Simply Delicious - Big Y® World Class Market®

Four of Our Favorite Ways to Cook Seafood
Is your seafood cooking experience limited to ordering your favorite dish off the menu at your favorite restaurant or dialing the memorized digits of your number one carryout? Or maybe you do occasionally prepare fish at home, but you stick to your one or two tried-and-true methods? You might not think so, but cooking seafood is remarkably simple. The bounty from our lakes and oceans is incredibly versatile, equally delicious whether baked, broiled, poached or steamed. Read on for a quick primer on four of our favorite ways to
cook seafood.

Bake It: Since your oven provides dry heat, baking works best for small, delicate fillets that will cook quickly. Fish should be baked uncovered in an oven preheated to 425°F to 450°F. Place fish in a lightly oiled or greased shallow baking dish, then sprinkle it with salt, pepper, herbs and spices. Drizzle it with lemon juice or butter, if desired, or add a splash of white wine.

Broil It: Thick fish steaks, whole fish and other dense-textured items will hold up well under your broiler’s intense heat. Preheat the broiler and lightly grease the rack for your broiler pan. Place fish in a single layer, skin side down if you’re leaving the skin on. When broiling a whole fish, cut small slits in the thickest parts to help ensure even cooking. Baste if desired with oil, butter or margarine and place 4 to 5 inches from the heat. Thick steaks or whole fish should be turned once during cooking.

Poach It: Cooking seafood in a bath of water or another savory liquid - broth, fish stock, wine, etc. - is an ideal way to impart flavor while ensuring your delicate fillets will remain moist. To poach, bring your liquid to a boil in a shallow pan, then reduce it to a simmer and add the seafood, making sure
you have enough liquid in the pan to cover it by about an inch (add more liquid if necessary). Then cover and simmer until done.

Steam It: Steaming is especially effective - and easy! - for shellfish. All you need is a pot of boiling water and a steamer rack or basket. Fill a pot with enough water to come just below the bottom of your steamer. You can add aromatic herbs or spices directly to the water, or you can season your seafood just before steaming it. Bring the water to a boil, then place the steamer in the pot. Make sure you have enough room in the steamer for your items to lay flat. Cover the pot until your seafood is cooked. You’ll know when your clams, oysters or mussels are done when their shells open. Shrimp or lobster will change color; shrimp will go from white to pink and opaque and lobster will turn bright red.

Baked Flounder with Seafood Stuffing

Broiled Scallops with Vegetables in Butter Sauce