Fish & Seafood Masterpieces

Seafood is any form of sea life regarded as food by humans. Seafood prominently includes fish and shellfish. Shellfish include various species of molluscs, crustaceans, andechinoderms. Historically, sea mammals such as whales and dophins have been consumed as food, though that happens to a lesser extent these days. Edible sea plants, such as some seaweeds and microalgae, are widely eaten as seafood around the world, especially in Asia (see the category of sea vegetables). In North America, although not generally in the United Kingdom, the term "seafood" is extended to fresh water organisms eaten by humans, so all edible aquatic life may be referred to as seafood. For the sake of completeness, this article includes all edible aquatic life.

The harvesting of wild seafood is known as fishing and the cultivation and farming of seafood is known as aquaculture, mariculture, or in the case of fish, fish farming. Seafood is often distinguished from meat, although it is still animal and is excluded in a strict vegetarian diet. Seafood is an important source of protein in many diets around the world, especially in coastal areas.

BUYING SEAFOOD

Knowing how to choose fresh fish or seafood is a vital skill for a seafood cook. Unless you caught the fish yourself, you really have no way of knowing exactly how fresh it is. But buying fresh fish is easy if you know what to look for. Here are tips on choosing fresh fish.

Whole Fish

• Look for bright, clear eyes. The eyes are the window to a truly fresh fish, for they fade quickly into gray dullness. Dull-eyed fish may be safe to eat, but they are past their prime.
• Next look at the fish. Does it shine? Does it look metallic and clean? Or has it dulled or has discolored patches on it? If so, it is marginal.
• Smell it. A fresh fish should smell like clean water, or a touch briny or even like cucumbers. Under no circumstances should you buy a nasty smelling fish. Cooking won't improve it.
• Look at the gills. They should be a rich red. If the fish is old, they will turn the color of faded brick.
  Fish Fillets
  • Look for vibrant flesh. All fish fade as they age. If the fillet still has skin, that skin should look as pristine as the skin on an equally good whole fish – shiny and metallic.
  • Smell it. The smell test is especially important with fillets. They should have no pungent aromas.
  • Is there liquid on the meat? If so, that liquid should be clear, not milky. Milky liquid on a fillet is the first stage of rot.
  • If the fishmonger lets you, press the meat with your finger. It should be resilient enough so your indentation disappears. If your fingerprint remains, move on.
  
  
  Shellfish
  Buy only at the finest fish markets. These are the places where turnover is so rapid you can be assured of fresh mussels, clams or oysters. You may still get a dead one, but the ratio will be far lower.
  What is a dead one? Shellfish are sold alive, so they should react to you. Put them on the countertop and back away for a moment. Then tap the shell: It should close tighter than it was. Oysters are a little tough to do this with, but clams and mussels will definitely react. You can also tell a dead shellfish after you’ve cooked them all. Dead ones do not open after being cooked. Throw them away.
  Shrimp
  This one is easy. Buy them whole and frozen. Whole because the shell protects them from the rigors of being frozen without losing too much moisture, and frozen because shrimp cook – and rot – very rapidly.
  Should you be near a shrimping region, or have access to truly magnificent fresh shrimp, by all means buy them. Head on if possible. Why? Because head-on shrimp stay moister. Remember: Nothing says boring like a dry, overcooked shrimp.
  Seafood Recipes
  Coconut Shrimp
  "These crispy shrimp are rolled in a coconut beer batter before frying. For dipping sauce, I use orange marmalade, mustard and horseradish mixed to taste."
  

