In this article, the focus is on selecting, storing, and preserving various types of fish. Fish constitute a significant portion of the diet due to their abundance and relative ease of harvesting.
Fish
Fish are valuable not only as excellent sources of protein but also for their versatility in menus, as they can be cooked and presented in numerous ways. The diverse textures, tastes, and appearances of different fish types are indispensable to creative caterers.
Nutritional Value of Fish
Fish serves as a valuable source of animal protein, comparable to meat. Oily fish, such as sardines, mackerel, herrings, and salmon, contain vitamins A and D in their flesh, while white fish, such as halibut and cod, have these vitamins in their livers.
As all fish contain protein, they are excellent for bodybuilding. Oily fish, due to their fat content, provide energy and serve as protective foods because of their vitamins.
The edible bones of sardines, whitebait, and tinned salmon supply calcium and phosphorus. However, oily fish, due to their fat content, are less digestible than white fish and are not suitable for invalids.
1. Purchasing Fish
Fresh fish are purchased by the kilogram, by the number of fillets, or as whole fish of the desired weight. For example, 30 kg (66 lb) of salmon could be ordered as 2 x 15 kg (33 lb), 3 x 10 kg (22 lb), or 6 x 5 kg (11 lb). Frozen fish can be bought in 15 kg (33 lb) blocks.
Fish may be purchased on the bone, filleted, in steaks, or as supremes. (The approximate loss from boning and waste is 50% for flat fish and 60% for round fish.) Fillets of plaice and sole are graded by weight, ranging from 45 g (1.5 oz) to 180 g (6 oz) per fillet, increasing in increments of 15 g (0.5 oz).
2. Storage of Fish
i. Fresh fish are stored in a fish-box containing ice, in a separate refrigerator or a designated section of a refrigerator used solely for fish, at a temperature of 1–2°C (34–36°F). The temperature must remain just above freezing.
ii. Frozen fish must be stored in a deep-freeze cabinet or compartment at -18°C (0°F).
iii. Smoked fish should be kept in a refrigerator.
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Types of Fish
Fish are categorized as follows:
1. Oily Fish
1. Anchovies: Small, round fish, primarily tinned, supplied in 60 g and 390 g tins, filleted and packed in oil, used for anchovy butter, sauces, garnishes, savories, snacks, and salads.
2. Common Eel: Freshwater eels, farmed, grow up to 1 m (39 in), must be kept alive until just before cooking, typically used in fish stews.
3. Conger Eel: Dark grey sea fish with white flesh, grow up to 3 m (10 ft), used similarly to common eels or smoked.
4. Herring: Fresh herrings used for breakfast/lunch, grilled, fried, or soused; kippers (split, salted, dried, smoked herrings) served for breakfast or as a savory, average weight 250 g (9 oz); king fish (Spanish mackerel family) have orangey-pink flesh.
5. Mackerel: Grilled, shallow-fried, smoked, or soused for breakfast/lunch, flesh deteriorates quickly so must be fresh, average weight 360 g (12 oz).
6. Pilchards: Mature sardines, grow up to 24 cm (10 in), distinctive flavor, best grilled or baked.
7. Salmon: Renowned river fish, imported from Scandinavia, Canada, Germany, Japan, used fresh, tinned, or smoked in various dishes.
8. Salmon Trout (Sea Trout): Sea fish similar to salmon but smaller, used similarly, average weight 1.1–2 kg (3–4 lb).
9. Sardines: Small pilchard family fish, usually tinned for hors d’oeuvres, sandwiches, savories; fresh sardines can be grilled or fried.
10. Sprats: Small fish, fried whole or smoked, served as hors d’oeuvres, sandwiches, or savories.
11. Trout: Found in rivers, lakes, or trout farms, poached, grilled, shallow-fried, or smoked for hors d’oeuvres, average weight 200 g (7 oz).
12. Tuna: Dark reddish-brown flesh lightens when cooked, thin texture, mild flavor, best medium-rare to avoid drying, used fresh or tinned in hors d’oeuvres and salads.
13. Whitebait: Fry of herring (2–4 cm or 0.8–1.6 in), usually deep-fried.
2. White Flat Fish
1. Brill: Large flat fish often confused with turbot, oval with mottled brown skin and small scales, narrower than turbot, average weight 3–4 kg (7–9 lb), cooked similarly to turbot.
2. Dab: Oval-bodied with sandy-brown skin and green freckles, 20–30 cm (8–12 in), pleasant flavor when fresh, can be cooked by all methods.
3. Flounder: Oval with dull brown or greenish skin and orange freckles, 30 cm (12 in), watery flesh requires good seasoning, can be cooked by all methods.
