True or False

Seafood is very nutritious as it has high protein content, contains all essential amino acids and is an excellent source of omega-3 fatty acids.

True

Seafood is however high in cholesterol.

False

It is easy to digest as the protein in seafood is broken down and absorbed by the body more easily than the protein in red meats and poultry.

True

Fish contain between 17 and 25% protein; on average the protein content is about 19%.

True

Seafood is moderate in fat with a variation of 7 - 13% fat depending on the type.

True

Seafood forms and important part of a balanced diet and many bodies recommend eating seafood at least twice a week.

True

The omega-3 fatty acids are polyunsaturated and have been shown to have beneficial effects on human blood fat levels, heart disease and blood pressure.

True

True or False

Before ingredients can be selected, the individual ingredients from all Standard recipe cards must be collated.

True

The required quantities for preparation may depend on the number of bookings, seasonal factors, functions or historical business data.

True

Commonly kitchen staff would consult with reception or service staff as to booking numbers and upcoming events to enable them to plan their mise en place requirements.

True

The selection of ingredients is commonly organised by an experienced chef as it would be too time consuming to consult SRCs for each dish.

True

Before ingredients are selected or prepared the existing mise en place needs to be checked in order to ensure FIFO principles and to prevent wastage.

True

True or False

Approximately 0.5-1% of the population are allergic or sensitive to fish and/or shellfish.

True

This may not sound like much, but in a busy restaurant that can mean 1 or 2 customers every day.

True

Allergic reactions to seafood are generally severe and usually result in extreme reactions and death. 

False

Extremely sensitive individuals can even react to the steam given off when cooking seafood.

True

Sustainability

ü   

Supplier margins

Quality, price and market fluctuations

ü   

Enterprise and customer expectations

ü   

Bulk purchasing

Availability and type required

ü   

True

False

Whichever equipment is used, it is important to check it first for cleanliness to prevent cross-contamination.

ü   

Any equipment that has to be assembled must be put together correctly. Incorrect assembly could damage the equipment or cause injury.

ü   

If you are unsure about any aspect of how to use equipment you must refuse to do the task and report your supervisor to management.

ü   

Equipment malfunctions and faults must be reported to a supervisor and any faulty equipment must be tagged and removed from operations.

ü   

Hygiene is a key factor during any job and regular cleaning and sanitation of equipment during usage or when changing a food item, is essential.

ü   

Correct storage conditions must be used to ensure that equipment can dry properly to prevent the growth of mould and bacteria.

ü   

True or False

Once all of the ingredients are weighed, consider the correct storage requirements for further use, as well as preparation and workflow implications.

True

Prepare the ingredients into the correct size or trim as required. The requirements should be outlined in the recipe and will be influenced by the dish, its origin and final presentation.

True

During preparation it is important to consider any trimmings or offcuts and how they could be utilised in other recipes or sections of the kitchen. For example off cuts of seafood can be utilised for farces or seafood marinara.

True

Any prepared items must be used immediately to prevent food safety issues.

True

Any items that can be reused must be stored hygienically and are normally identified with a tag or label stating the item, the date of packaging and the intended use.

True

Freshwater fish

ü   

Saltwater fish

ü   

Fat fish

Reef fish

Flat fish

ü   

Round fish

ü   

White fish

ü   

Oily fish

ü   

True

False

Freshwater fish incorporate all varieties that live in freshwater such as trout, carp and Murray perch.

ü   

All freshwater fish are oily fish.

ü   

Saltwater fish include any variety that lives in the ocean and estuaries.

ü   

Many saltwater fish are white fleshed fish and have a clean, fresh taste such as coral trout or snapper.

ü   

Oily fish such as trevally or mullet are usually cheaper and have a firmer texture and very mild taste.

ü   

The "king of oily fish," yellowfin tuna, is used for sashimi due to its outstanding taste and achieves very high prices, particularly in the Japanese fish markets.

ü   

Kingfish/yellowtail

Oily Fish/Round

Rainbow trout

White Fish/Flat

Whiting

White Fish/Round

Snapper

White Fish/Round

Sole

Oily Fish/Round-Freshwater

Mullet

Oily Fish/Round

Bivalves

Clams, Oysters, Mussels, Scallops  

Univalves

Abalone

Soft-bodied

Squid, Octopus

Crustaceans

Bugs, Crabs, Rocklobster, Prawns, Scampi

True or False

Live fish are stored in aquatic tanks and live shellfish can be kept covered in the coolroom for a limited time.

True

Live seafood must be checked regularly and any sick or dead animals must be eaten immediately.

False

The tanks must be monitored in regards to temperature, salt content and regular maintenance tasks.

True

Display tanks are available to allow for ideal conditions for cold water, tropical and freshwater species.

True

Molluscs not stored in tanks are best kept fresh in a container containing fresh water, to imitate sea conditions.

False

True

False

To kill live seafood humanely you need to minimize suffering.

ü   

Fish from a tank should be stunned with a quick blow to the head or brain spiked, then the intestine removed.

