at it, I’m not going to tell you no. Beer Battered Fish Prep time: 20 minutes Cook time: 3–5 minutes Yield: 4 servings Ingredients 1-1/2 pounds fish fillet, divided into 8 portions 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt 1/2 cup white rice flour, plus more for dusting 1/2 cup all-purpose flour 1/4 heaping teaspoon baking powder 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt 1/4 cup vodka (or gin or rum) 3/4 cup lager beer (your brand of choice) 8 cups canola or grapeseed oil Directions Salt the fish to taste and set aside. Mix the remaining dry ingredients in a bowl. Add the vodka and beer, then whisk until smooth. Heat the oil to 350 degrees F in a deep fryer. If you don’t have a deep fryer, you can use a deep pot, like a cast-iron kettle. Check the temperature carefully with a thermometer. Dip the fish in the batter. Using tongs (or very carefully with your fingers) lower the battered pieces of fillet about halfway into the hot oil for about 5 seconds (real one-Mississippi, two-Mississippi seconds). Let go and fry until golden, about 2 minutes, a little longer for really thick filets minutes. Using a slotted spoon, remove the fish and drain it on a rack or paper towels. If you let the batter sit for a while before you fry up the fish, you may need to add a little more liquid right before you fry it. You want batter that’s a bit thinner than pancake batter. Lowering the battered fish into the oil for 5 seconds before letting it go sets the batter so that when you let go of the whole piece, it doesn’t sink to the bottom or stick to the other pieces.

Article / Updated 03-11-2021

If you ever want something different for a big family meal at Christmas or Easter (or whenever), this is as dramatic a presentation as any turkey or standing rib roast. Encasing the fish in wet salt seals all the moisture in so it’s pretty hard to dry out the fish. If you don’t have an oven big enough to hold the whole fish, you can cut off the tail and/or the head and wrap the ends of the fish in tin foil. Then when you roast the fish, put a large sheet pan under your roasting pan so if the wet salt bubbles over, you won’t get it all over the oven. For a bigger oven, you can put the fish, vegetables, and salt on a large sheet pan and then line the lower oven rack of the oven with tin foil to catch any spill-over. Finally, when it’s all cooked, you crack open the salt crust. Do it right next to the sink. Spread out some newspapers. Put the roasting pan on the newspaper and then crack open the salt and toss it in the sink. You can run the water in the sink from time to time to dissolve the salt. Invite your guests to stand nearby while you de-mummify the fish and vegetables. Watching this happen never fails to delight and amaze folks. All that salt doesn’t affect the flavor of the fish at all. It simply seals in all the moisture and cooks everything evenly. Salt-Baked Big Fish and Vegetables with Fresh Salsa Prep time: 30 minutes Cook time: About an hour Yield: 8–10 servings Ingredients Salsa (see the following recipe) 8 carrots, trimmed and peeled Five 3-pound boxes kosher salt 4 cups water 1 cleaned, unscaled 8-pound striped bass (or redfish, salmon, weakfish, or bluefish) 6 medium potatoes 6 medium sweet potatoes Directions Wrap the carrots in foil to make a sealed bundle. Heat the oven to 500 degrees F (or 450 degrees F if that’s as high as your oven goes). Pour all the salt into a very large bowl or the sink. Add 4 cups water and toss the salt to dampen it. The consistency should be like spring snow, slightly wet and lightly clumping. If necessary, add more water. In a large roasting pan, tamp down a 1-inch layer of damp salt. Place the fish on top of the salt, diagonally in the pan. Arrange the potatoes, sweet potatoes, and foil-wrapped carrots snugly around the sides of the fish. Insert an ovenproof (not instant-read) meat thermometer in the thickest part of the fish and leave it there so that you can monitor the temperature of the fish. Add more damp salt to cover everything, making a thick layer over the fish and vegetables. Tamp the salt down just like when you bury someone in sand at the beach. Place a sheet pan in the lower third of the oven and then put the roasting pan on top of it. Bake until a thermometer reaches 140–145 degrees, about 55 minutes. Take the roasting pan from the oven and allow it to rest at room temperature for 20 minutes. Tap the salt crust with a hammer or mallet until it cracks. Discard the salt. Remove the carrots. Brush any remaining salt from the potatoes, sweet potatoes, and fish; then lift off the fish skin. To serve, use two large spoons to lift pieces of fish and transfer to plates. Put some carrot, potato, and sweet potato on each plate. Pour salsa (recipe follows) over the fish, and the vegetables too, if you like. Salsa Ingredients 2 cups olive oil 1 cup chopped parsley 1/2 cup chopped garlic 1/2 cup fresh oregano Zest of two lemons, diced or grated Flaky salt to taste Cracked black pepper to taste Directions Combine all the ingredients in a small bowl. Cover and set aside until you are ready to serve.