  Ingredients

  • 1 egg
  • 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
  • 2/3 cup beer
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
  • 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
  • 2 cups flaked coconut
  • 24 shrimp
  • 3 cups oil for frying

  Directions

  1. In medium bowl, combine egg, 1/2 cup flour, beer and baking powder. Place 1/4 cup flour and coconut in two separate bowls.
  2. Hold shrimp by tail, and dredge in flour, shaking off excess flour. Dip in egg/beer batter; allow excess to drip off. Roll shrimp in coconut, and place on a baking sheet lined with wax paper. Refrigerate for 30 minutes. Meanwhile, heat oil to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C) in a deep-fryer.
  3. Fry shrimp in batches: cook, turning once, for 2 to 3 minutes, or until golden brown. Using tongs, remove shrimp to paper towels to drain. Serve warm with your favorite dipping sauce.

  
  

  Low Country Boil

  "Famous in the Low Country of Georgia and South Carolina. This boil is done best on an outdoor cooker. It has sausage, shrimp, crab, potatoes and corn for an all-in-one pot all-you-can-eat buffet!"

  

  Ingredients

  • 1 tablespoon seafood seasoning (such as Old Bay®), or to taste
  • 5 pounds new potatoes
  • 3 (16 ounce) packages cooked kielbasa sausage, cut into 1 inch pieces
  • 8 ears fresh corn, husks and silks removed
  • 5 pounds whole crab, broken into pieces
  • 4 pounds fresh shrimp, peeled and deveined

  Directions

  1. Heat a large pot of water over an outdoor cooker, or medium-high heat indoors. Add Old Bay Seasoning to taste, and bring to a boil. Add potatoes, and sausage, and cook for about 10 minutes. Add the corn and crab; cook for another 5 minutes, then add the shrimp when everything else is almost done, and cook for another 3 or 4 minutes.
  2. Drain off the water and pour the contents out onto a picnic table covered with newspaper. Grab a paper plate and a beer and enjoy!

  
  

  
  

  Lemon Garlic Tilapia

  "This is a delicious and healthy recipe that takes no time at all to make. You can bake it or even grill it. Tastes great either way!"

  

  
  

  
  

  Ingredients

  • 4 tilapia fillets
  • 3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
  • 1 tablespoon butter, melted
  • 1 clove garlic, finely chopped
  • 1 teaspoon dried parsley flakes
  • pepper to taste

  Directions

  1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C). Spray a baking dish with non-stick cooking spray.
  2. Rinse tilapia fillets under cool water, and pat dry with paper towels.
  3. Place fillets in baking dish. Pour lemon juice over fillets, then drizzle butter on top. Sprinkle with garlic, parsley, and pepper.
  4. Bake in preheated oven until the fish is white and flakes when pulled apart with a fork, about 30 minutes.
  
  
  Salmon In Parchment
  Cooking fish in parchment paper is incredibly simple, and yet fairly terrifying for a novice cook. Since the seafood is encased in paper, there’s really no good way to check if it’s done, and so you’re basically going on time and experience, and this can be scary for even grizzled old chefs.
  Ingredients:
  2 large, center-cut salmon filet, 8 or 9 ounces each, boneless-skinless
  2 sheets of parchment cut into large heart shape (the surface area of half your “heart” should be a little bigger than the size of a large dinner plate)
  seasoning to taste
  salt and pepper to taste
  drizzle of olive oil or butter
  cooked potatoes and veggies as needed.
  *Note: I served mine with a very light mustard aioli, which was simply mayo, Dijon, lemon juice and a touch of garlic.
  Bake for 15 minutes at 400 degrees F., then let sit 4-5 minutes before cutting open.
  
  

  Vietnamese Spring Rolls With Dipping Sauce

  "These Vietnamese spring rolls are the perfect recipe for beating the heat. Poached shrimp, rice noodles, herbs, and lettuce are rolled into a thin rice wrapper. Serve with the sweet and sour dipping sauce."

