RTO Works - Australia Assignments

First published 2020

0452 157 557

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RTO Works has developed this content in partnership with Reubarquin Press and with the expert industry guidance of Dominique Bendebiza-Caron from Brighton College.

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Hospitality Works is a series of training and assessment resources developed for qualifications within the Tourism, Travel and Hospitality Training Package.

Contents

1: Introduction 6

2: Working with seafood 20

Chef’s Toolbox 33

SITHCCC013 Prepare seafood dishes

Application

This unit describes the performance outcomes, skills and knowledge required to prepare and cook a range of fish and shellfish dishes following standard recipes. It requires the ability to select, prepare and portion seafood, and to use relevant equipment, cookery and food storage methods.

The unit applies to cooks working in hospitality and catering organisations. This could include restaurants, educational institutions, health establishments, defence forces, cafeterias, kiosks, cafes, residential caterers, in flight and other transport caterers, and event and function caterers.

It applies to individuals who work under the guidance of more senior chefs. They demonstrate autonomy and judgement to complete routine activities and take limited responsibility in known and stable contexts within established parameters.

No occupational licensing, certification or specific legislative requirements apply to this unit at the time of publication.

Prerequisite

SITXFSA001 Use hygienic practices for food safety.

Learning goals

· Select ingredients for seafood dishes.

· Select, prepare and use equipment.

· Portion and prepare ingredients.

· Cook seafood dishes.

· Present and store seafood dishes.

Fact Sheets

· Fact Sheet 1 Following hygienic work practices

· Fact Sheet 4 Managing food safety hazards and risks

· Fact Sheet 5 Safe food handling

· Fact Sheet 6 Receiving and storing food

· Fact Sheet 7 Cleaning and sanitisation

· Fact Sheet 8 Working sustainably

· Fact Sheet 10 Workflow planning

· Fact Sheet 11 Special dietary requirements

· Fact Sheet 14 Culinary terms

· Fact Sheet 16 A tour of the large equipment in a commercial kitchen

· Fact Sheet 17 Commercial kitchen utensils

· Fact Sheet 18 Pots, pans, trays and steamers

· Fact Sheet 19 Knives

· Fact Sheet 20 Equipment safety, cleaning and maintenance

· Fact Sheet 21 Blenders, mixers, food processors and food mills.

· Fact Sheet 22 Graters, mouli and mandoline slicers

· Fact Sheet 23 Weights and measures

· Fact Sheet 24 All about sautéing

· Fact Sheet 27 All about braising

· Fact Sheet 28 All about frying

· Fact Sheet 29 All about grilling

· Fact Sheet 30 All about poaching

· Fact Sheet 31 All about roasting and baking

· Fact Sheet 32 All about stewing

· Fact Sheet 35 Garnishes

· Fact Sheet 36 Marinades

· Fact Sheet 37 Accompaniments.

Overlap alert

Learners may already be familiar with the following concepts:

· cleaning and sanitisation

· safe food handling

· hygienic work practices

· workflow planning

· sustainable work practices

· use of commercial kitchen equipment and utensils

· food preparation techniques (barding, de boning, marinating, trimming)

· cookery methods (braising, deep frying, grilling, poaching, roasting, stewing).

You might consider a brief refresher with an emphasis on applying the existing knowledge and skills in the context of preparing seafood dishes.

1: Introduction

In this unit you will learn how to prepare and cook various seafood dishes following standard recipes. You will be able to select and prepare ingredients, and use relevant equipment, cookery and food storage methods.

Safe food handling

You will have learned about safe food handling already, but it is important to refresh your memory on the key principles.

Food safety considerations for working with seafood have been provided below.

Time for some facts

Look at the following Fact Sheets:

· Fact Sheet 1 Following hygienic work practices

· Fact Sheet 4 Managing food safety hazards and risks

· Fact Sheet 5 Safe food handling.

If you have already looked at these Fact Sheets you can move on or review them to refresh your memory.

Seafood

Seafood can contain a number of harmful bacteria including:

salmonella
listeria
campylobacter
e-coli

Each of these bacteria can cause food poisoning which, in vulnerable groups, can be extremely serious and even fatal.