ü   

Crustaceans should be placed into boiling water as soon as a delivery arrives.

ü   

Crustaceans should be placed in the freezer or ice slurry or freshwater to slow body functions.

ü   

Once chilled down, submerge the head of crustaceans into boiling liquid, brain spike or cut through the longitudinal mid-line to kill the seafood quickly.

ü   

Appearance

Good colour and sheen, scales intact and firm, firm flesh, shiny black eyes and red gills, natural slime, no lesions 

Odour

Smells fresh not off, no ammonia smell or milky smell

Texture

Firm and resistant to the touch  

Taste

Sashimi should have a clean seafood taste, no pronounced fishy taste

Frozen Fish Quality Indicators

Good Quality

Packaging

Check use-by date, unbroken and completeness of plastic wrapping

Appearance

Check the colour, possible freezer burn, surface ice and the consistency of the flesh

Odour

Fresh smell, no ammonia smell or milky smell 

Texture

Should resemble fresh appearance, but solid

True or False

The body of crustaceans should be intact, i.e. no broken antennae and the head and tail connection should be tight.

True

Crustaceans should have a fresh smell and their eyes should be clear and translucent.

False

Crustaceans should have a fresh smell and their eyes should be black and glossy. 

True

Crustaceans have pigments in the shell that change colour when heated and alter the appearance from the normal coppery/green to a bright red.

True

If purchasing pre-cooked shellfish such as prawns and rocklobster a sign of sufficient cooking is the tail curling tightly.

True

Bivalves

Such as mussels should be closed by the natural reaction of their muscles. Mussels should be inspected for breakages and should close up if tapped.

Oysters

Should have a fresh sea smell and must have been purified in sterilised estuary water for 36 hours to remove most microorganisms.

Cockles, clams, vongole, periwinkles and pipis

Need to be rinsed extensively to remove sand and grit.

Soft bodied molluscs

Must be firm to the touch and the flesh should be springy. They should have a fresh sea smell without any milky or ammonia odours.

Establish overall SOPs and HACCP systems including cleaning schedules

ü   

Minimize handling of seafood

ü   

Only wash your hands after handling seafood

ü   

Handle seafood carefully and separate according to species to prevent cross-contamination

ü   

Never mix cooked and uncooked fish and shellfish

ü   

Ensure that all seafood required for service is prepared in one process to reduce handling

Clean and then sanitise your work area regularly to prevent any build-up of bacteria

ü   

True or False

Store fresh seafood between 0°C and +2°C

True

Place fresh seafood on top of the ice using perforated trays to allow for drainage of melted ice

True

Fresh crustaceans must be stored belly side down on ice

True

Thaw seafood covered on trays, placed on lower shelves

True

Thawing seafood in cold water will prevent moisture losses and retains all vitamins.

False

Oysters should sit flat on the shell, with layers of plastic in between to prevent contamination of the flesh from the shell

True

Smoked and cured seafood should be placed on trays and stored in the fridge

True

Check the temperature of frozen seafood at delivery. If the product is warmer than -18°C reject it! Place straight into the freezer

True

Round fish

Has a waste percentage of 50%

Flat fish

Has a waste percentage of 60%

Filet

Flesh of the fish completely removed from the bone and most often skinned; it is generally accepted that there will be no bones, so remove pin bones.

Délice

Folded fillet. Can have fillings or farces.

Paupiette

Rolled filled. Can have farce on the skin side.

Goujon

Strips cut diagonally across the fillet approximately 50x10x10mm.

Goujonette

Strips cut diagonally across the fillet approximately 50x5x5mm.

Suprême

Literally translated as "the best". A larger fillet is cut on a slant to make it look bigger.

Darne

Cut through the bone of a whole round fish. Usually referred to as a cutlet.

Prawns

Cut them in half for grilling, or remove the head, then peel the legs and shell off. Remove the vein and wash, store in the fridge. Enterprise requirements will vary for presentation, as sometimes the tail segment and/or head is left on.

Lobster

For dishes such as the classic, gratinated version you simply split it in half, remove the vein and intestine, wash then process according to the recipe. Tails are also cut in half lengthways or peeled and the meat can be cut into segments.

Bugs

These are prepared by washing them to remove any grit, then removing the head by twisting it or first cutting in the neck area. Cut the tail in half or use scissors to cut through the sides of the tail and then peel off the shell to reveal the meat. The vein is then removed. The shells can be utilised in bisques and stocks.

Crabs

Remove the top shell, remove the gills, cut in half and remove the intestines and wash off. The meat can be pulled out using a lobster fork. The cleaned meat can be prepared and presented in the crab shell or in a traditional British dressed style it is presented elaborately with the leg meat separated.

Mussels

Scrub the shell with steel wool or preferably a stiff brush to remove any barnacles and grit. Pull the beard to remove it and the mussels are ready for cooking.

Cockles, clams, vongole, periwinkles, turban shells and pipis

Often contain sand and must be purged in clean water to remove sand. Rinse after purging and also be aware that when making a sauce or stock any leftover sand will settle to the bottom of the pot.

