Seafood Cooking Tips

Fish is perfect to poach, pan fry, oven bake or barbeque, and can be protected with batters and coatings when frying. Seafood is a very delicate medium, so just make sure you keep an eye on it when cooking. Shellfish only needs a minimum amount of cooking or it will toughen, so make sure not to add it too early to a dish.

Most seafood has a distinct, fresh flavour which is sometimes subtle and sometimes stronger. The subtle flavours are perfectly protected and balanced with coatings and batters and also lend themselves to Asian flavours such as lime, chilli, coriander and lemongrass. The stronger flavours such as smoked cod, salmon and ocean trout are delicious with flavoursome sauces, marinades and crusts such as Cajun or Mediterranean.

Seafood must of course be very fresh, and usually requires very little cooking. Coatings, batters and seasonings in the Simply Seafood range can assist in keeping in moisture and maintaining the delicate flavours of fresh product.

When cooking prawns, lobster or even some fresh fish, try not to allow to over cook or stew. Usually once flesh changes colour it is ready to eat. Some seafood is also best served rare, or even raw, such as salmon, tuna and freshly shucked oysters. Just add a dipping sauce such as soy, sesame and ginger, and some cracked black pepper.

Types of fish cuts

Fillet: The boneless flank of the fish.
Dressed: With head and fins (entrails, scales and gills are removed).
Steak: Cross-sections taken from a dressed fish.
Gutted: Whole fish with entrails removed.

Healthy ways to cook fish

Baking: Make shallow cuts along the top of the fish. Put into a greased dish and cover with foil. Flavour with herbs, lemon juice and olive oil. Bake at around 180°C and baste frequently.
Shallow frying: Dry and flour the fish. Place a small amount of oil or butter in the pan. Fry the fish at a medium heat.
Grilling: Cut slashes into whole fish to help the heat penetrate the flesh. Place fish on a preheated grill. Baste frequently.
Poaching: Not suitable for flaky varieties. Place fish in gently simmering stock. Whole fish should be placed in a pan of cold stock, which is then slowly brought up to a gentle simmer.
Steaming: Put fish in a steamer or on a plate over a saucepan containing gently boiling water. Cover

Cooking times for fresh fish

To estimate the cooking time of a fresh piece of fish, measure the meat at its thickest part. Suggested cooking times include:

1 cm thick – bake for 3 minutes, shallow fry for 4 minutes, grill for 5 minutes, poach for 8 minutes, steam for 3 minutes.
2 cm thick – bake for 11 minutes, shallow fry for 7 minutes, grill for 6 minutes, poach for 10 minutes, steam for 7 minutes.
3 cm thick – bake for 15 minutes, shallow fry for 10 minutes, grill for 9 minutes, poach for 12 minutes, steam for 11 minutes.
4 cm thick – bake for 20 minutes, shallow fry for 13 minutes, grill for 11 minutes, poach for 13 minutes, steam for 14 minutes.

Cooking times for frozen fish

To estimate the cooking time of a frozen piece of fish, measure the meat at its thickest part. Suggested cooking times include:

1 cm thick – bake for 17 minutes, shallow fry for 7 minutes, grill for 12 minutes, poach for 10 minutes, steam for 5 minutes.
2 cm thick – bake for 22 minutes, shallow fry for 11 minutes, grill for 15 minutes, poach for 15 minutes, steam for 11 minutes.
3 cm thick – bake for 35 minutes, shallow fry for 15 minutes, grill for 24 minutes, poach for 22 minutes, steam for 13 minutes.
4 cm thick – bake for 39 minutes, shallow fry for 18 minutes, grill for 28 minutes, poach for 28 minutes, steam for 16 minutes.