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The growing popularity of fish and shellfish is hardly a surprise. Seafood recipes are rich source of protein, vitamins, and minerals and is low in fat. And oily fish, such as salmon and tuna, are high in omega-3 fatty acids,which can lower blood cholesterol levels.
The surface of a whole fish should glisten but not look slimy. Ask the fishmonger to show you the gills; they should be bright red with no tinge of brown.
The eyes should not be sunken, but don't worry if they are clouded over, because the eyes of some fish lose their shine soon after they are caught.
Fish fillets and steaks are often sold in plastic wrapped trays. Look for fish that appears moist and has no gaps in the flesh, which should feel firm through the plastic. The meat of dark fish, such as tuna, should not contain any rainbow streaks.
Whether you prefer a spicy meal or a more subtle taste sensation, this list of best seafood recipes with pictures offers you a fantastic range of ways to cook all types of seafood, ranging from easy recipes like scampi and Cajun fried fish, to more formal recipes including linguini with clam sauce and scallops Provencal. And cooking with fish and seafood employs a wide range of cooking techniques (top right side of page), from frying and grilling to poaching and baking, so this list of fish and shellfish recipes with pictures will also help you to improve your cooking skills.
Here's the simple secret to cooking fish successfully: don't overcook it. Cook it until the flesh is just opaque throughout; it will continue to cook after it has been removed from the heat. Before cooking fillets, especially thick ones, run your fingers over the flesh to feel for any stray bones. Remove them with tweezers set aside for that purpose. To check fish fillets or steaks for doneness, use the tip of a small knife to separate the flesh in the thickest part; it should be uniformly opaque. To check whole fish, make an incision at the backbone to see if the flesh is opaque or insert an instant read thermometer in the thickest part near the backbone; it should read 135° to 140°F. When cooking clams, mussels, or oysters, scrub the shells well under cold running water to remove any surface sand and grit.
To prepare a shrimp, pull or cut off the head with a knife. Tear off the legs on the inside curve of the body and pull off the shell, beginning at the head end and leaving the tail intact if specified in the recipe. The dark, vein like intestinal tract that runs down the back of the shrimp is innocuous but is often removed for aesthetic reasons. To remove it, use a small, sharp knife to cut a small groove along the back of the shrimp. With the tip of the knife, lift out and gently scrape away the dark tract. Done.
