What should consumers keep in mind when
buying seafood? After years of watching customers deliberate, the boss has
advice for the novice fish buyer: come in with an open mind and open eyes. While you may have a general idea of what
you’re looking for, leave it up to what is available that day.
Freshness comes first. When selecting a whole fish, check for moist,
firm skin, clear eyes and red gills. A
fresh fish or fillet should be free of discoloration—brown areas indicate the
blood has been oxidized. Don’t be afraid
to smell it—remember fresh fish should not smell at all fishy. If possible, store fish on crushed ice—cubed
ice can cause bruising.
…
Methods for cooking fish depend on oil
content. Lean white fish like flounder
and snapper are easily overcooked unlike oilier white fish like Chilean seabass
or black cod. To avoid overcooking, try
steaming, pan frying or baking in sauce.
Oily fish like salmon, swordfish, tuna and mackerel hold up well if grilled
or broiled. To insure fish is cooked thoroughly, estimate ten minutes per inch
of thickness: for a one inch thick piece, cook each side for five minutes. The
FDA advises cooking to an internal temperature of 145°F. Author Aliza Green recommends super-chilling
fish in the freezer for thirty minutes before cooking to get a brown crust
while keeping the inside rare.
“Simplest
is best,” my uncle affirms. After thirty years of recipe reading and
experimenting, he sticks by the winning combination of olive oil, a good salt,
pepper and a little lemon zest.
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