Unit 253 Fish Two

NLN Fish Materials • • • •

NLN poaching fish. NLN frying fish. NLN grilling fish. NLN deep frying fish.

Element Two Cook & Finish Basic Fish Dishes. All of the standard methods of cookery may be applied to most fish. To determine which cookery process to adopt you will need to consider the following: • Any dish, recipe specification, or menu demands. • Any customer requirements and relevant establishment policies.

• The type of menu on which the dish is to feature. • The quality, type, quantity and cut of fish being used. • The equipment and resources you have available. For example do you have a grill. • You will also need to plan you work to determine the shortest possible time between cooking and serving.

Points to Consider. • Excessive cooking will render any fish flesh dry and tasteless. Fish is composed of delicate muscle tissue and requires relatively little cooking in comparison to meat and poultry. • Insufficient cooking may not destroy harmful bacteria that may be present, therefore care in timing and temperature control are essential to achieve a safe product.

• Handling should be kept to a minimum both before and after cooking as contamination can occur at either stage. • Ensure that cooked fish is stored above 63 degrees C (145 degrees F) and that cooked cold fish is stored below 5 degrees C (41 degrees F), and preferably as near to 0 degrees C (32 degrees F) as possible without causing damage. • Excess time in hot storage will cause the fish to dry out.

• Here fish is cooked by the controlled dry heat inside an oven. The delicate nature of fish flesh means that it requires some protection from the direct heat of the oven. This is achieved by retaining and protecting the natural moisture.

Baking (Oven-Cooking) Fish. • Here fish is cooked by the controlled dry heat inside an oven. The delicate nature of fish flesh means that it requires some protection from the direct heat of the oven.

Type of Fish: • Whole Fish: White or Oily, Round or Flat. • Cod, Hake, Bass, Haddock, Tuna, Salmon. Cuts of Fish: • Supremes, Fillets or Darnes

Grilling Fish. • Grilling is a dry method of cookery using the concentrated heat radiated by gas flames, electrical elements or glowing charcoal i.e BBQ. • Grilling radiates a fierce heat so the surface of the fish requires protection.

Type of Fish: • Small to Medium Whole Fish: Round, Flat, Oily or White. Cuts of Fish: • Darnes, Troncons and Supremes.

Deep Frying Fish. • Deep-frying is a process which cooks the food by entirely immersing it in hot oil or fat. The frying temperature should be 175-185 degrees C (347-365 degrees F).

Type of Fish: • Whole small round and flat fish. Mackerel, Tuna or Salmon, do not suit this process as they taste unacceptably greasy after absorbing a percentage of the frying medium. Cuts of Fish: • Supremes, Fillets and Goujons.

Protective Coatings for Fish. • Flour, egg-wash and breadcrumbs. • Fresh breadcrumbs. • Batter. • Milk and flour.

Key Safety Precautions Points to Note When Deep Frying. Never: • Over-fill the fryer with oil or fat. • Over-heat the oil. If it begins to smoke, switch off the fryer and inform your supervisor. • Plunge uncoated wet items into hot fat. • Attempt to extinguish a fryer with water or sand. • Leave fryers unattended whilst in use.

Shallow Frying Fish. • Shallow-frying involves cooking the fish in a small amount of clarified butter or oil at high temperatures using a frying pan.

Type of Fish: • Small whole fish (Trout, Red Mullet, Dover Sole). Cuts of Fish: • Fillets, Supremes, Medallions, Goujons.

Poaching Fish. • It involves cooking fish in liquids at a temperature below boiling (approximately 9095 degrees C, 194-203 degrees F), creating very little or no movement in the cooking liquor. Poaching may be divided into two categories: • Deep-poaching. • Shallow-poaching.

Deep-Poaching. • During deep-poaching the fish is totally immersed in a particular type of liquid: an acidulated court bouillon • The scale of the fish are removed but the skin is left on for protection during cooking.

Type of Fish: Salmon, Sea Trout & Trout Especially where the fish is to be dressed for cold buffet use. Cuts of Fish: Larger whole fish and cuts of oily fish.

Shallow Poaching. • Fish is shallowpoached when it is to be coated with a sauce, and the cooking liquor is invariably used for finishing the sauce. • Glazed & Unglazed dishes.

Type of Fish: Sole, Plaice, Baby Turbot. Cuts of Fish: Small whole fish or cuts of fish (Fillets, Delice, Supremes, Paupiettes).

Steaming Fish. • Small whole fish, fillets or other small cuts of fish can be cooked with excellent results by steaming. All units give good results but cooking times vary, depending on the type of steamer you employ.

Type of Fish: Most fish. Cuts of Fish: Small whole fish, fillets or other small cuts of fish.

Storing Fish Dishes. • In order to prevent bacterial growth, hot fish dishes should be stored above 65 degrees C (149 degrees F). • Cold fish dishes should be stored below 5 degrees C (41 degrees F).