During the COVID-19 pandemic, research into buying habits showed that many Australians were branching out with the ingredients used in their home cooking. Lockdown bread and pasta-making became popular, as Aussies tried to add a bit of interest to their days stuck inside, and seafood sales went through the roof as fresh delivery services became commonplace.
Seafood is extremely easy to cook, if you know the basics, but there are definitely a few mistakes that commonly pop up with beginner chefs. If you got into cooking more seafood at home during lockdown, it's important to know the fish faux pas to avoid.
We asked Sydney Fish Market culinary ambassador and renowned chef Sean Connolly to run us through the common seafood cooking mistakes he has seen in his time, and how to avoid them!
Want to learn more about seafood cooking? Book into a class at Sydney Seafood School! Full schedule here.
Mistake #1: Not Choosing High-Quality Product
Some seafood beginners are tripped up before they even get to the kitchen, by not knowing what to look for when purchasing fresh seafood. Here are some of Sean's tips for choosing high-quality product:
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Get to know your fishmonger! They know their stuff, and can tell you what has arrived in fresh that day.
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Use your eyes: look for bright, lustrous, unbroken skin or flesh, and a thin layer of slime on the body for whole fish.
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Use your nose: your nose is your single most reliable tool when it comes to purchasing seafood. Fresh fish should smell like the sea – briny and clean – rather than 'fishy'. Get up close and personal to make your final decisions.
Mistake #2: Not Choosing the Right Species for the Cooking Method
Cooking seafood can be as simple or as elaborate a process as you like – throwing some Snapper fillets on the BBQ will likely turn out just as delicious as butterflying, crusting, and baking some Sardines – but it's important to know which cooking method to use for which species.
While many methods will work for a variety of seafood types, different species have different qualities that you need to look out for to make sure your seafood is cooked to perfection!
Some of Sean's key examples are:
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Use firm-fleshed species, like Mahi Mahi, Ling, Octopus, and Tuna Steaks, in a curry, or cook them using high, direct heat (such as straight on the BBQ or in a stir-fry). Alternatively, cook firm species low and slow, using braising.
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Species with delicate flesh (think Whiting or Perch) require a gentler cooking. You can wrap them in baking paper or banana leaves, steam them, or deep-fry them in a structured coating (to protect them from the heat).
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Mistake #3: Incorrect Preparation
A few small faux pas fall into this category, according to Sean.
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Not patting your fish dry before cooking prevents you from achieving a crispy skin and can stop seasoning from penetrating properly. Use a clean kitchen towel to remove as much moisture as you can.
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Home cooks should also remember to oil their seafood, rather than their cooking surface, to prevent smoke, especially when cooking on the BBQ.
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Seasoning too early is also a no-no; salt will pull the moisture out of your fish. Instead of seasoning before cooking, add salt and pepper when the fish is almost cooked for the best results.
Mistake #4: Turning Too Much
When cooking fish fillets, turning them too many times can cause them to either become tough, or to lose their structural integrity. Sean's solution? First, cook the skin side, to achieve a nice crisp. Then, turn only once onto the other side, using a slightly lower heat to cook the fillet all the way through.
To check whether it's done, take it off the heat and gently cut with a butter knife into the thickest part of the fillet. If the flesh gently flakes apart, and is opaque all the way through, it is ready to eat!
Mistake #5: Overcooking
The final common mistake, and the cardinal sin of seafood cooking, is overcooking.
Unlike other proteins, the vast majority of seafood species do not require much cooking at all, due to their delicate flesh. Sashimi grade fish can be served still rare in the centre; otherwise, you want your fish to be only just cooked through, as it will continue cooking with residual heat after you remove it from the pan or oven.
When stir-frying or making a curry, make sure to add your seafood in last, after your veggies, as it will cook the quickest.
Want to learn more about seafood cooking? Book into a class at Sydney Seafood School!
Full schedule here.