  

  Ingredients

  • 1/4 cup white vinegar
  • 1/4 cup fish sauce
  • 2 tablespoons white sugar
  • 2 tablespoons lime juice
  • 1 clove garlic, minced
  • 1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes
  • 2 ounces rice vermicelli
  • 8 large shrimp, peeled and deveined
  • 4 rice wrappers (8.5 inch diameter)
  • 2 leaves lettuce, chopped
  • 3 tablespoons finely chopped fresh mint leaves
  • 3 tablespoons finely chopped cilantro
  • 4 teaspoons finely chopped Thai basil

  Directions

  1. Whisk vinegar, fish sauce, sugar, lime juice, garlic, and red pepper flakes together in a small bowl. Set the dipping sauce aside.
  2. Fill a large bowl with room temperature water. Add rice vermicelli and soak for 1 hour.
  3. Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Drop in shrimp and cook until curled and pink, about 1 minute. Remove the shrimp and drain. Slice each shrimp in half lengthwise. Transfer rice vermicelli noodles to the pot of boiling water and cook for 1 minute. Remove and drain in a colander. Immediately rinse the vermicelli with cold water, stirring to separate the noodles.
  4. To assemble the rolls, dip 1 rice wrapper in a large bowl of room temperature water for a few seconds to soften. Place wrapper on a work surface and top with 4 shrimp halves, 1/4 of the chopped lettuce, 1/2 ounce vermicelli, and 1/4 each of the mint, cilantro, and Thai basil. Fold right and left edges of the wrapper over the ends of the filling and roll up the spring roll. Repeat with remaining wrappers and ingredients. Cut each roll in half and serve with dipping sauce.

  
  

  Sesame Seared Tuna

  "Easy, great tasting tuna coated with sesame seeds, and quickly seared. This tuna is served rare, so be sure to use a good quality fresh tuna."

  

  Ingredients

  • 1/4 cup soy sauce
  • 1 tablespoon mirin (Japanese sweet wine)
  • 1 tablespoon honey
  • 2 tablespoons sesame oil
  • 1 tablespoon rice wine vinegar
  • 4 (6 ounce) tuna steaks
  • 1/2 cup sesame seeds
  • wasabi paste
  • 1 tablespoon olive oil

  Directions

  1. In a small bowl, stir together the soy sauce, mirin, honey and sesame oil. Divide into two equal parts. Stir the rice vinegar into one part and set aside as a dipping sauce.
  2. Spread the sesame seeds out on a plate. Coat the tuna steaks with the remaining soy sauce mixture, then press into the sesame seeds to coat.
  3. Heat olive oil in a cast iron skillet over high heat until very hot. Place steaks in the pan, and sear for about 30 seconds on each side. Serve with the dipping sauce and wasabi paste.

  
  

  Crab Cakes

  Crab cakes seasoned with lemon zest and fresh basil, pan fried and served with a seasoned cilantro-lime sauce.

  

  Ingredients

  • 4 pounds crabmeat
  • 1 egg
  • 1 tablespoon lemon zest
  • 1/8 teaspoon Old Bay Seasoning TM
  • 2 tablespoons fresh basil, chopped
  • 1 cup saltine crackers, crushed
  • 1 cup mayonnaise
  • 4 tablespoons vegetable oil
  •  
  • 3 egg yolks
  • 1/8 teaspoon Old Bay Seasoning TM
  • 3 ounces fresh lime juice
  • 2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro
  • salt and pepper to taste
  • 1 3/4 cups vegetable oil

  Directions

  1. In a large mixing bowl, combine crabmeat, 1 egg, lemon zest, Old Bay Seasoning, chopped basil, crushed crackers and mayonnaise. Mix thoroughly.
  2. Form 5 ounce patties out of the crab mixture (should make about 16 patties), and chill until cold before cooking.
  3. In a skillet, heat 4 tablespoons of oil over medium heat. Saute the crab cakes for 4 minutes on each side or until golden brown.
  4. For the sauce, in a blender place the egg yolks, Old Bay Seasoning, lime juice, cilantro, salt and pepper. Blend for 10 seconds. Keeping the blender running, slowly drizzle the oil into the blender. Blend until sauce is creamy.