My mama's favorite thing to eat is seafood, especially shrimp, crabs, scallops and catfish. At least once a month, I could anticipate seafood night at the house. I can still smell the fried shrimp and scallops, catfish nuggets, and seafood pasta cooking now.
Today, I still have a love for seafood, but I have expanded my taste to include other seafood dishes like calamari, salmon, lobster, etc. Even more than that, I've learned that everything doesn't need to be deep fried to taste good.
Cooking seafood can be a little tricky though, and it can be very easy to make a mistake that results in a dish that is less than appealing. Great care has to be taken when shopping, cooking and preparing seafood, because it is very easy to overcook or under-cook seafood dishes. And the last thing you want is to get somebody sick.
Here are a few things to keep in mind when preparing seafood:
Be aware of how fresh your fish/seafood is: When buying fish, especially fresh from the market, check the freshness of your fish. A simple trick to making sure your fish is as fresh possible is to look at the eyes; the clearer the eyes, the fresher the fish. Most places are pretty good at making sure the food is as fresh as possible, but if you still have questions, ask the person behind the counter when the fish was caught and brought it.
Be aware of how to properly clean your seafood: The worst thing you can ever do is bite into a piece of fish and find yourself choking on a piece of bone. Or chomp on a shrimp and realize it has not been de-veined (you do know that the vein in the back of the shrimp is where the poop is, right?). Most places will already sell food cleaned for you (no scales, veins, shells, etc), but just double check, especially with small fish and shrimp to make sure that it is properly cleaned. Oh, and don't forget the clams too. Make sure all the salt and mud is washed out of them as well.
Be aware of how fast seafood cooks: You would be surprised how fast fish cooks. You can turn your head for two minutes and your fish is burning. Especially when you pan sear in hot oil. The same goes for shrimp and scallops, lobsters and crabs. Often times, these foods cook fairly fast (no more than 10 minutes), which can be helpful when you just need a fast, quick meal. But if you overcook the food, it can be rubbery and tasteless.
When it comes to making seafood, many people think the only time to make it is when you have a romantic evening planned. But the benefit of most seafood is having a protein that cooks fast, can be stored and eaten hot or cold, and that is simple enough to include in a variety of dishes, such as salads, soups, as a side dish, appetizer, main course, etc. (if you add it to a dessert though, that's on you). Just make sure you can actually afford to include it; seafood tends to be a little more on the expensive side if you aren't a savvy shopper. But it can easily become one of your favorite go-to protein sources, especially when you need dinner in a crunch.
We about the love of seafood - don't be salty!
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