4. Halibut: Long, narrow fish with brown, mottled skin, can reach 3 m (10 ft) and 150 kg (330 lb), valued for flavor, poached, boiled, grilled, shallow-fried, or smoked.
5. Megrim: Slender, sandy-brown body with dark blotches, 20–30 cm (8–12 in), soft flesh requires strong flavoring, best breadcrumbed and shallow-fried.
6. Plaice: Oval with dark brown skin and orange spots, used in various menus, typically deep-fried or grilled, average weight 360–450 g (12 oz–1 lb).
7. Skate: Ray family member, large, with only wings used, poached, shallow- or deep-fried, or cooked in court-bouillon with black butter.
8. Sole: Particularly Dover sole, considered the finest flat fish, poached, grilled, or fried, served whole or filleted with various garnishes.
9. Lemon Sole: Broader than Dover sole with yellowish-brown mottled skin, weighs up to 600 g (1 lb 5 oz), can be cooked by all methods.
10. Turbot: Scaleless, diamond-shaped with tubercules on dark skin, weighs 3.5–4 kg (8–9 lb), boiled, poached, grilled, or shallow-fried, whole, filleted, or in portions.
11. Witch: Similar to lemon sole with sandy-brown skin, best fried, poached, grilled, or steamed.
12. Barracuda: Game fish with reddish flesh that turns pastel white when cooked, mild-flavored, cooked as a supreme with skin on to prevent drying out.
13. Bass: Silvery-grey backs and white bellies, excellent flavor, soft, lean flesh, steamed, poached, stuffed, baked, or grilled in steaks, usual length 30 cm (1 ft), up to 60 cm (2 ft).
14. Bream: Short, oval, reddish, and plump, used in less expensive menus, typically filleted, deep-fried, stuffed, or baked, average weight 0.5–1 kg (1–2 lb), size 28–30 cm (11–12 in).
15. Carp: Freshwater fish, usually farmed, white flesh with good flavor, best poached in fillets or stuffed and baked, usual size 1–2 kg (2–4 lb).
16. Cod: Greenish, brownish, or olive-grey, can reach 1.5 m (5 ft), cut into steaks, filleted, or portioned, deep- or shallow-fried or poached, small cod called codling, average weight 2.5–3.5 kg (5.5–8 lb).
17. Coley (Saith, Coalfish, Blackjack): Dark greenish-brown or blackish, turns white when cooked, coarse, dry flesh best for mixed fish stews, soups, or pies, size 40–80 cm (16–31 in).
18. Dogfish (Huss, Flake, Rigg): Slender small sharks, versatile non-bony white or pink flesh, usually shallow- or deep-fried, length typically 60 cm (24 in), weight 1 kg (2.2 lb).
19. Grey Mullet: Scaly, grey-silver or blue-green body, firm, moist flesh with fine flavor, stuffed, baked, or grilled in steaks, refrigerated for two to three days without cleaning may enhance flavor, length about 30 cm (1 ft), weight 500 g (1 lb 2 oz).
20. Grouper: Varieties (brown spotted, golden strawberry, red speckled) have light pinkish flesh that cooks to greyish-white with mild flavor.
21. Gudgeon: Small fish from Continental lakes and rivers, deep-fried whole, “en goujon” refers to fish like sole or turbot cut into gudgeon-sized pieces.
22. Gurnard: Tasty fish family, has many culinary uses.
23. Haddock: Lighter than cod with a thumb mark on its side, suitable for all cooking methods, appears on various menus, smoked haddock served for breakfast, lunch, or savories, average weight 0.5–2 kg (1–4 lb).
24. Hake: Less plentiful due to overfishing, poached, easily digestible with delicate, white flesh.
25. John Dory: Thin, sandy-beige body with a “thumbprint of St Peter,” superb flavor, best poached, baked, or steamed, large head accounts for two-thirds of weight, usual size 36 cm (14 in).
26. Ling: Largest cod family member, mottled brown or green with white-edged fins, good flavor and texture, used like cod in fillets or cutlets, size up to 90 cm (3 ft).
27. Monkfish: Huge head and fish-shaped tail, brown with dark blotches, tail up to 180 cm (6 ft) and 1–10 kg (2–22 lb), firm, white, flavorful, cooked by all methods.
28. Pike: Long, greenish-brown body with toothy jaws, used for quenelles, braised, or steamed, usual length 60 cm (2 ft).
29. Perch: Shadowy vertical bars and vivid orange or red fins, excellent flavor, shallow-fried, grilled, baked, braised, or steamed, size 15–30 cm (6–12 in).