Video / Updated 03-28-2016

Deveining shrimp means taking off the shrimp shell and the vein that runs along the back. This video shows you how to devein and peel shrimp with a deveiner and a tiny fork.

Article / Updated 03-26-2016

This easy tuna recipe, which has a faintly sweet and heartily spicy glaze, keeps the tuna moist and infuses it with some of the sauce flavors. If you don’t have a pan big enough to cook all the tuna steaks at the same time, use a smaller skillet, and cook the tuna in batches. Preparation time: About 15 minutes Cooking time: About 15 minutes Yield: 4 servings 4 tuna steaks, each about 6 to 7 ounces and 3/4-inch thick Few dashes of salt and pepper for each steak 2 tablespoons butter 1 cup white wine or white grape juice 1 tablespoon red chili paste 1/2 teaspoon dried ground ginger 1 tablespoon brown sugar 1 tablespoon dark sesame oil Season both sides of the tuna steaks with salt and pepper. Melt the butter over medium-high heat in a large nonstick skillet or sauté pan large enough to hold the steaks in one layer. Add the tuna to the pan and cook until lightly browned on both sides, about 3 minutes per side. Transfer the steaks to a warm platter and cover with foil. Leave the cooking butter in the skillet and scrape the bottom of the pan with a wooden spoon to loosen the browned bits clinging to the pan. Add the wine, turn up the heat to high, and cook until about half the liquid in the pan evaporates It should evaporate by half in less than a minute, so be ready! This step intensifies the flavor of the sauce. Lower the heat to medium. Add the chili paste, ginger, brown sugar, and sesame oil. Stir continuously until the ingredients are well combined. Add the tuna steaks back into the pan, along with any juices that have accumulated around the steaks, and bring to a simmer. Cook for about 1 minute or until warmed through, turning once to coat the steaks in the glaze. Don’t overcook! Overcooked tuna turns dry and tough. The center should be moist with just a hint of pink. Using a flat metal spatula, remove each tuna steak to an individual plate. Spoon a little of the sauce over each serving and serve immediately. Per serving: Calories 274 (From Fat 96); Fat 11g (Saturated 4g); Cholesterol 89mg; Sodium 305mg; Carbohydrate 4g (Dietary Fiber 0g); Protein 38g.

Article / Updated 03-26-2016

This herb-seasoned mahi mahi is a tender and flavorful fish dish with a simple coating of bread crumbs. Serve this herbed mahi mahi recipe with several green vegetables and rice. You can substitute flounder, halibut, red snapper, or almost any other fish, if you prefer. Preparation time: 10 to 15 minutes Cooking time: 20 to 25 minutes Yield: 4 servings 1 lemon 2 cloves garlic 1/2 cup fat-free or lowfat mayonnaise 1/4 cup fat-free Parmesan topping or grated Parmesan cheese 1 teaspoon dried basil 1 teaspoon dried oregano 1/2 cup herbed bread crumbs 4 4-ounce mahi mahi fillets Freshly ground black pepper 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Juice the lemon. Peel and mince the garlic. In a small bowl, place 1 tablespoon lemon juice, the garlic, mayonnaise, Parmesan cheese, basil, and oregano. Mix well. Place the bread crumbs on a flat plate. With your hands, rub both sides of the fish with the mayonnaise mixture. Coat each fillet with the bread crumbs on the plate. Place the fillets in a 13-x-9-inch baking dish. Season with pepper to taste. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes or until the fish is opaque in the center. Sprinkle with the parsley and serve.

