How to Cook Seafood

If you are learning how to cook seafood, there are basically ten main saltwater families of fish. They are much leaner than the freshwater fish. Much of the fat of the saltwater fish is concentrated in the liver and is removed when the fish are cleaned.


When learning how to cook seafood, there is a greater chance of leaner saltwater fish drying than the more oily freshwater fish.  Poaching, steaming and sautéing are good moist cooking methods for these fish. If continual basting is used throughout the cooking it is possible to cook quickly by baking, broiling and grilling.

How to Cook Seafood like this Fiery Shrimp RecipeHow to Cook Seafood like this Fiery Shrimp Recipe

As you are learning how to cook seafood,  I will also be including among these the shellfish.  The main groups of shellfish are the bivalves and univalves such as clams, scallops, oysters and conchs; crustaceans such as shrimp, lobsters , crabs, crayfish and sea urchins and the cephalopods such a as squid and octopus.

FIERY SHRIMP RECIPE

Fiery Shrimp RecipeFiery Shrimp Recipe
  • 2 Cups melted butter
  • ½ Cup Worcestershire sauce
  • ¼ Cup lemon juice
  • 1 Teaspoon hot sauce
  • ¼ cup finely chopped green bell pepper
  • 1 Finely chopped jalapeno pepper
  • 2 Teaspoons salt
  • 4 to 5 Cloves minced garlic
  • 3 Pound large shrimp (Clean, devein and leave tails on)
  • 3 Cups fine bread crumbs
  • Sautéed spinach (OPTIONAL)

Preheat oven to 400F degrees; line casserole dish with bread crumbs.

Layer shrimp on top of bread crumbs.

Combine melted butter, Worcestershire sauce, lemon juice, hot sauce, peppers, salt and garlic.

Pour butter sauce over the shrimp; bake for 20 minutes or until shrimp is pink.

NOTE: Spoon butter mixture from casserole over the shrimp after 10 minutes.

Arrange shrimp over a bed sautéed spinach if desired to serve.

NOTE: A little of the butter mixture in casserole is flavorful drizzled over the spinach.

Serve with fresh bread; serves 6.

HOW TO COOK SEAFOOD like this CRAB CAKES RECIPE

Crab cakes recipes rank at the top favorites if you are learning how to cook seafood. Although each crab cakes recipe can have a variety of ingredients, I have not tasted any bad ones. Maryland crab cakes are known around the country for their delicious, mostly because of the delicious crab which is harvested locally.

  • 1 pound crab meat
  • 1/4 cup butter
  • 1/2 Teaspoon black pepper
  • 2 eggs
  • 1 Teaspoon salt
  • 1/2 cup bread crumbs
  • 2 Tablespoons flour
  • 1 Teaspoon Worchestershire sauce

Mix all together, form small flat cakes, and brown in 1/2 inch deep oil in a skillet. Turn once and drain.

SCALLOPED OYSTERS RECIPE

  • 1/2 cup butter
  • 1/3 cup flour
  • 1 1/2 Teaspoon paprika
  • 1 Teaspoon salt
  • 1/8 Teaspoon pepper
  • dash red pepper
  • 1 medium onion
  • 1/2 green pepper
  • 1 cloved minced garlic
  • 1 Teaspoon lemon juice
  • 1 Tablespoon Worchestershire sauce
  • 1 quart oysters and juice

Melt butter. Add flour and cook until light brown, stirring constantly. Add paprika, salt and pepper. Add onion, green pepper, and garlic, chopped very fine. Cook slowly for eight minutes. Remove from heat and add lemon juice, Worchestershire sauce, and add oysters, which have been heated in their juice. Put in a greased baking dish, sprinkle with bread crumbs and bake for 40 minutes at 350 degrees.

SHRIMP AND RICE RECIPE

  • 5 pounds shrimp, peeled and devined
  • 1 pound Polish sausage
  • 1 pound bacon
  • 1 large onion
  • 4 cups rice
  • salt/pepper
  • kitchen bouquet for color

Slice bacon and sausage into bite size pieces. Dice onion. Brown bacon and drain on paper towel. Brown onion and drain. Brown sausage and drain. Put shrimp in drippings and cook 4-5 minutes. Oil a large pot, add shrimp, drippings, sausage, bacon, onion, rice, salt, pepper and Kitchen bouquet. Stir and barely cover with water. Bring to a boil and stir well. Cover with a lid and cook on low setting for 1 hour and 20 minutes or until rice is tender.

STUFFED CLAM RECIPE 

At times we all wonder how to cook seafood while browsing through many sea food recipes so ask friends and family for special recipes. This stuffed clam recipe is delicious.

  • 1 Can (10 ounces) chopped clams
  • ¼ Cup fine bread crumbs
  • 1 Teaspoon parsley
  • 2 Tablespoons olive oil
  • 2 Cloves minced garlic
  • 1 Tablespoon diced onion
  • 1/8 Teaspoon salt
  • 1/8 Teaspoon oregano
  • Parmesan cheese

Preheat oven to 375F degrees.

Sauté garlic, onion, parsley, oregano and bread crumbs in olive oil 2 minutes mixing thoroughly.

When onion and garlic start to brown remove from heat and mix with clams, juice and salt.

Spoon into shells and sprinkle lightly with Parmesan cheese.

Place on baking sheet; bake for 25 to 30 minutes or until crusty.