30. Pollack/Pollock: Cod family member, drier than cod, used for poaching, shallow-frying, soups, or stews, usual size 45 cm (18 in).
31. Red Gurnard (Grey and Yellow Gurnard May Also Be Available): Spiky, tapering body, good for stews, braising, and baking, size 20–30 cm (8–12 in).
32. Red Mullet: Sometimes cooked with liver for enhanced flavor, filleted or cooked whole, average weight 360 g (12 oz).
33. Rockfish: Term for cleaned and skinned catfish, coalfish, dogfish, or conger eel, usually deep-fried in batter.
34. Shark: Porbeagle, mako, or hammerhead sharks, bluish-grey with white bellies, grilled in steaks or as kebabs, size up to 3 m (10 ft).
35. Smelt: Small fish from river estuaries, deep-fried or grilled (split open), weight 60–90 g (2–3 oz).
36. Snapper: Brightly colored, best flavor in deep red or medium-sized varieties, steamed, fried, grilled, baked, or smoked.
37. Swordfish: Popularly grilled, barbecued, roasted, or shallow-fried.
38. Whiting: Easily digestible, suitable for invalids, poached, grilled, deep-fried, or used in fish stuffing, average weight 360 g (12 oz).
39. Wrasse: Variable colors tinged with red and blue, various culinary uses, can be baked or steamed.
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4. Shellfish
Shellfish are divided into:
- Crustaceans (e.g., lobster, crabs).
- Molluscs (e.g., oysters, mussels).
A. Crustaceans
1. Crabs: Used for hors d’oeuvres, cocktails, salads, dressed crabs, sandwiches, and bouchées; soft-shelled crabs eaten whole, deep- or shallow-fried, or grilled, with excellent flavor.
2. Crawfish: Resembling large lobsters without claws, brick red when cooked, used mostly for cold buffets but can be served hot, e.g., langouste parisienne (dressed crawfish Paris-style).
3. Crayfish: Small freshwater lobsters, dark brown or grey, turning pink when cooked, used for salads, garnishing cold buffet dishes, or lobster recipes, average size 8 cm (3 in).
4. Lobster: Served cold in cocktails, hors d’oeuvres, salads, sandwiches, and buffets, or hot in soups, grilled, or with various sauces.
5. Prawns: Larger than shrimps, used for garnishing, decorating fish dishes, cocktails, canapés, salads, hors d’oeuvres, or curried dishes, popular cold with mayonnaise-type sauces.
6. Scampi (Dublin Bay Prawn): Mediterranean shellfish resembling small lobsters, about 20 cm (8 in), only tail flesh used for fish dishes, garnishes, and salads.
7. Shrimps: Used for garnishes, decorating fish dishes, cocktails, sauces, salads, hors d’oeuvres, potted shrimps, omelets, and savories.
B. Molluscs
1. Clams: Soft or long-neck (razor, Ipswich) and small hard-shell (cherrystones) can be eaten raw; large clams steamed, fried, grilled, or used in soups (chowders) and sauces.
2. Cockles: Cream-colored shells of 2–3 cm (1–1.5 in), soaked in saltwater to purge, steamed or boiled, used in soups, salads, fish dishes, or served alone.
3. Mussels: Cultivated on wooden hurdles in the sea, tender and delicately flavored; British mussels good, French smaller, Dutch/Belgian plumper, quality varies by season, stored in boxes with damp sack in cold room, served hot, cold, or as garnish.
4. Oysters: Mostly eaten raw, must be thoroughly cleansed before reaching hotels or restaurants.
5. Scallops: Great scallops reach 15 cm (6 in), bay scallops 8 cm (3 in), queen scallops cockle-sized (“queenies”), steamed, poached, fried, or grilled.
6. Sea Urchin (Sea Hedgehog): Spine-covered spherical shells, edible orange and yellow roe eaten raw or used in soups or scrambled eggs, 10–20 urchins yield 200 g (7 oz) of roe.
7. Winkles: Small sea snails with delicious flavor, boiled for three minutes, served with garlic butter or in assorted shellfish dishes.
5. Cephalopods
1. Cuttlefish: Usually dark with pale stripes, reach 24 cm (10 in), available year-round, prepared like squid, may be stewed or gently grilled.
2. Octopus: Available year-round by number and weight, large species require tenderizing, small octopuses boiled then grilled or fried, stewing requires long cooking.
3. Squid: Mottled skin, white flesh, two tentacles, eight arms, flap-like fins, 15–30 cm (6–12 in), proper preparation ensures tenderness, stir-fried, fried, baked, grilled, or braised.
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