Article / Updated 03-26-2016

If you love grilled salmon or smoked fish, you’ll enjoy making (and eating!) this recipe on your covered charcoal grill. You cook this salmon fillet by using a cloud of steady smoke, made by throwing handfuls of pre-soaked wood chips over the coals, to permeate the dry-cured salmon’s delicate flesh, infusing it with incomparable flavor. Preparation time: 15 minutes, plus 6 hours to dry-cure the salmon Grilling time: 25 to 30 minutes Yield: 6 servings 2-pound salmon fillet with skin, about 1 inch at thickest point 1/4 cup coarse kosher salt 1/4 cup light brown sugar, packed 1 teaspoon garlic powder 1 teaspoon pepper Oil for brushing the aluminum foil and the salmon About 3 to 4 cups hardwood chips, presoaked Lemon slices and watercress sprigs for garnish (optional) Rinse the fillet and pat dry with paper towels. Check the salmon for any small pin bones and remove them. Place the fillet completely flat in a non-reactive dish or container. In a small bowl, mix together the salt, sugar, garlic powder, and pepper. Sprinkle the mixture onto both sides of the fillet. Let the fish sit in the refrigerator for at least 6 hours, or overnight. The longer the fillet sits in the sugar-salt rub, the more intense and salty the flavor. Half an hour before smoking the fish, prepare a small fire in a covered charcoal or gas grill. Use about 40 briquettes for a charcoal grill. A drip pan isn’t necessary. If using a gas grill, set the temperature to low, about 300 degrees F, and prepare an indirect fire. Rinse the fillet thoroughly under cold running water. Cut a piece of aluminum foil about 1 inch longer and wider than the fillet. Perforate the foil with a fork in about 6 to 7 places. Oil the foil lightly. Place the fillet on the foil, skin-side down. Brush the top of the fillet lightly with oil. When the coals are hot, bank them to one side of the grill and top with 2 large handfuls of the presoaked wood chips. Place the fillet on the grid, opposite the coals or heat. Cover the grill, half-closing the top vents. Cook without turning for about 25 to 30 minutes or until the flesh is firm and opaque but not dry. The actual cooking time depends on the thickness of the fish and the intensity of the heat. An instant-thermometer will register 140 degrees F in the thickest part of the fillet when done. Start testing for doneness after 20 minutes. Be sure to add more wood chips, after about 15 minutes and as necessary, to keep a steady supply of flavored smoke. Remove the fillet from the grill and let stand 3 to 4 minutes. Carefully invert the fillet onto a large platter and peel off the aluminum foil. The skin will stick to the foil and should be discarded. Invert the skinless fillet onto a second platter with the colorful bright flesh facing up. Cover and refrigerate for several hours or until completely chilled. If desired, garnish the platter with watercress and slices of fresh lemons.

Article / Updated 03-26-2016

If you don't cook much seafood, you may wonder how to tell when it’s done. All kinds of seafood give you clear indications of doneness, you just have to know what you’re looking for. Whole fish: The easiest way to check is to pull on the dorsal fin (on the back of the fish). If it comes out easily, it’s done; if not, it needs more cooking. Fish fillet or steak: Done when it flakes easily with a fork. Salmon and tuna are darkish pink at the center when medium. White fish should be glistening and wet-looking only at the innermost core. Scallops: Turn opaque when done, but the center should be barely opaque. Scallops become rubbery when overcooked. Shrimp: Takes only a couple of minutes to cook and turns pink when done. Mussels, clams, and oysters: Give you a clear indication that they’re cooked — their shells open when they’re done, no matter how you cook them, like a built-in kitchen timer. If the shell is still closed after cooking, discard it. Unless the recipe instructs you to do otherwise, remove all cooked fish from the heat or the poaching liquid immediately.