If you are new to cooking and are scared of venturing into seafood recipes, you are not alone. Most people are reluctant to cook fish and the closest seafood they are willing to prepare are prawns and shrimps. Despite the fact that fish is a white meat that doesn’t take time to tenderize, it is still tricky to handle which is why many people prefer not to try their hands on it. Many people also feel that it is a very monotonous food line and there is not much to play around with fish related recipes.
As a matter of fact, once you get the hang of it, fish will bring unimaginable variations and food options on your platter. The process of cooking a great fish recipe is not merely about the process and the ingredients but, it starts from buying the right fish. You should be able to examine the freshness of the fish, handle it the right way, clean it properly and make the right cuts before you proceed to the cooking process. Once you have your basics right, the cooking procedures become really easy. This quick beginner guide will help you prepare fish easily.
Buying the Right Fish
If you will take a stroll through a fish market, you will come across many fish neatly displayed in freezing units. A newbie would typically pick a random fish. The key to preparing a perfect fish recipe is to buy fresh yield of fish. Fish is the main ingredient of your food and you cannot afford to ruin it. Just because the seller told you that fish is fresh does not mean anything.
Educate yourself on how to choose the right fish. The IRS’s thing that you should check is that the fish should not have any freezer burns. Besides that, check if the skin is firm and does not feel soggy. Always buy your local produce or a frozen fish to make sure you are getting the fresh product. Fresh fish do not smell like fish. Instead they smell like a sea.
The Right Scale
Once you have made your pick, check the weight of your fish. Your regular scales do not work efficiently for weighing fish. There are dedicated scales for weighing fish that can help you determine how much your pick weighs.
Handling Fish
The first step is to dress the fish. This means removing guts, scales and cleaning it up to bring it in cookable form. If you are inexperienced, better ask the butcher to do the job for you or using an electric fillet knife for cutting the fish properly.
Temperature control is very crucial to retain the freshness of the fish. Therefore, always carry it home in an insulated ice box and place it in your freezer immediately if you don’t intend to cook it the same day. If you feel there is any foul smell that you wish to eliminate, you can rub lemon juice and vinegar on the fish to do so.
If you wish to cook a boneless fillet, make sure you check the fish and ensure that all bones have been removed. Run your fingers on the edges to make sure there are no tiny pin bones left. The last thing is the broiler pan. Some of the best broiler pans this year can be found. Broiler pans will help you heat your fish properly.
