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Selecting and caring for fish

Fresh fish or fish that was frozen while fresh, has full or bulging bright eyes, bright red gills, firm and elastic flesh and fresh odor.

Be sure that the flesh along the back-bone smells fresh; it spoils there first. Fresh fish sinks in fresh water. If it floats, it should not be used.

As soon as fish comes from the market, clean it and put it into the refrigerator or other cool place until it is needed.

Selecting fish

Fish that is frozen immediately after it is caught, and is kept frozen until the time for cooking does not lose its flavor. It is preferable to clean and draw it without thawing, but if it is too hard to handle soak in cold water or allow thawing in the refrigerator overnight until just flexible. Skinning is sometimes easier than scaling. Then it should be cooked at once without further thawing. Quick frozen fish on the market today is cleaned and ready for use. Cook at once without thawing, allowing only slightly more than the usual time allotted to broiling or baking as the case may be..

When cooking seafood, always have a sensual touch there is sheer hedonism in eating the unique creatures that reside in the waters of the Earth, with all their delicious textures and flavors. I encourage you to begin a journey of exploration with seafood unlike any you have made before.

Try new species and test new cooking methods

The possibilities are endless. I work with a variety of purveyors to secure seafood from around the world, and my interest just keeps growing. As with fruits and vegetables, I'm only interested in working with seafood that is in season. This is so important, because it almost guarantees a wonderfully flavorful product. Many people are unaware that fish and shellfish are seasonal, but they certainly are. Everything on Earth has a season, and seafood is no exception.

When selecting mollusks, pay close attention to the shells. Fresh mollusks, such as mussels, should have hard, well cupped shells; avoid those that are broken. Before preparing for cooking, gently tap each shell-if it does not close, the mollusk is dead and not safe for consumption.

While I'm not a great fan of fish farms, I do believe there is a place for them. Catfish, a "bottom feeder" from the United States' Deep South, is a wonderful example of a fish that, when produced with the necessary care and restrictions, is being farmed very successfully. I would love to see every fish farm across America producing fish of such high quality. My main concern with most farming is that the fish are raised in a restricted area, which makes them more prone to disease. They have to be given antibiotics, and most people would prefer the fish they eat to be antibiotic-free.

Storing and preparing fish and shellfish

Purchase fresh fish as close to the day of cooking and serving as possible, since it is highly perishable. However, it can be kept for up to 24 hours, and following a few simple steps will ensure its quality and safety. Whole fish should be stored whole on crushed ice in the refrigerator. Place crushed ice in a pan to catch drips if melting takes place, and then place the fish on top. Cover the entire fish with more crushed ice and place in the refrigerator. Fillets should be placed in a plastic or metal container, which is then covered with plastic wrap. Set this covered container on crushed ice in the refrigerator.

Never store fillets in direct contact with crushed ice because contact with water will cause the fillets to break down. Shellfish, still in their original bags, should be stored in the refrigerator in a bowl covered with wet paper towels. Shellfish should never come in direct contact with ice or cold water. Frozen fish should be stored, in its packaging, in the freezer. Before using, let it thaw in the refrigerator for 24 hours. Never thaw fish by microwaving or by putting it into direct contact with water. Fish preparation is not as daunting as you might think.

The basic techniques for fish

The basic techniques for whole fish are cleaning, scaling, gutting, and cutting or filleting, with slightly different methods used for flatfish and round fish. Of course you can buy fish already prepared, but it is unlikely to be as fresh as whole fish you deal with yourself, and you are able to control how it is done. It is best to avoid handling shellfish until you are ready to prepare them for immediate cooking.