Oysters

Can be shucked by opening them with a special knife from either the pointed end or the rounded front. by inserting the knife and levering the lid off. If you want to serve these in its natural juices it MUST be opened from the hinge end to prevent shell fragments.

Scallops

Come either roe on or roe off. If attached to a shell, slide your knife underneath the meat, cutting through the muscle that attaches the flesh to the shell. Remove any remaining muscle and intestine from the side of the meat as this becomes tough when cooked.

Soft bodied molluscs

(Ink fish) such as calamari, cuttlefish or octopus require separation of the body or tube from the head. Cut off the tentacles and slice up the tube or body part. Always clean and wash whole ink fish thoroughly.

True or False

You should consider your clientele and their preferences; however requests to overcook seafood must be refused.

True

Shellfish such as prawns and lobster should only just be cooked to the point of doneness.

False

Scallops are also just seared, to keep them moist.

True

Most whitefish is cooked medium and should be only just cooked.

False

Most fish are well done at an internal temperature of 45°C.

False

Fresh abalone should be sliced thinly and requires only the shortest of cooking times.

True

Boiling

Prawns, Lobster, Crabs, Scampi for use in seafood cocktails, seafood platters, salads

Deep poaching

Whole salmon or lobster for a buffet display

Shallow poaching

Sole paupiettes in beurreblanc, coconut and lime poached coral trout

Stewing

Seafood curry, Bouillabaisse, Thai fish curry with green beans

Braising

Chilli crab, whole coral trout with Asian spices

Steaming

Chinese fish dumplings, fresh mussels

Fried fish "Orly"

Fresh tomato sauce

Fish fillets "Doria"

Sautéed cucumber, nut butter

Deep-fried seafood

Sauce tartare, aioli, remoulade

Bouillabaisse

Rouille

Asian seafood preparations

Fish sauce, soy sauce, chilli

Fried fish

Fried potatoes 

Pan-fried seafood

Rissole potato styles like pommes olivettes, pommes Parisiennes

Poached seafood

Turned, boiled are steamed potatoes 

Fish stews and curries

Rice 

Italian dishes

Pasta 

Bones and trimmings

Can be used for fish stocks and fumets

Offcuts

Can be turned into goujons, goujonettes, farces, quenelles or soufflé

Shells

Can be used in making stocks and soups such as bisques as well as butters used for specialty sauces

Leftover cooked prawns

Can be used for fried rice or omelettes

Smoked salmon offcuts

Can be used to flavor breakfast omelettes and scrambled eggs and for pasta sauces

Palatability

ü   

Visual appearance

ü   

Harmony of ingredients

ü   

Comparative sizes of dish and garnish

ü   

Quantity

ü   

Taste

ü   

Uniformity of cookery methods

ü   

True or False

Food must be stored outside the danger zone - either refrigerated below 4°C or heated above 65°C to be safe.

True

If foods are stored correctly no cross-contamination can occur during preparation and plating.

True

Small takeaway containers, vacuum packaging and plastic wrap all assist in keeping product in optimum condition and minimising waste through spoilage or drying out.

True

Individual items or particular food groups may need to be segregated in order to prevent them absorbing the odours of other food.

True

Labelling is a very important step as it will ensure that FIFO principles are followed and it also helps to monitor the lifespan of your products.

True

Labelling may include simple labels, such as a cartouche stating: Mayonnaise, 18/06/14, J. Peterson, up to full nutritional labels required for bulk cooking and distribution.

True

À la meunière

Describes the seasoning of seafood with salt, pepper, lemon juice and a dusting of flour, shallow-fried in butter and finished with butter, lemon juice and chopped parsley

À l'Anglaise

Crumbed and pan-fried or deep-fried 

À l'Orly

Drawn through batter accompanied by fresh tomato sauce 

Bercy

Seafood poached and served with white wine sauce

À la Colbert

Whole sole crumbed and fried, the bone is then removed and maitred'hôtel butter is added

Mornay

Seafood cooked with mornay sauce (cheese flavouredBéchamel)

Tempura

Seafood drawn through a light, cornflour-based batter, deep-fried and accompanied by an Asian dipping sauce 

True

False

Store offcuts and leftovers in a timely fashion to prevent spoilage and waste.

ü   

Tidy your work area frequently, in particular between different tasks.

ü   

When changing to different tasks and commodities the workplace and equipment need to be cleaned and sanitised.

ü   

To prevent foreign odours and bacteria risks, it is a good idea to turn cutting boards upside down when switching tasks.

ü   

The purpose of cleaning is to remove dirt, food particles, grease, grime, scum, etc. from a surface. 

ü   

The purpose of sanitations is to reduce or kill the amount of bacteria present on any surface area.

ü   

Sanitation should occur each time after cleaning a work area or equipment that comes into contact with food.

ü   

At the end of a shift it is essential to clean all areas of your workspace. This includes stove tops, microwave, salamanders, shelving and wall areas that my commonly become soiled.

ü