- Use the seafood rule when
barbecuing; measure fish at thickest point and allow 10 minutes per
2.5 cm (1 inch) of thickness. Whole fish may take up to 12
minutes per 2.5 cm (1 inch). Barbecue over moderately high
heat. Fish is done when it turns opaque and starts to flake
when tested with a fork.
- Marinades and basting sauces
add flavour and moisture to seafood. Commercially prepared
barbecue sauces, salad dressings and mixes are perfectly acceptable
or you may wish to try making your own. Remember sauces with a
high sugar content tend to burn, so should be added during the last
10 minutes of cooking. Marinades can be made by combining any
acid, such as fruit juices or vinegar, with your favourite herbs and
a small amount of oil.
- For best results, marinate
finfish and other delicate seafood for no more than 1 hour, as the
acids in the marinade will pre-cook fish causing it to toughen.
- When barbecuing fragile fish
fillets, fold ends under to make an even thickness, use a hinged
basket, a mesh rack or place fish on a sheet of perforated aluminum
foil. Although barbecuing in foil is a common practice, it is
not recommended as it tends to steam the seafood. Perforating
the foil allows the steam to escape.
- Thaw seafood before barbecuing
to prevent uneven cooking. Turn steaks and whole fish once
when barbecuing; fillets under 2.5 cm (1inch) do not need to be
turned.
- To avoid flare-ups when cooking
seafood on a plank, soak the wood in water before using.
- For extra flavour toss a
handful of mesquite or whole sprigs of rosemary, dill, thyme, basil
or oregano into the fire just before cooking seafood.
- Use proper barbeque tools when
grilling seafood. Piercing seafood with a fork or knife allows
flavourful juices to escape and may cause falre-ups.
- To prevent sticking, oil
grills, racks and baskets, just before placing seafood on barbecue.
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Index
Live
- Lobsters should be alive when
you buy them. Look for movement when an individual lobster
is lifted. In prime condition a live lobster will wave its
claws and snap its tail.
- In general, lobster will easily
keep 36 hours out of water in a cool damp environment. It is a
salt water creature. Care should be taken to ensure they are
not exposed to fresh water, such as fresh water ice or melt
water. Store in the refrigerator on a tray covered with a damp
cloth.
- A 1 1/2 pound lobster yields
approximately 1 1/3 cups of meat. A 1 pound lobster yields 2/3
cup.
- The most popular method of
cooking lobster is to boil it. Bring enough salted water to
fully cover lobsters to a rolling boil. Insert lobster into
the water head first. Cover and simmer 10 minutes for the
first pound and 3 - 4 minutes for each additional pound.
Remember to increase the time if more than one lobster is in the
pot. Once the lobster is cooked, remove from water.
- To steam lobster, put 1/2 inch
of water, a tablespoon of salt and a tablespoon of vinegar in a
pot and bring to a boil. Put the live lobsters in, cover and
steam for 15 minutes for a one-pound lobster. Add 5 minutes
for each extra pound.
- There are several ways to tell
when a lobster is cooked.
1. An antenna will easily pull free when tugged.
2. Force open the curled up tail and straighten it out; release it
quickly. If it snaps back into place with a sharp
"clack" it is done.
3. The meat is opaque marble-white and firm, rather than transparent
and soft.
Frozen
- Product should be frozen hard
upon purchase and stored immediately in the freezer. Do not
allow defrosted lobster to be re-frozen. Under an ideal frozen
temperature of -26 to -30 degrees C (-15 to -20 degrees F) or below,
frozen lobster can be stored with no quality loss for up to 9
months.
- The best way to defrost frozen
lobster is to immerse the unopened can or pouch in cold water, and
place in the refrigerator. Thawing times vary according to the
package size and number. Allow approximately 2 hours per
pound. Thaw whole frozen lobster in brine in the same
manner. Allow 3-5 hours per package for thawing. Frozen
lobster should be separated and placed on a tray in a refrigerator.
- Do not thaw frozen lobster meat
in warm water or at room temperature. This causes quality loss
and driploss. If you wish to thaw small packs in a hurry - to
use immediately - they can be set under cold running water.
- Frozen lobster is best consumed
with 24-36 hours of thawing.
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Index
- Cooking times in the microwave
is calculated mainly on the weight of the seafood and the wattage of
the oven. In a 700 watt oven allow 3 to 5 minutes at HIGH per
500 g (1lb) of seafood. To avoid overcooking, cook for the
minimum time specified and allow seafood to stand (cooking continues
during standing time). Check to see if fully cooked at the end
of standing time. Standing time is about one-quarter to
one-third of the cooking time. If necessary, cook for
additional time.
- If possible, use a round or
oval dish and arrange seafood in a single layer around outside of
dish with thickest parts of the seafood to the outside.
Whatever shape dish is used, arrange seafood in a circular pattern.
- To seal in moisture, cover the
dish with a microwave lid or plastic wrap. Seal does not have
to be tight. Covering the seafood allows the steam to assist
in the cooking. To seal in only some of the moisture, cover
the seafood loosely with a paper towel. To allow most of the
moisture to escape, leave the dish uncovered.
- Thaw seafood before cooking as
frozen seafood cooks unevenly in the microwave. To thaw
seafood, remove from packaging and place in a dish. Use
DEFROST power (about 30% power setting). Defrost for 1 minute
and let rest. Repeat cycle as needed. Check the seafood
carefully as the high moisture content of the seafood and the liquid
produced by melting ice crystals can result in some areas of the
seafood beginning to cook. Discontinue defrosting while the
seafood is still very cold with some ice crystals.
- Shellfish cooks well in the
microwave. After cleaning, arrange shellfish, such as mussels,
in a circle on a microwave dish. Place shellfish with hinged
side to the outside. Cover and cook on HIGH until they
open. As shells open, remove from the dish and continue
cooking until all shells open. Discard any that do not
open. Allow about 2 1/2 to 5 minutes at HIGH per 500 g (1 lb)
of mussels in a 700 watt oven.
- Seafood dishes that require
stewing, poaching, or baking in a sauce cook extremely well in a
microwave.
- Cooked seafood is moist, flakes
readily when tested with a fork and is opaque.
- Do not discard the liquid in
the bottom of the cooking pan. Freeze and use to make sauces
that are rich with the flavour of seafood.
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Index
- When purchasing blue mussels
make sure the shells are dark in colour and that they are
closed. Some open shells will close when gently tapped. If
shells do not close discard those mussels.
Mussels should
have a slight , fresh seafood odour. Remember,
mussels are alive when purchased and should be handled
carefully. Ensure that mussels always have access to an adequate supply of oxygen.
- Mussels are alive when
purchased and should be alive when cooked. When storing
mussels, ensure that there are holes in containers or bags to allow
oxygen to flow through to the mussels. Keep mussels in a refrigerator or cool environment until ready to use. Mussels
may keep for 2-3 days prior to cooking. Cooked mussels, in
strained liquor and put in a covered container, may last for
approximately 2 days. Frozen, cooked mussels may last up to 4
months if properly sealed. (Do not freeze live mussels).
- Prior to cooking, wash
mussels in cold running water, to remove any byssal threads and
other material. Some scrubbing may be needed to clean
mussels totally. Avoid soaking mussels when cleaning, as
mussels do not survive in fresh water.
- A properly cooked mussel will
be completely detached from one side of the shell. The natural
mussel juices will add to the flavour of the mussels and the
liquor. There are two different colours of mussel meat.
The more orange colour mussel meat are the females and the whiter
meats are the males. There is no discernable difference in the
taste and size between males and females.
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