If you don't know how to cook fish, don't worry. It's easy if you observe a basic guideline: Choose the right cooking method for the specific type and cut of fish. Whether baking, broiling, or poaching, you'll soon impress everyone with delicious dishes.
Fish has little connective tissue, unlike meat, so it doesn't require long cooking to tenderize it. However, fish cooks quickly and tends to dry out. Techniques such as poaching, basting, and marinating help solve this problem. Your fish is done when it's no longer translucent, it easily flakes when you break it apart with a fork, and the internal temperature is 145 degrees F.
Match the seafood with the right method, and you're on your way to producing great results.
- Grilling is ideal for fish steaks such as halibut and thick fillets like flounder. The high heat cooks the seafood quickly, helping to prevent it from drying out. Place the fish on a greased grill. To keep fish moist, baste the fish with a marinade as it grills and turn the fish once, about halfway through cooking.
 | Using a special basket that holds the fish makes it easy to turn it over. Look for this utensil in barbecue stores and gourmet cookware shops. |
- Broiling is the right choice for thick fillets such as salmon and fish steaks, which take well to the high direct heat of this easy cooking method. Arrange fish in a single layer on a well-greased broiler rack set about 4 inches from the heat. Season the fish if you like and baste it during cooking. Turn thick cuts once about halfway through cooking.
- Baking provides a drying heat, so it's good for small steaks and fillets such as flounder and sole, which cook very quickly. Place the fish in a greased dish and drizzle with lemon juice, wine, and/or broth plus a sprinkling of herbs. Cook in a preheated 400- to 450-degree oven. You can also bake a whole fish that's sitting in plenty of savory liquid, such as a white wine and clam juice "bath."
| A simple guideline in baking fish, developed by the Canadian Department of Fisheries, is to allow 10 minutes per inch of thawed fish at its thickest point. |
- Sautéing is ideal for preparing thin fillets such as rex sole, sand dabs, snapper, and whiting. In this cooking method, the fish is dried, lightly floured, and sautéed over medium heat. The classic technique involves sautéing in butter, but you can use cooking oil to avoid the saturated fat.
- Poaching works well for whole fish, but steaks and even fillets can also be cooked by simmering them in liquid, which can be fish broth, vegetable broth, wine, or a combination of wine and water. Poached fish is often served cold or at room temperature with an accompanying sauce, such as a dill-mayonnaise or a sweet red pepper sauce.
Whole fish can also be dressed up in a variety of ways. The most versatile fish accessory is probably fresh lemon, which can be easily cut to garnish fish and add a bit of flavor. You can use many other foods as garnish, including fresh vegetables, fresh herbs, and types of fruit.
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