NLN Fish Materials

• NLN poaching fish.

• NLN frying fish.
• NLN grilling fish.
• NLN deep frying fish.
 Element Two
Cook & Finish Basic Fish Dishes.
All of the standard methods of cookery may be
applied to most fish. To determine which
cookery process to adopt you will need to
consider the following:
• Any dish, recipe specification, or menu
demands.
• Any customer requirements and relevant
establishment policies.
• The type of menu on which the dish is to
feature.

• The quality, type, quantity and cut of fish

being used.

• The equipment and resources you have

available. For example do you have a grill.

• You will also need to plan you work to

determine the shortest possible time
between cooking and serving.
 Points to Consider.
• Excessive cooking will render any fish flesh
dry and tasteless. Fish is composed of
delicate muscle tissue and requires relatively
little cooking in comparison to meat and
poultry.

• Insufficient cooking may not destroy harmful

bacteria that may be present, therefore
care in timing and temperature control are
essential to achieve a safe product.
• Handling should be kept to a minimum both
before and after cooking as contamination
can occur at either stage.

• Ensure that cooked fish is stored above 63

degrees C (145 degrees F) and that cooked
cold fish is stored below 5 degrees C (41
degrees F), and preferably as near to 0
degrees C (32 degrees F) as possible without
causing damage.

• Excess time in hot storage will cause the fish

to dry out.
• Here fish is cooked by the controlled
dry heat inside an oven. The delicate
nature of fish flesh means that it
requires some protection from the
direct heat of the oven. This is
achieved by retaining and protecting
the natural moisture.
 Baking (Oven-Cooking) Fish.
• Here fish is cooked Type of Fish:
by the controlled • Whole Fish: White or
dry heat inside an Oily, Round or Flat.
oven. The delicate • Cod, Hake, Bass,
nature of fish flesh Haddock, Tuna,
means that it Salmon.
requires some Cuts of Fish:
protection from • Supremes, Fillets or
the direct heat of Darnes
the oven.
 Grilling Fish.
• Grilling is a dry
method of cookery Type of Fish:
using the concentrated
heat radiated by gas • Small to Medium
flames, electrical Whole Fish: Round,
elements or glowing Flat, Oily or White.
charcoal i.e BBQ.
• Grilling radiates a
fierce heat so the
Cuts of Fish:
surface of the fish • Darnes, Troncons
requires protection. and Supremes.
 Deep Frying Fish.
Type of Fish:
• Whole small round and
• Deep-frying is a flat fish. Mackerel,
process which Tuna or Salmon, do not
cooks the food by suit this process as
entirely immersing they taste unacceptably
it in hot oil or fat. greasy after absorbing
The frying a percentage of the
temperature should frying medium.
be 175-185 degrees Cuts of Fish:
C (347-365 • Supremes, Fillets and
degrees F). Goujons.
 Protective Coatings for Fish.

• Flour, egg-wash and breadcrumbs.

• Fresh breadcrumbs.

• Batter.

• Milk and flour.

 Key Safety Precautions
Points to Note When Deep Frying.
Never:
• Over-fill the fryer with oil or fat.
• Over-heat the oil. If it begins to smoke,
switch off the fryer and inform your
supervisor.
• Plunge uncoated wet items into hot fat.
• Attempt to extinguish a fryer with
water or sand.
• Leave fryers unattended whilst in use.
 Shallow Frying Fish.
• Shallow-frying Type of Fish:
involves cooking the • Small whole fish
fish in a small (Trout, Red Mullet,
amount of clarified Dover Sole).
butter or oil at
high temperatures Cuts of Fish:
using a frying pan. • Fillets, Supremes,
Medallions,
Goujons.
 Poaching Fish.
• It involves cooking fish in liquids at a
temperature below boiling (approximately 90-
95 degrees C, 194-203 degrees F), creating
very little or no movement in the cooking liquor.

Poaching may be divided into two categories:

• Deep-poaching.
• Shallow-poaching.
 Deep-Poaching.
• During deep-poaching the
fish is totally immersed
in a particular type of
liquid: an acidulated court
bouillon
• The scale of the fish are
removed but the skin is
left on for protection
during cooking.
Type of Fish:
Salmon, Sea Trout &
Trout
Especially where the
fish is to be dressed
for cold buffet use.
Cuts of Fish:
Larger whole fish and
cuts of oily fish.
 Shallow Poaching.
• Fish is shallow- Type of Fish: Sole,
poached when it is to Plaice, Baby Turbot.
be coated with a Cuts of Fish:
sauce, and the Small whole fish or cuts
cooking liquor is of fish (Fillets,
invariably used for Delice, Supremes,
finishing the sauce. Paupiettes).
• Glazed & Unglazed
dishes.
 Steaming Fish.
• Small whole fish,
fillets or other small Type of Fish:
cuts of fish can be Most fish.
cooked with excellent
Cuts of Fish:
results by steaming.
All units give good Small whole fish,
results but cooking fillets or other
times vary, depending small cuts of fish.
on the type of
steamer you employ.
 Storing Fish Dishes.

• In order to prevent bacterial growth,

hot fish dishes should be stored
above 65 degrees C (149 degrees F).

• Cold fish dishes should be stored

below 5 degrees C (41 degrees F).