There are a number of safe food handling strategies which you can use prevent cross contamination. Proper storage, cooking and defrosting techniques will also prevent food poisoning. For example:

Avoiding cross contamination: Use the following strategies to avoid cross contamination:
- wash your hands thoroughly before and after handling raw seafood
- don’t let raw seafood or associated blood and juices come into contact with other food types
- clean all utensils, surfaces, equipment before and after preparing seafood and between preparing seafood and other food types (especially ready to eat foods)
- use a separate cutting board for seafood
- store seafood at the bottom of fridge so seafood juices can’t drip down onto other foods.
Avoid food poisoning:
- keep raw seafood below 2°C (for example, over ice in the fridge) until it is ready to be cooked
- don’t leave seafood at room temperature for longer than necessary and under no circumstances should it be left for longer than two hours
- keep hot meals containing seafood above 60°C until ready to be served.
Cook seafood correctly
- fish must be cooked to at least 69°C at the centre
- leftovers must be reheated to steaming hot
- freeze raw fish within two days
- shellfish should be cooked within 24 hours.

LIFT THE LID

Read Seafood Health Facts: Making Smart Choices at:

https://www.seafoodhealthfacts.org/seafood-safety/general-information-patients-and-consumers/seafood-handling-and-storage

Share some of the food safety practices that you use in your workplace when handling seafood with the rest of your group.

LIFT THE LID

Read the information from the Food Safety Information Council at:

https://foodsafety.asn.au/seafood/

Participate in a group discussion about the food safety lessons that you learnt from the article.

Food storage

As with any food items you must ensure you are using ingredients that are in date and fresh. Food safety standards require that food is labelled and rotated to ensure freshness and quality.

Always check the use by dates and best before dates of food before you prepare it.

Labelling

· Place labels on containers/trays.

· Labels/stickers include:

o colour-coded stickers

o ‘days of the week’ stickers

o use by food labels

o prep labels (item, name, quantity, date, use by)

o ‘use first’ or ‘new stock/old stock’ labels.

· Make sure use by or best before dates are not removed from packaging.

· Shelving should be labelled to assist with correct storage, rotation and inventory management.

LIFT THE LID

Learn more about the requirements of food labelling, use by dates and best before dates here:

https://blog.matthews.com.au/use-vs-best-essential-guide-date-codes/

Research the ‘Julian Date’ and take notes.

LIFT THE LID

You will find information about the shelf-life of seafood products here:

https://www.canstarblue.com.au/appliances/shelf-life-guide-foods-fridge/

How does the shelf-life of seafood compare with other products?

what’s COOKING?

Look in the dry store, fridge/cool room and freezer and note down the information you learn from labels on seafood and seafood products in stock.

Try to find at least one example of a Julian Date and work out the date.

Storage

· All food must be stored in food-grade storage containers.

· Check the condition of food containers before use and throw out those that are cracked/split or have poor fitting lids.

· Wash and sanitise before use.

· Single-use containers should never be reused.

· Lids must be tight fitting.

· If you need to use cling film or foil, make sure it covers the container tightly.

· Check temperature of fridges/cool rooms and freezers

· Check for signs of humidity and moisture in dry stores

· Check packaged foods for signs of contamination, spoilage or pest infestation

· Check dry stores for signs of pest infestation

· Make sure food storage areas have sufficient lighting to assist with identification or spoiled and contaminated foods

· Check for adequate ventilation in the kitchen area to reduce condensation build up.

Storing seafood

Store seafood correctly to avoid food poisoning: Storing seafood correctly prevents bacteria from multiplying. Use the following storage techniques:

keep raw seafood below 2˚C until it is ready to be cooked
don’t leave cooked seafood at room temperature for longer than two hours
keep hot meals containing seafood above 60˚C until ready to be served.

Freeze and thaw seafood correctly: Use the following techniques to freeze and thaw seafood safely:

freeze raw seafood within 24hours
defrost seafood in the fridge or in cold water if it is in a sealed, watertight bag
if defrosting seafood in the microwave, it must be cooked immediately because it may have developed warm spots.

Time for some facts

Look at Fact Sheet 6 Receiving and storing food.

Review the information in the Fact Sheet, taking particular note of the sections relating to storing chilled and frozen foods.

If you have already looked at this Fact Sheet you can move on or review it to refresh your memory.

