Five simple ways to prepare seafood
Seafood is a versatile, healthy protein, yet many home cooks are wary of trying new species or preparations. Seafood doesn’t have to be intimidating, involve detailed recipes, or long preparation times. It’s easy to prepare, cooks quickly, and is flavorful and delicate on its own without too many other ingredients.
Minimally seasoned, the five simple preparations (plus two bonus methods) below allow you to enjoy seafood in its purest form, any day of the week. Generally, all you need to prepare fish is oil, salt and pepper, a frying pan, baking sheet, grill or steamer basket, and an instant-read thermometer to check for doneness. Start with the steps and ingredients below, and add other ingredients as you feel inspired!
Buying & Prep Tips (for any preparation below)
Choose wild seafood caught and processed locally. If you buy frozen, thaw overnight in the refrigerator, in a covered bowl.
For easy preparations, buy fillets with or without skin on, unless you’re up for buying a whole fish and processing it yourself!
Keep a set of small needle-nose pliers in your kitchen, and use them to remove any pin bones before cooking.
Cooking Tips
To prevent foodborne illness, fish should be cooked until an instant-read thermometer reads 145˚ in the thickest part, unless it is sushi-grade (more on that under Sashimi & Poke, below)
Portion your fillets according to thickness so that you can control doneness accurately and don’t end up with partially raw, partially overcooked portions of fish.
For small fillets (like rockfish), cut the thick, middle part of the fillet into one portion, and each of the thinner ends into separate pieces
Want to add more flavor than just oil, salt, and pepper? Experiment by rubbing some fresh herbs, garlic, citrus zest, or a spice blend onto the fillets before adding to the pan, grill or oven, or try marinating your fish for 30 minutes before trying the preparation methods below.
Serving Suggestions:
Serve fish with a lemon wedge and parsley, or a drizzle of dressing or sauce along with a starch, grain, pasta or veggie side dish for a healthy meal based on lean, sustainable protein.
Top a big salad or a bowl of steamed green vegetables with fish for a filling, protein boost.
Feature fish in a grain bowl with a bunch of toppings, like grated carrots, edamame, micro greens, kimchi and a drizzle of your favorite dressing or sauce.
5 Simple Seafood Preparation Methods
1. Sautéed
The simplest way to prepare a fillet is to serve it on top of a salad, rice, or any side dish!
Heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil in a cast-iron skillet or nonstick pan.
Rub fillet with salt, pepper, and herbs, and add it skin-side down to the pan.
Cook on medium heat, and flip after 2-3 minutes, and cook to desired doneness (2-minutes).
Garnish with a squeeze of lemon and a sprig of parsley, and serve on a salad, rice, or with any side dish.
Don’t overdo it—some translucent flesh is totally fine!
2. Fried
Dry fillets or whole fish with a paper towel
Mix 1 cup of flour (or gf flour) with 1 tsp salt and 1 tsp pepper on a deep plate
Heat 1-2 inches of oil in a cast iron skillet or frying pan
Dredge each piece of fish in flour mixture and add directly to hot oil, taking care not to crowd the pan (leave plenty of space around each piece of fish)
Fry until crispy and golden brown (2-3 minute on each side)
Garnish with lemon and serve with tartar sauce or another favorite dipping sauce
3. Steamed
Add 1 inch of water in the bottom of a pot with steamer rack or basket, cover and bring to a boil.
Lay the fish on the steamer's, making sure the rack is elevated above the water, and cover again.
Steam 4 to 8 minutes, or until the fish is done.
Season with salt and pepper, and garnish with lemon, and serve with rice your favorite side dish .
4. Baked
Baked fish is flaky, delicate and delicious, but can take a bit more time than other preparation methods.
Preheat oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C). Rinse fish, and pat dry.
Rub fillets with olive oil, and season with salt and black pepper or a spice blend of your choice.
Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or aluminum foil, and place fish on baking sheet.
Bake in preheated oven for 6-9 minutes per 8 oz of fish, or to an internal temperature of 145˚.
For faster cooking times, you can cook fish under the broiler, but it will cook very quickly, and it is easy to dry out, so keep a close eye on it!
5. Poached
Slow-cooked fish in liquid—easy clean-up, with no burned oil or smells in your kitchen to worry about!
Heat 1-2 inches of salted water, stock/bouillon, or white wine to 145˚ in a skillet or shallow saucepan. Add fresh herbs and half a small chopped onion or shallot.
The water in the pot will circulate, and you'll see steam rising from the pot and a few bubbles, but no more than that. If the water is simmering (i.e., a slow boil), it is too hot.
Add fish and cook for 8-12 minutes, or until firm. Don’t worry—you can’t overcook fish while poaching it since it’s a low-temperature cooking method!
Drizzle a soy-ginger dressing or sauce of your choice over fish, and serve with rice or a salad
BONUS: Grilled
Rub fish fillet with oil, salt, and pepper, or a spice blend of your choice.
Add to a gas or charcoal grill over indirect heat (not directly over flame or coals).
Cook for 2-3 minutes or until grill marks are present, then flip and cook for another 2-3 minutes.
Garnish with lemon, and serve alongside a salad, on a sandwich, or with a side dish of your choice.
BONUS: Raw (tuna or salmon)
A bit more adventurous, but once you try it, you’ll be hooked! Be sure to purchase sushi-grade salmon or tuna.
Important: to avoid foodborne illness from parasites, fish must be commercially frozen, or frozen for 7 days in your freezer at home before consuming raw to kill any parasites. When slicing, examine each piece and look for parasites.
Thaw fish overnight in the fridge, in a bowl.
Sashimi-Style: Slice fillet into 3-inch pieces, and slice length-wise (against the grain) into ¼ inch thin slices. Serve with soy sauce and wasabi with a side of rice and pickled ginger.
Hawaiian Poke Style: Cut fish into ½” cubes, and serve over rice with a ginger-tamari dressing, with toppings of your choice (edamame, pickled ginger, grated carrots, seaweed, kimchi, etc). This recipe from Real Good Fish has some great suggestions!