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TIPS FOR COOKING YOUR CATCH
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- When cooking fresh fish try to use as few overpowering spices as possible;
you want the fresh natural flavours of the fish to come through.
- If you have a fish which has been in the freezer for a while, this
presents the chance to try a more highly spiced recipe to hide the fact
that there will be some dehydration and loss of flavour to your catch.
- The most nutritious way to cook fish is by steaming.
- Try serving your fish with fresh fruit salsas, or fruit relishes(eg.
peach salsa, strawberry relish) hot or cold. It's amazing how sweet
fruits enhance the flavours of white and red fleshed fish.
- When barbecuing, throw some hickory chips, which have been soaking
in water for a day, on your hot coals or lava rock to give that hint
of smoke house flavour.
- Rule of thumb when cooking squid: Fry it for no longer than 20 seconds,
or braise it for over 20 minutes. Anywhere in between and it will become
tough and rubbery.
- When seasoning while cooking always add salt at the very end, salt
will actually draw moisture out of anything removing flavourful juices.
Here's a science project for you-take a slice of zucchini and pat dry
it, then sprinkle a bit of salt on the white flesh, in five minutes
you'll notice beads of water seeping from it. That's basically why they
use a lot of salt in the curing of meats and fish alike.
- When shopping for fresh fish ask to see the fish first, and give it
a sniff. If it has a light seafood scent it is fresh, if it has a strong
smell it might not be. If the fish still has its head on, look at its
eyes. If they are bright and clear(not cloudy) it is probably fresh.
Feel the outside skin, if it is really slimy this could be a problem.
The inside flesh should(if red fleshed) be vivid in colour and not faded.
If white fleshed, it should be glossy, not flat in hue.
NOTE: Good quality fish such as tuna and salmon can be cooked and served at medium rare. If you are a bit squeamish about rare fish because of possible parasites, freeze the fish first for five days, then thaw in your fridge. This will kill any unwanted micro-organisms, then try a nice tender fillet cooked medium rare of your favorite fish.
Marinating with citric acids and vinegars will actually cook fish. Even though it might still look rare the connective tissues have been altered, and this will kill most parasites.
Keep one for the pan but as much as possible practice catch and release. It's your children's future.
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