Fish are classified into two broad groups, according to their skeletons: cartilaginous fish (sharks, rays, dogfish, skate) and bony fish (the vast majority). Several basic body shapes can be distinguished, tapering, flatfish and elongated.
Freshness is the most important quality in seafood. Fresh fish spoils very fast by bacterial action and often causing severe food poisonings if it is not absolutely fresh. It is at its best when first caught, but the speed of modern transport and the excellent methods of preserving means that fish can be enjoyed far from the fishing grounds without lose of flavour. Fresh seafood should have no odor what so ever, the meat should be bright in colour and not merky. Fish should have bright, clear eyes that are not cloudy and red gills that are bright with no fading. The flesh of the fish should spring back quickly when pushed in with your finger tip.
Most seafood is an excellent source of protein. It is also high in phosphorous, magnesium, copper, iron, iodine and the B vitamins and oily fish have a good amount of vitamins A and D. Fish have a low or average fat content, which decreases even forther after spawning. The eel, which is considered to have the highest fat content (25% fats), contains no more fat than mutton or pork.
Fish and shellfish have been an important source of food for mankind since prehistoric times. The bible, for example, refers to the importance of fish during that period in history. The Greeks and Romans recognized the value of fish and shellfish as a food and developed their taste for seafood to such an extent that they were able to tell from the taste just where the fish was caught. Today, fish and shellfish still provide an important source of food. With our modern advancement in catching, processing and preparing this tasty food its popularity is increasing to such an extent that most food service establishments feature at least three or four choices on their menus. Fish and shellfish have also become the basis for many gourmet dishes because they are always tender, can be prepared by a variety of cooking methods and blend well with delicate gourmet sauces.
Great care must always be taken not to over cook fish, shellfish and other seafoods. The center of the item being cooked should have a slightly translucent center to it. Raw seafood or seafood cooked with an acid, such as citrus juice can also be eaten, however it must be extremely fresh and carefully prepared.
