Cooking Terms, Techniques & Recipes

Baking or Roasting uses dry heat in an oven, convection oven or air fryer cooking generally at 350 degrees. Fish can be stuffed, seasoned, or cooked whole. Cook until firm to touch.

Broiling uses high heat from above. Fish can be seasoned with butter, olive oil, wine, garlic, etc. Cook until firm to touch. Useful technique for white flaky fish. 

Deep Frying is to cook in fat generally at 350 degrees and the seafood is fully submerged in fat. Fish is usually breaded, floured or dusted. Cook until golden brown. 

Grilling is simply high heat from below. Most often used on fish with higher fat content (tuna, salmon, swordfish). Fish can dry out quickly. Season as desired. Flip halfway through cooking. Cook until firm to touch.

Pan Frying is as the name states and cooks at moderate temperature (generally 350 degrees). The fat should be halfway up the sides of the fish you are cooking. Fish is usually breaded, floured, or dusted. Flip halfway through cooking. Cook until golden brown. 

Poaching is the process of cooking fish in liquid, steam or a wrap. Use white wine, fish stock, seasonings, etc. to impart flavor into the fish you are cooking. Can use parchment paper or foil to wrap fish to create steam. Cook until firm to touch.

Sautéing is using high heat with a small amount of fat. Start with a hot pan, sear fish on both sides, then remove. Add seasoning, additional ingredients and/or sauces. Return fish to pan.

Stewing works best with a firm, white fish. The key ingredient to many fish stews is clam juice. Fresh fish fillets can be cooked in a stew with onions, garlic, parsley, tomato, clam juice and white wine.