This document outlines a culinary foundations level II course covering fish and shellfish. It discusses the definition, structure, and classification of various fish and shellfish. Specific topics covered include processing, market forms, determining freshness, purchasing terminology, cooking methods, storage, and examples of different types of fish and shellfish found in saltwater and freshwater habitats.

1. 3/18/2022 1
BAC 102 Culinary Foundation Level II (T)
Chef Mehernosh Dhanda

2.  Definition
 Structure and composition of fish and shellfish
 Classification & identification of a variety of fish and
shellfish
 Processing fish
 Market forms
 Determining freshness of fish
 Purchasing terminology
 Cooking fish & seafood
 Other seafood categories
 Storage of fish & seafood
3/18/2022 2
BAC 102 Culinary Foundation Level II (T)

3.  Fish are aquatic
vertebrates with fins for
swimming and gills for
breathing
 Shellfish are aquatic
invertebrates with shells
or carapaces
3/18/2022 3
BAC 102 Culinary Foundation Level II (T)

4. Habitat Physical Shape Flesh type
Fresh water fish- found
in rivers, lakes, ponds
Salt water fish – found
in the ocean
Round fish
Flat fish
White fish
Oily fish
3/18/2022 4
BAC 102 Culinary Foundation Level II (T)

5.  Include fresh and
saltwater varieties
 Have fins and internal
bone structures
 Have eyes on both sides
of their heads
 Bodies are truly round,
oval, or compressed
3/18/2022 5
BAC 102 Culinary Foundation Level II (T)

6.  Found in deep ocean waters
 Have asymmetrical,
compressed bodies
 Swim in a horizontal position
 Have both eyes on top of
their heads
 Bottom dwellers
 Top of their bodies is dark
and the bottom is lighter in
color
3/18/2022 6
BAC 102 Culinary Foundation Level II (T)

7.  Spend their lives in fresh water
with a salinity of less than 0.05%
 41% species of fish are found in
fresh water
 Anadromous fish reproduce in
fresh water but spend adulthood in
salt water
E.g.: Salmon, Stout, Three-spined
Stickleback
 An eel reproduces in salt water
and lives in fresh water
3/18/2022 7
BAC 102 Culinary Foundation Level II (T)

8. Perch Tilapia
Salmon
Catfish
Carp
3/18/2022 8
BAC 102 Culinary Foundation Level II (T)

9.  Spend their entire lives in oceanic waters
3/18/2022 9
BAC 102 Culinary Foundation Level II (T)

10. Mackerel
Red Snapper
Ladyfish
Surmai
White
pomfret
Rawas
3/18/2022 10
BAC 102 Culinary Foundation Level II (T)

11.  Larger fish should be scaled, washed, trimmed and gutted before
cooking.Whereas, smaller fish can be just washed and scaled and left
whole
 Scale
 Trim
 Gut
3/18/2022 11
BAC 102 Culinary Foundation Level II (T)

12.  Use a scaling knife
 Or use the
unsharpened edge of a
knife
 Work from tail to head.
3/18/2022 12
BAC 102 Culinary Foundation Level II (T)

13. Using kitchen shears or scissors trim off all the fins around the fish
3/18/2022 13
BAC 102 Culinary Foundation Level II (T)

14.  Remove the gills by
cutting the throat
connection
 Run the knife on the
belly side from tail end
to head
 Remove all internal
viscera
 Wash under running
water
3/18/2022 14
BAC 102 Culinary Foundation Level II (T)

15.  Whole or round
 Drawn
 Dressed
 Pan-dressed
 Butterflied
 Fillet
 Steak
 Wheel or center-cut
3/18/2022 15
BAC 102 Culinary Foundation Level II (T)

16. 3/18/2022 16
BAC 102 Culinary Foundation Level II (T)

17. 3/18/2022 17
BAC 102 Culinary Foundation Level II (T)

18. 3/18/2022 18
BAC 102 Culinary Foundation Level II (T)

19. 3/18/2022 19
BAC 102 Culinary Foundation Level II (T)

20. 3/18/2022 20
BAC 102 Culinary Foundation Level II (T)

21. 3/18/2022 21
BAC 102 Culinary Foundation Level II (T)

22. 3/18/2022 22
BAC 102 Culinary Foundation Level II (T)

