Preparing fish

& Seafood
dishes
SEAFOOD
refer aquatic animals used as food. They include the
marine animals from the sea and those found in
inland bodies of water.
 SEAFOOD

Types of seafood include the following:

Vertebrates or Finfishes
Shellfish
Invertebrates

 1. Vertebrates or Finfishes

- these are generally classified as:

-Round fish that live near the sea such as cod,
haddock, and whiting
-Flatfish such as sole and plaice
-Pelagic fish or ocean fish caught in the open sea
such as "fat fish" like mackerel, and cream dory.
-Fat fish have oil all over their bodies in contrast
to lean fish whose oil is concentrated in the liver.
Round fish
Flat fish
2. Shellfish
- this type of seafood have hard shells outside
protecting their soft tissues. They are classified
as:
Crustaceans such as crabs, lobsters, and
varieties of shrimps. They have hard
protective coverings called chitinous armor.
Mollusks have soft, unsegmented bodies.
These bodies are protectedin calcified shells.
Some mollusks have two shells, others have
one.
Those with two shells are
called bivalves whereas
single-shelled mollusks are
called univalve
3. Invertebrates
-these are aquatic animals without a
backbone. Some
examples are octopus, squids, and related
species.
 Structure, Composition, and Nutritive Value

Fish, like meat, is an excellent source of protein. It

also contains fat which is a concentrated source
of energy. Fish from bodies of saltwater are good
sources of iodine and phosphorous, though they
are low in iron and calcium.

Canned fish, however, contain an

appreciable amount of calcium.
A typical fish consists of the head, body, tail,
and fins. It is about 63% to 65% edible,
these portions consisting of the flesh and
skin.
The inedible portion that goes to waste is
approximately 35% to 37% and includes the
skeleton, the tail, the entrails, the fins, and the
head, though some parts of the head and
entrails are eaten by some people.
The flesh of the fish consists of:

1. Muscular tissues - these are bundles of white muscle fibers.

2. Connective tissues these are found in between muscle fibers
and are called mycommata.
3. Fat-most fish have their fat stored and reserved for energy. Fat
content varies with season, feeds given to them, the size and age
of fish. Fish classified by their fat content include:
- fat fish-contains fat ranging from 5% to 20%.
- medium-fat fish- contains fat ranging from 2% to 5%
• lean fish - has less than 2% fat
-Fish deteriorate faster than meat because of the bacteria and fish
enzymes in their intestinal organs which eat the neighboring flesh
of the fish after rigor mortis.
-Rigor mortis is characterized by the stiffening of the muscles of
the fish, making it rigid or hard. When rigor has passed, spoilage of
the fish starts.
Sources and Fish Culture
Marine fish - these are fish obtained from saltwater, mainly the
sea.
Inland fish - these fish are caught in lakes, rivers, ponds, and other
inland bodies of water.
Aquaculture - this is the cultivation of some marine fish in inland
Waters in man-made fish pens such as the fish pens in Laguna
Lake.
4. Mariculture - this is the culturing fish in bodies of saltwater such
a those in coves and shores. Examples of these kinds of seafood
are tahong (mussels) and talaba (oyster). This type of culture has
not yet been popularly adopted.
Good Qualities of Fresh Fish
When purchasing good-quality fresh fish, keep in mind that it
should have: (a) a mild seaweed like odor; (b) shiny and tight skin;
(c) bright red gills; (d) clear, full eyes; and (e) a firm body.
Good Qualities of Other Seafood
In purchasing different types of seafood, consider the following
characteristics:
1. Shrimps
tight intact head, transparent, firm body, & slight seaweed odor
2. Squids
bright color, firm body & plenty of ink
3. Shellfish (clams, mussels, oysters)
clean and fresh
.shells tightly closed,
Shucked oysters - plump, creamy white, odorless.
Crabs- . heavy, shell corners are compact and very thin slight
seaweed smell dark blue when alive.
Lobsters- shell corners are compact and very thin slight
seaweed smell dark blue when alive.

