3: Fin Fish, Flat Fish and Round Fish
- Page ID
- 20803
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- 3.1: Introduction to Fin Fish, Flat Fish and Round Fish
- Fish are aquatic vertebrates with fins for swimming and gills for breathing. Of the more than 30,000 species known, most live in the seas and oceans; freshwater species are far less numerous. Shellfish are aquatic invertebrates with shells or carapaces. They are found in both fresh and salt water.
- 3.2: Round Fish
- Round fish swim in a vertical position and have eyes on both sides of their heads. Their bodies may be truly round, oval or compressed.
- 3.3: Flat Fish
- Flatfish have asymmetrical, compressed bodies, swim in a horizontal position and have both eyes on top of their heads. Flatfish are bottom dwellers; most are found in deep ocean waters around the world. The skin on top of their bodies is dark, to camouflage them from predators, and can change color according to their surroundings. Their scales are small, and their dorsal and anal fins run the length of their bodies.
- 3.5: Storing Fish and Shellfish
- Because fish and shellfish are highly perishable, an inspection stamp does not necessarily ensure top quality. A few hours at the wrong temperature or a couple of days in the refrigerator can turn high-quality fish or shellfish into garbage. It is important that chefs be able to determine for themselves the freshness and quality of the fish and shellfish they purchase or use. Freshness should be checked before purchasing and again just before cooking.
- 3.6: Dry-heat Cooking Methods
- Dry-heat cooking methods are those that do not require additional moisture at any time during the cooking process. The dry-heat cooking methods used with fish and shellfish are broiling and grilling, roasting (usually referred to as baking when used with fish and shellfish), sautéing, pan- frying and deep-frying.
- 3.7: Moist-heat Cooking Methods
- Fish and shellfish lend themselves well to moist-heat cooking methods, especially steaming, poaching and simmering. Steaming best preserves the food's natural flavors and cooks without adding fat. Poaching is also popular, especially for fish. Poached fish can be served hot or cold, whole or as steaks, fillets or portions. Boiling, which is actually simmering, is most often associated with crustaceans.
Thumbnail: Flatfish (left‐eyed flounder) (CC0; Yamada Taro via PublicDomainPictures)