Seafood cuisine is based on the cooking of fish, shellfish and other aquatic creatures. It is often preserved, smoked or salted, and may be cooked or eaten raw.
A classic example of seafood cuisine is clam chowder. Another great example is bouillabaisse, a rich stew made from leftover bits of fish and other ingredients. Visit https://ourpalafox.com/ to learn more.
Fish and seafood are foods that come from the sea. They include all bony fishes, including the more primitive sharks, skates, rays, and sawfish; crustaceans such as lobsters, crabs, shrimps, and crayfish; mollusks such as clams, oysters, mussels, cockles, limpets, and whelks; and two echinoderms—squids and sea urchins. These creatures provide a vital food source for humans throughout the world and are an excellent source of high-quality protein, as well as other nutrients such as calcium, phosphorus, iron, zinc, vitamin B2, and iodine.
The cooking methods used to prepare fish vary greatly. Some of the most common techniques include boiling, pan frying, sautéing, and roasting. The key to any seafood dish is to cook it at a low temperature to preserve the delicate flavors and texture of the meal. It is also important to monitor the cooking process, as fish can overcook quickly.
Seafood is a popular choice for healthy cuisine, as it is generally low in calories and contains many vitamins and minerals. It is particularly rich in omega-3 fatty acids, which are beneficial for brain and heart health. Fish is a great source of protein and is usually low in fat, if not completely fat-free.
Many dishes feature fish as an ingredient, including poached salmon with dill and capers, smoked trout and risotto, bouillabaisse, and grilled sardines with romesco sauce. It is a common belief that fried fish is unhealthy, however if it is baked or grilled instead of deep-fried it can be very nutritious.
Crab cakes are a versatile dish that can be served as an appetizer or main course. They can be made with a variety of ingredients, but are typically comprised of fish, potatoes, eggs, and a breadcrumb coating. They can be seasoned with garlic, saffron, or cayenne pepper and are often fried in oil for a crisp crust. Another popular seafood dish is lobster mac and cheese, which combines the classic elbow macaroni with chunks of succulent lobster meat in a creamy sauce of Gruyere and Cheddar.
Crustaceans
Crustaceans are a group of arthropods that can be herbivores, carnivores or detritvores. The 67,000 described species range in size from the giant Japanese spider crab with a leg span of up to 3.8 m (12.5 ft) to the microscopic Stygotantulus stocki at 0.1 mm (0.004 in). Most crustaceans have hard exoskeletons which they shed or moult as they grow. They have one or more pairs of specialised appendages for walking and swimming, known as swimmerets. The legs of crustaceans are attached to the thorax and abdomen and end in a fan-shaped tail called a telson. In some groups, the telson may have spikes or claws for defence. Crustaceans acquire food by using their cephalic or thoracic appendages or, in the case of crayfish, their chelae. The appendages are equipped with teeth or claws that masticate the food or break it up into smaller particles. Food is then digested and assimilated in a tripartite alimentary tract. In most species, a heart located in the thorax or cephalothorax pumps blood into the alimentary tract via arteries. Some crustaceans such as copepods and marine barnacles lack a heart and circulate their body fluids through general movement and the use of gills.
Like other marine animals, crustaceans are preyed upon by a variety of marine mammals, birds and fish. They protect themselves from predators by their hard exoskeletons and a variety of means such as camouflage, their ability to burrow or to swim away rapidly. Marine crustaceans are also often a major source of bait for fishers and are popular in aquariums as pets.
Shellfish are the most familiar of the many types of crustaceans eaten by humans. They can be divided into two broad categories – the hard-bodied crustaceans and the soft-bodied mollusks. The latter are characterised by their calcium carbonate shells and a segmented limb system, with oysters, mussels and scallops being common examples.
The unscientific disposal of crustacean by-products can have huge disposal costs, pollute the marine environment and create risks for human health [8]. Several new techniques have been developed for obtaining valuable ingredients from crustaceans’ by-products, such as autolysis, enzymatic processes and fermentation. These methods are more environmentally friendly than traditional chemical extraction techniques and maintain the physical integrity of the ingredients.