Market Forms of Fish

Live Fish good examples of these are dalag (mudfish), hito
(catfish), tilapia, and hipon suahe (shrimp). However, this type of
shrimp does not live long.
Whole or Round - the fish is not alive anymore, but the head, tail,
fins, and viscera are still attached.
Drawn Fish - the fish has been eviscerated. Evisceration is done
by making a slit down the center of the soft belly and removing
the entrails.
Dressed Fish - the fish has been eviscerated. The scales, fins,
head, and tail have also been removed.
Steak - this is a cross-section of fish obtained by cutting directly
across the length of a dressed fish at right angles. Steaks cut are
about one-half to two-thirds inch in thickness.
Butterfly - this two fillets that are joined
together by the underside skin.
Sticks - these are small elongated chunks
of the same size and thickness cut from the
flesh portion of the fish.
Cubes- these are sticks that are cut further
into small squares.
Split Fish- this is a whole or round fish with scales
intact but with a cut down the backbone from just
behind the head toward the tail ,splitting the fish
into two wings or flaps.
Deboned- process of removing the big and small
bones of fish so that what is left is practically all
fresh and skin.

Fillet- this is the fleshy part of the fish. it is removed

from the backbone and ribs of the fish so its
practically boneless.
Market Forms of Shellfish

Live this includes crabs, clams, mussels, oysters,

and snails. They are usually brought live and this is
the sole indicator of their freshness.
Whole shrimps of all kinds and sizes are normally
bought whole but not alive, though the suahe
shrimp can stay alive for some time. The big
shrimps called sugpo (prawn)
Cooked some shellfish such as crabs,
shrimps, and lobsters are already
cooked in their shells and then
marketed.
•Shelled – most shrimps that are
unsold are removed from their
segmented shell.
PREPARING FISH & SHELLFISH

A.CLEANING THE FISH –SCALING

1.Soak the fish before scaling to facilitate the removal
of scales.
2.Hold the fish with one hand and then scrape the
scales off with a knife almost vertical to the fish from
tail to head.
B. Cutting
1. Remove the head (as in case of large fish)
by cutting above the collarbone behind the
gills and then slicing straight through the
backbone or snapping it off by bending it
over the edge of the table.
2. Cut the pectoral fins together with the
head.
3. Remove the dorsal fin by making
vertical cuts down each side toward the
backbone and then pulling it sharply
toward the head (forward).
4. Cut the ventral fin in a similar
manner (as the dorsal fin).
5. Remove the pelvic fins by
cutting the flesh that attaches
them to the belly flaps.
6. Remove the tail with a
chopping blow using a heavy
knife.
C. Eviscerating - To eviscerate,
make a slit down the center of the
D. Rinsing - Use clean, cool,
running water to thoroughly wash
the inside and outside of the fish.
Allow it to drain before cutting.
Preserving Fish

In preserving fish, the important principle to follow is to

prevent or microbial decomposition or self-
decomposition. You can apply this principle by using any
method of preservation.
A. Chilling - this includes the use of ice
or mechanical refrigeration to 0°C.

Chilling is only a temporary method of

preservation, but it is the cheapest
and simplest way of preventing
deterioration or spoilage.
B. Refrigeration this is the more sophisticated way
of keeping the fish fresh. Big catches of fish by big
fishing vessels make use of refrigeration especially
in far areas of the ocean where it takes time to reach
the markets or the factories where preparation is
done
C. Freezing- this method is ideal for
storage for longer periods.
Temperature is -18°C or 0°F. There are
different types of freezing.
1. Sharp or slow freezing refers to
freezing in air with natural air
circulation or with electric fans.
Temperature is from -15°C to -29°C.
Freezing may take from 3 to 72 hours.
2. Quick freezing- is cooking the fish from a
temperature of 0°C to -5°C in less than two hours.
The fish is kept in the freezer until its temperature
reaches -20°C or lower. Freezing fish in two
hours or less is done as follows:
a. Direct immersion in a refrigerant as is done when
fish is immersed in a brine solution
b. Indirect contact with a refrigerant where fish or
fish package is placed between two freezer plates in
which refrigerant flows at -17.8°C to -45°C.

c. Air blast freezing, where rigid air at -17.8°C to

-45°C is blown across the materials being frozen.
This is in contrast to slow or sharp freezing.
Quick freezing has advantages over slow
freezing which are as follows:
There is less destruction of the fish flesh
because of the small ice crystals formed
around the fish.
D. Salting - this preservation method uses
salt (sodium chloride) as a preservation
medium.
Kench salting or dry salting - split fish are salted
then arranged in layers in a jar or pot, allowing the
liquid to drain freely from the fish.
Brine salting - this involves the immersion of
cleaned fish on a brine solution. The fish are placed
in a container with a weight on top to keep the fish
completely immersed.
E. Drying and Dehydration - drying is the removal of
water from the fish either by the sun (as in sun
drying) or wind (as in wind drying). Three factors
that affect the rate of drying are temperature,
humidity, and movement of air.
Dehydration, on the other hand, is drying using
artificially heated air as in the use of oven or
machines called mechanical driers.

