FISH THEORY –

COMPILED BY
CHEF RAEESAH KHAN
CATEGORIES OF FISH
– WHITE FISH

• Where the oil is concentrated in the liver.

• White fish are divided into two groups:
round and flat.
• Round large fish include: cod and coley
• Small round fish include: whiting and
haddock
• Large flat fish include: halibut and turbot
• Small flat fish include: dover sole and plaice
• These fish may be further classified into salt
water and freshwater fish
CATEGORIES OF FISH
– OILY FISH

• Where the oil is dispersed throughout the

flesh.
• The fat contained in oily fish is mainly
polyunsaturated; in fact the fatty acids in
fish oils are believed to assist in preventing
heart disease.
• All fish are important sources of nutrients,
but the oily fish species such as herring and
mackerel are particularly good sources of
vitamin A and D.
• These fish may be further classified into
salt water and freshwater fish
CATEGORIES OF FISH
- SHELLFISH

• Shellfish are so called because they have a

shell which cuts as a carvier for the muscles
instead of bones.
• Shellfish have a dark brown colour. Once they
are cooked they are bright red.
• These are also divided into two main groups:
• Crustacean – eg. Lobster, crab, crawfish,
crayfish, prawns and shrimps.
• Mollusca – eg. Oysters, mussels,
scallops.
FISH NUTRITION

Fish is a good source of protein,

containing approximately the same
amount per weight as meat. The fat
content of fish is usually considerably
lower than of beef, but this depends on
the type of fish. White fish such as cod,
hake, sole and whiting contain a smaller
amount of fat than the flesh of the oily,
dark fish such as salmon, turbot and
mackerel. Fish should be eaten as fresh
as possible.
INDICATIONS OF QUALITY FISH

• Flesh - firm, resilient, not broken

• Smell - pleasant, no ammonia, no sourness
• Condition - no blood clots, no damage, no discoloration
• Eyes - bright, full, not slimy or cloudy
• Gills - bright red, no bacterial slime
• Scales - lie flat, moist, plentiful
• Skin - fresh sea slime, smooth, moist good color
DIFFERENT CUTS OF
FISH

• The preparation of fish includes

trimming, skinning, removing the head,
fin and tail before selecting a cut.
• The cut is usually dependent on the
dish you would like to prepare it for.
HOW TO SELECT FISH

• Fish may be fresh, frozen, salted, and / or pickled, or canned.

HOW TO SELECT FISH
- FRESH

Certain varieties of fresh fish are

available only during certain seasons and
the seasons vary for different kinds of
fish. Consequently, a particular variety of
fish can be bought fresh only if it is in
season. Fortunately, sufficient quantities
of certain types are caught when in
season so as to be available in frozen
form throughout the year!
HOW TO SELECT FISH
- FROZEN
• Most of us buy frozen fish partly because it is so
convenient.

• Frozen fish is ready-cleaned and often comes in steaks

or fillets which saves a lot of time in preparation.

• Do be careful when making purchases of frozen

products are not always stored at the recommended
temperatures.

• There should be no signs of discoloration or freezer

burn.

• In addition, large quantities of ice crystals should not be

present inside the plastic package. Too many crystals
indicate that at some stage the fish thawed, lost
moisture and was then refrozen
HOW TO SELECT FISH
- SMOKED

• Smoked fish is a well known delicacy. Bear

in mind, however, that smoked fish is not
necessarily of good quality nor does
smoking guarantee that it will not go off.

• Make sure that the flesh of smoked fish is

firm and elastic.
• If you are mot going to use smoked fish
within 48 hours, it should be wrapped
carefully and refrigerated.
• Hints on buying other frozen products also
apply to frozen smoked fish.
FISH PREPARATION
METHODS – BAKING
• Fish may be baked successfully. Small whole fish, fillets and steaks are specially
suitable for the purpose.

• Place the fish fillets in a shallow dish with the skin side down if the fish has not
been skinned.

• Sprinkle with flavoring according to taste and dot with butter or baste it with oil.

• Then bake in a pre-heated oven at about 200˚C allowing ten minutes for fish that is
25mm thick. This means that a whole fish weighting 1,5kg will be done within 30
to 40 minutes, depending on how thick it is.

• Always bear in mind that frozen fish takes twice as long to cook as fish that has
thawed.

• To test when a whole baked fish is done the internal temperature of the fish can be
measured as we do with meat, when this temperature, taken at the centre of the
thickest part, reaches 70˚C the fish is sufficiently cooked.
FISH PREPARATION
METHODS- GRILLING

• Fish fillet, fish steaks or small whole fish

may also be grilled instead of baked.
However, for grilling purposes fish should
not be thicker than 25mm.
• The fish is tastier and juicier if brushed
with oil or butter while grilling.
• Don’t forget that unless the instruction
book for your stove indicate otherwise, the
oven door is usually left slightly ajar when
grilling. ( gas stoves and ovens with a
catalytic finish should be kept closed )
 FISH PREPARATION METHODS - POACHING

• Another way of cooking fish is to poach it, in which case

it is cooked in a small quantity of liquid just below
boiling point. It is then used in a fish cocktail, salad or
something similar or served just as it is with a savoury
sauce.

• Whole fish or fish fillets about 25m thick may be cooked

by this method and the liquid used need not necessarily
be water. Milk, thin cream, a savoury bouillon or even
wine may be used for poaching.

• Remove the fish when cooked using a broad slotted

spoon if not tied up in cheese cloth. If the liquid is to be
used as a sauce strain it carefully first.
 FISH PREPARATION METHODS- BOILING

• This is only used in firmer fish as

Turbot, Halibut or when whole fish
are prepared. One uses vinegar
seasoned water with bayleaf,
peppercorns and lemon. Large fish
are started in cold water, smaller fish
in hot not boiling. The prepared
water is called COURT
BOUILLON.
 FISH PREPARATION METHODS – STEAMING

• Steaming fish means cooking it over a liquid instead of in it. It

does not mean steaming under pressure.
• If you have no special steamer, tie the fish in a piece of cheese
cloth and place it in a wire basket or colander that fits into a
deep saucepan. Bear in mind that the fish should be above and
not in the water. If you prefer, you ca wrap the in aluminium
foil and place it o a false bottom or on a inverted plate in a
saucepan of boiling water, but be sure that the fish is above the
water. Put on the lid and allow the water to boil so that the fish
is enveloped in steam
• Because steamed fish is easily digestible it is often given to
invalids. But it has other uses well. Serve it with a savoury
sauce such as cheese sauce, with a little parsley on top--- and
you will have an appetizing meal.
 FISH PREPARATION METHODS – FRYING

• Frying is another popular method of cooking fish.

• In this case the fish is cut into portion sizes or smaller
slices which will be done in no time. Fish fillets, steaks or
cutlets and small whole fish may be pan-fried.

• Fish the fish in shallow oil until cooked and browned on

both sides. Fish that is about 25mm thick will cook in 8
to 10 minute. About 4mm of oil smoking is quite
sufficient.

• The oil should be very hot but not smoking before the
fish is added. Raise the heat when adding food, then
lower it again. Drain the cooked fish on absorbent paper
to get rid of surplus oil.