23.  Smell
 No odor or the smell of the sea
 Eyes
 Clear and full
 Gills
 Intact and bright red
 Texture
 Flesh should be firm
 Fins and scales
 Moist and full
 Appearance
 Moist and glistening
 Movement
 Crustaceans purchased alive should show movement
 Oysters/clams should close their shells when tapped
3/18/2022 23
BAC 102 Culinary Foundation Level II (T)

24.  Fresh
 Never frozen- Directly used after being caught
 Chilled
 Fresh, held at 30°F to 34°F- Held till sent to local outlets
 Flash-frozen
 Quickly frozen onboard ship, within hours of being caught
 Fresh-frozen
 Frozen while fresh, but not quickly
 Frozen/ Blast frozen
 Subject to temperature below 0°F
 Glazed
 Dipped in water to form a protective shell of ice
 Fancy
 Code word for previously frozen
3/18/2022 24
BAC 102 Culinary Foundation Level II (T)

25.  All cooking methods can be used
 Seafood is inherently tender
 Should be cooked until just done
 Overcooking is the most common mistake
made in preparing seafood
3/18/2022 25
BAC 102 Culinary Foundation Level II (T)

26. Poaching:
Baking:
Grilling:
Stewing:
3/18/2022 26
BAC 102 Culinary Foundation Level II (T)

27.  Shallow Frying:
 Coat the fish with seasoned
flour or egg and crumbs and
fry as follows:-
Thin fillets = 4 minutes
Thicker fillets = 5-6 minutes
Cutlets, Steaks
or Whole fish = 10-15 minutes
3/18/2022 27
BAC 102 Culinary Foundation Level II (T)

28.  Deep Frying:
 Coat the fish with seasoned
flour, batter or egg and
crumbs
 Preheat the oil to 190C,
375F, and fry as follows:-
Thin fillets = 3 minutes
Thicker fillets = 4 minutes
Cutlets, Steaks = 5-8 minutes
3/18/2022 28
BAC 102 Culinary Foundation Level II (T)

29.  Braising:
 Sear in order to brown the
surface and enhance its flavor
 Add a small amount of fatty
oil
 Cook it covered at a very low
simmer until the fish is tender
3/18/2022 29
BAC 102 Culinary Foundation Level II (T)

30.  Translucent flesh becomes opaque
 Flesh becomes firm
 Flesh separates from the bone easily
 Flesh begins to flake
3/18/2022 30
BAC 102 Culinary Foundation Level II (T)

31.  Have small unsegmented bodies and no
internal skeleton
3/18/2022 31
BAC 102 Culinary Foundation Level II (T)

32.  Single shell
 Marine snails
▪ Abalone
▪ Conch
3/18/2022 32
BAC 102 Culinary Foundation Level II (T)
Abalone
Conch

33.  Two bilateral shells
 Clams
 Oysters
 Scallops
 Mussels
 Cockles
3/18/2022 33
BAC 102 Culinary Foundation Level II (T)

34.  No exterior shell
 One single internal shell
called a pen
 Squid/Calamari
 Octopus
3/18/2022 34
BAC 102 Culinary Foundation Level II (T)

35.  Have a hard outer shell and jointed
appendages
 Found in both fresh and salt water
 They breathe through gills
 Crayfish
 Crab
 Lobster
 Shrimp
3/18/2022 35
BAC 102 Culinary Foundation Level II (T)

36.  King
 Dungeness
 Soft-shell
 Blue
 Stone
 Snow
3/18/2022 36
BAC 102 Culinary Foundation Level II (T)

37. 3/18/2022 BAC 102 Culinary Foundation Level II (T) 37

38. 3/18/2022 38
BAC 102 Culinary Foundation Level II (T)

39.  Temperature between 30°F and 34°F
 If shipped in ice, store in ice
 Do not allow seafood to become dry
 Scallops and fish fillets should not be in direct contact
with ice
 Live animals should be stored in saltwater tanks or in
boxes with seaweed
 Bivalves should be stored in net bags or boxes at high
humidity
3/18/2022 39
BAC 102 Culinary Foundation Level II (T)

40.  Group 1: Prepare a chart on Salt water fishes
 Group 2: Prepare a chart on Fresh water fishes
3/18/2022 40
BAC 102 Culinary Foundation Level II (T)