Cephalopods
Cephalopods are one of evolution’s wonders—a highly specialized class of invertebrates that thrive as visual hunters across diverse ocean habitats and depths. Their amazing biology, behavior and intelligence hold much to discover, emulate and conserve.
Squids and octopuses are masters of camouflage, changing color and texture to blend in with their surroundings. Their skin is covered with pigment-filled cells called chromatophores. Under the control of neural pathways, these can be rapidly coordinated into elaborate displays. They also have iridophores, thin layered protein cells that reflect light and produce colors chromatophores cannot.
A cuttlefish can change its textured disguise in the blink of an eye by extending or retracting structures resembling bumps, stripes, spots and even a black and white checkerboard. These displays are used for warning, mating and defense. Cephalopods can also hide in sea grass or rock crevices, and use undulating movements of paired fins on their mantle to jet through the water. They can also eject a cloud of ink to create a “smoke screen” that aids escape.
The remarkably complex eyes of cephalopods are another key to their success as visual hunters. Like human eyes, they have an iris, pupil and lens, but are able to dilate or constrict their pupils in response to varying light intensity. Octopus, squid and cuttlefish have pupils that are shaped differently, while the nautilus has a pinhole pupil without a lens.
In addition to their visual camouflage, some cephalopods can impersonate other sea creatures—a form of self-defense called mimicry. The mimic octopus, for example, can hide up to 15 different animals by changing color, movement and body shape.
Modern octopus and squid are the most widely eaten cephalopods worldwide, with over 4.8 million tons caught per year (FAO 2014). They can be cooked in many ways including boiling, steaming, frying, grilling and deep-frying. They are often served as a filling in soups and stews, as well as in salads, pasta dishes and sushi rolls. They are also prized for their firm, meaty texture and umami flavor.
Seaweed
There are thousands of species of seaweed, which can be found all over the world’s oceans. Many are nutrient-dense and rich in vitamins, minerals, antioxidants, and omega-3 and omega-6 fats. Some can be used as a dietary supplement and are sold as a health food. And they’re great for adding a fresh, briny note to seafood dishes.
The most famous edible seaweed is probably nori, the shiny black laver that wraps sushi and onigiri, but there are so many other varieties to discover. Aonori is a green powdered seaweed that’s sprinkled on okonomiyaki and takoyaki, or mixed into shichimi togarashi, a Japanese seasoning blend that includes citrus peel, chili peppers, sesame seeds, sansho pepper, and flecks of dried aonori. Aonori is also a common ingredient in togarashi salmon.
Another popular type of green seaweed is kombu, a Japanese name for the kelp known as fusiforme (Ulva lactuca). The delicate flavor and crunchy texture of kombu adds crunch to ceviche, fish stews, and other seafood dishes. It’s also a staple in Japan’s shabu-shabu hot pot.
One of the most interesting uses for kombu is its ability to act as a “flavor carrier” for other ingredients, says chef Robin Assafi of Noma in Copenhagen. He adds it to broths, soups, salads, and deviled eggs to bring out the flavors of other ingredients without overwhelming them.
Ulva lactuca, better known as sea lettuce or laver, is a mild-flavored green algae that’s a favorite in the cuisine of the Ohlone people in California. It’s traditionally flash-fried in duck fat, but chef Vincent Medina of the restaurant Cafe Ohlone in San Francisco prefers to sauté it in butter, which he says brings out its bacon-like flavor.
Seaweed can be cultivated in the wild or on land using various methods. It’s an easy and delicious way to add more seafood to your diet — and it’s good for the environment too. According to Rod Fujita, senior scientist at the Environmental Defense Fund, “seaweeds and farmed blue foods generate less greenhouse gasses, fewer nutrient and chemical waste streams, and use less water and land than conventional meats.” Click through to see how to make a variety of seafood recipes with seaweed.
