Fish were once plentiful and inexpensive, but due to various factors, including nutritonal concerns, pollution of fishing beds, and the search for variety, demand has begun to outstrip supply. At this time, regulations have been passed by a number of countries, restricting commercial fishing concerns to an ever smaller percentage of such renowned fishing waters as the Grand Banks and St. George's Bay. No one can be certain how long it will take for the great fishing banks to replenish themselves, If in fact they ever do.
What this means to most chefs and consumers is that longtime menu favorites, including cod, tuna, bleufish, true striped bass, and red snapper, are increasingly unavailable. Aquaculture, or fish farming, is growing in importance as they become reliable sources of fresh fish. Today, hybrid striped bass, trout, salmon, halibut, snails, tilapia, catfish, oysters, mussels, and clams are more easily found because they are farm raised.
Fish's dietary importance has gained a great deal of credibility. Americans, Who traditionally have favored red meats both at home and when they eat out, are ordering fish entrees more often. The chef should be familiar with many fish, including underutilized varieties that until quite recently were grouped together as "trash fish" or "junk fish." Although not well-known, these fish can be excelent alternatives to species that are no longer available either because of overfishing or because their habitats have become polluted.
Fish Basics
The chef should select absolutely fresh fish of the best quality. The first step in this process is assessing the purveyor or market. The fishmonger should properly handle, ice, and transport the fish and should be able to answer any questions regarding the fish's origin and its qualities: lean or oily, firm-textured or delicate, appropriate for moist heat methods or able to withstand a grill's heat.
Purchasing
Fish can be transported rapidly from the source to the consumer, but to ensure that fish are of the best quality, the chef should apply as many as possible of the following tests: If a fish smells fresh and looks fresh, but has a slight browning of the gills, it may still be acceptable. If a fish smells bad, no matter how clear the eyes or firm the flesh, reject it.
1. Smell the fish. It should have a fresh, clean "sea" aroma, appropriate to the fish. Very strong odors are a clear indication that the fish is aging or was improperly handled or stored.
2. Feel the skin. The skin should feel slick and moist. The scales, If any, should be firmly attached.
3. Look at the fins and tail. they should be moist, fresh, flexible, and full, and should not appear ragged or dry.
4. Press the flesh. It should feel firm and elastic. There should be no visible fingerprint as soon as your finger lifts away.
5. Check the eyes. Eyes should be clear and full. As the fish ages, the eyes will begin to lose moisture and sink back into the head. (Note: The wall-eyed pike's eyes should appear milky.) This test should be used in conjunction with as many others as possible
6. Check the gills. They should have a good red to maroon color, with no traces of gray or brown, and should be moist and fresh looking. The exact shade of red will depend on the fish type.
7. Check the belly. There should be no sign of "belly burn," which occurs when the guts are not removed promptly; the stomach enzymes begin to eat the flesh, causing it to come away from the bones. There should also be no breaks or tears in the flesh.
8. Check live shellfish for signs of movement. Lobster and crab should move about. Clams, Mussels, and oysters should be tightly closed. As they age, they will start to open. Any shells that do not snap shut when tapped should be discarded; the shellfish are dead. If a bag contains many open shells the delivery should be rejected.
Checking fish
Storage
Ideally, the chef should purchase only the amount of fish needed for a day or two at most, and should store it properly as described below. When the purveyor is only able to make deliveries once or twice a week, then proper storage becomes a critical concern.
Storing/Icing
Under proper storage conditions, fish and shellfish can be held for several days without losing any appreciable quality. When the fish arrives, the following things should be done :
1. Check the fish carefully for freshness and quality.
The fish may be rinsed at this point; scaling and fabricating should be delayed until close to service time.
2. Place the fish on a bed of shaved or flaked ice in a perforated container; stainless steel is preferred. Round fish should be belly down, flat fish on its side. The belly cavity should be filled with shaved ice as well.
3. Cover with additional shaved or flaked ice; the fish may be layered, if necessary. Cubed ice can bruise the fish's flesh. It also will not conform as closely to the fish. Shaved or flaked ice makes a tighter seal around the entire fish. This prevents undue contact with the air, slowing the loss of quality and helping to extend safe storage life.
4. Set the perforated container inside a second container; In this way, as the ice melts, the water will drain away. If fish is allowed to sit in a pool of water, some flavor and texture loss will occur. The longer it sits, the greater the loss of quality.
5. Re-ice fish daily; Even when properly iced, the fish will gradually lose some quality. To slow this loss down, remove the fish from its storage containers. Replace the fish in its ice in clean pans or containers. Whenever possible, perform this task in a refrigerated area.
Clams, mussels, and oysters should be stored in the bag in which they were delivered, but should not be iced. They last better at a temperature range from 35' to 40'F (2'C to 4'C). The bag should be closed tightly and lightly weighted to keep the shellfish from opening up.
Scallops out of the shell and fish purchased as fillets should be stored in metal or plastic containers set on or in the ice. however, because as it melts much of the flavor and texture of the scallop or fish would be lost.
Crab, lobster, and other live shellfish should be packed in seaweed or damp paper upon delivery. They can be stored directly in their shipping containers at 39' to 45'F (4' to 7'C) until they are to be prepared, if a lobster tank is not available. Do not allow fresh water to come in direct contact with lobster or crab during storage, as it will kill them.
Frozen Fish, including glazed, whole fish (fish repeatedly coated with water and frozen so that the ice builds up in layers, coating the entire fish) and frozen shrimp, should be stored at -20 to 0`F (-29` to -18`C) until they are ready to be thawed and cooked. (Storage at -10`F/-2`C is ideal and will greatly extend shelf life.)
Do not accept any frozen fish with white frost on its edge. This indicates freezer burn, the result of improper packaging or thawing and refreezing of the product.
Market Forms Butchering fresh fish is relatively simple, and many restaurant chefs probably will prefer to do this, retaining the bones and head for stocks or fumet. As with meats, the available working space and the staff's level of skill in butcheringt should be evaluated. Fish are too expensive to be cut up carelessly, and the extra money spent on buying fish filets may balance out the money lost through waste. Fish may be purchased frozen, smoked, pickled, or salted in addition to the market forms.
Dressed or Pan-dressed fish
Market Forms of Fish
Categories
There are many different fish species and even greater numbers of names for these fish, not all of which may be of culinary importance. The name a fish will go by depends upon the region in which it is sold. However, basic groupings can be used to sort fish and shellfish.
Once these groupings are example:
Skeletal Structure of Fish
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