Enjoy meals with fish? Do you know what to look for when buying fish? How about proper storage for fresh or frozen fish? Read on to find out the answers to these questions and also how to prepare fish for cooking and the various ways to cook fish (such as baking, broiling and pan-frying to name a few).
With abundant supplies of fresh and frozen fish readily available, it is easy for us to enjoy a variety of dishes that include fish. Fish is an excellent and easily digestible food full of protein. Fish is sometimes toted as “brain food”. Read these tips on buying, storing and preparing fish and then by all means- get cooking and best of all, eating!
Buying
Always look for top quality fish that has been Government inspected.
Fresh Fish
Buy when in season. Look for fresh characteristic odor or no odor, firm elastic flesh, bright eyes and gills, and sheen on the scales. Fillets and steaks should have a fresh cut appearance.
Frozen Fish
Buy all year round. Packages should be solidly frozen. Wrapping material should be moisture-vapor proof and no air space between fish and package. The fish should have firm glossy flesh with no discoloration or parched white areas and be free of frost and ice crystals.
Approximate Number of Servings Per Pound
Whole or dressed (1 serving)
Pan dressed (with head, tail and fins removed) (2 servings)
Steaks (2 or 3 servings)
Fillets (3 servings)
Storing
Fresh Fish
Use as soon as possible. Wash quickly in cold water and dry. Wrap in waxed paper and store in refrigerator.
Frozen Fish
Store in freezer in the unopened package. Thaw in refrigerator and use immediately. Never refreeze thawed fish. Fat fish, such as salmon, mackerel, and blue fish keep up to two months in freezer; lean fish, such as cod, haddock and halibut keep up to three months in freezer.