Freeze drying is another method of dehydrating fish

by removing water vapor from frozen fish under a
vacuum.
Smoke Curing- this preservation method involves
four interrelated processes namely: salting, drying,
heat treatment, and smoking.
Salting - The fish is immersed in a brine solution.
Drying - The fish is dried either through artificial or
natural means.
Hot treatment - The fish is subjected to a
temperature of 29.40°C to 32.20°C with the smoking
process done intermittently. This treatment is called
cold smoking.

When the fish is subjected to a temperature of

48.90°C to 82.90°C, the duration of treatment is
short. This is called hot smoking.
4. Smoking - The fish is subjected to smoke to
impart the desired flavor and color of the fish.

G. Pickling and Spicing - this is a method where fish

is treated with vinegar condiments and spices to
improve its flavor and lengthen its shelf life.
H. Fermentation - this is the hydrolyzation of
proteins in the tissues of the fish. This process is
facilitated by the presence of salt which helps in the
microbial and enzymatic action in the fish.

The product of the fermentation process is

bagoong.
H. Fermentation - this is the hydrolyzation of
proteins in the tissues of the fish. This process is
facilitated by the presence of salt which helps in the
microbial and enzymatic action in the fish.
Cooking Fish and Shellfish
Fish and shellfish are cooked to improve their flavor,
kill bacteria, and even extend their shelf life.
H. Fermentation - this is the hydrolyzation of
proteins in the tissues of the fish. This process is
facilitated by the presence of salt which helps in the
microbial and enzymatic action in the fish.
Cooking Fish and Shellfish
Fish and shellfish are cooked to improve their flavor,
kill bacteria, and even extend their shelf life.
Two general methods of cooking fish and shellfish
are the moist-heat method and the dry-heat
method.
Moist-heat method - fish and shellfish are cooked in
liquid or water with some condiments and spices.
Dry-heat method - fish and shellfish are cooked in
direct heat without the addition of liquid, water, or
the exudation of moisture from the fish
Two general methods of cooking fish and shellfish
are the moist-heat method and the dry-heat
method.
Moist-heat method - fish and shellfish are cooked in
liquid or water with some condiments and spices.
Dry-heat method - fish and shellfish are cooked in
direct heat without the addition of liquid, water, or
the exudation of moisture from the fish.
C. Combination of moist-heat and dry-
heat method - fish and shellfish are
cooked in a combination of the moist-
heat and dry-heat methods.
Storing Fish and Seafood
Properly stored in the freezer, fish remains fresh
and of Frozen fish should be properly cleaned,
packaged free from odor, and good quality for 2-4
months and cooked shellfish for 3 months.
It is advisable to label their packages.
Use the first-in, first-out (FIFO) so that old stocks are
used or consumed before the new ones.
To store shellfish, it is advisable to cook them.
Keeping them raw does i not keep their freshness for
long.
Guidelines in Achieving Good Presentation of
Cooked Fish and Seafood

1. Proper Selection and Preparation of Ingredients

The first guideline toward the good presentation of a

fish or seafood recipe is proper selection and
preparation of ingredients indicated in the fish or
seafood recipe.
2. Proper Cooking of the Dish
Now that you have carefully and properly selected and
prepared your ingredients, the next step is cooking.

Timing is very important in cooking fish and seafood.

A well-cooked fish retains its natural shape, has its parts
completely intact, has its outer covering (skin) smooth
and intact throughout, and has an attractive and
appetizing appearance.
3. Use of Garnishing
An attractive, appetizing, and sumptuous looking
presentation of food can be achieved partly by
garnishing it.

Garnishing is the art of arranging food in the most

aesthetic manner
using the food's inherent decorative qualities
 thank you
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