Choosing fresh, quality seafood

There are different signs of freshness and quality when it comes to seafood, but there are some simple steps you can take to check.

Whole fish

When buying whole fish, look for fish that:

have bright clear eyes
have shiny, clean skin/scales
have no dull or discoloured patches
smell like clean or briny water. There shouldn’t be any fishy, unpleasant smell
have gills that are a rich red colour.

what’s cooking?

Your trainer will show you some examples of fresh, whole fish and what to look for. Take some time to examine the samples, making sure to familiarise yourself with how they look, smell and feel.

Fish fillets

When buying fish fillets, look for fillets which:

have vibrant, plump flesh
are free from a fishy smell
have no smell of ammonia
any juices should be clear and not milky
have shiny and metallic skin which is not dull, blotchy or discoloured.

Shellfish

Fresh shellfish should be odourless.
It should be tightly closed.
Tap clams, oysters and mussels – they should react by closing more tightly. If they don’t close when tapped, don’t buy them.
Don’t buy cracked or broken shellfish.

Signs of spoilage

Signs that seafood has spoiled include:

Smell – the seafood may have a strong, unpleasant smell
Past use-by date
Appearance – may be dull, blotchy or darker than similar types
May feel slimy
Packaging may be torn or crushed
Flesh of fish may be soft and not springy.

Use by dates

Seafood should be within its use by date. You should also rely on rotation labels/systems, prep labels and use first labels.

Storage

Seafood must have been stored according to food safety principles and so as to optimise its shelf-life. For more information about safe storage of seafood, see Fact Sheet 6 Receiving and storing food.

LIFT THE LID

The following video has some useful tips about selecting fresh seafood.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UFbY2aewd4w

Lift the lid

The following article has some great information about Australia’s seafood trade.

https://www.agriculture.gov.au/fisheries/aus-seafood-trade

Read the article and then participate in a group discussion about your response. Were you surprised by the amount of seafood that Australia imports?

LIFT THE LID

Read the following articles about the types of seafood consumed in Australia and how it is caught and farmed.

https://goodfish.org.au/resource/aquaculture-in-focus/

https://theconversation.com/heres-the-seafood-australians-eat-and-what-we-should-be-eating-108046

share plate

You and the group will discuss signs of food spoilage and contamination, specifically those seen in seafood products.

Your trainer will facilitate the discussion and begin by leading with examples.

what’s cooking?

Look at the seafood and seafood products in your training kitchen. Check that foods are rotated and that food in stock is fresh and of quality with no signs of contamination and spoilage.

Check that storage conditions are optimal by checking temperature gauges and taking temperature measurements.

Equipment and utensils

When preparing and cooking seafood you will use a broad range of commercial kitchen equipment and utensils. You should already be familiar with these from other units in your course.

You must also be able to weigh and measure the ingredients you work with, so understanding standard units of measurement and being able to convert them is a key skill.

Kitchen equipment and utensils you will use when preparing seafood include:

deep fryers
blenders and food mills
food processors
planetary mixers
hot plates and griddles
microwaves
salamanders or other forms of grillers
knives (chef knives, filleting knives, utility knives)
knife sharpening equipment
measuring jugs
measuring spoons
scales
cleavers
oven mitts
pots
sauté pans
portion control scoops
scoops, skimmers and spiders
service-ware
small utensils
spoons: plain and slotted, ladles, serving spoons and wooden spoons
temperature probes

The Fact Sheets below cover a wide range of kitchen equipment and utensils.

Time for some facts

Review the following Fact Sheets to refresh your memory on the range of equipment and utensils available.

· Fact Sheet 16 A tour of the large equipment in a commercial kitchen

· Fact Sheet 17 Commercial kitchen utensils

· Fact Sheet 18 Pots, pans, trays and steamers

· Fact Sheet 20 Equipment safety, cleaning and maintenance

· Fact Sheet 21 Blenders, mixers, food processors and food mills

· Fact Sheet 22 Graters, mouli and mandoline slicers

· Fact Sheet 23 Weights and measures.

If you have already looked at these Fact Sheets you can move on or review them to refresh your memory.

The importance of manufacturer instructions

The manufacturer’s instructions are an important piece of information when using any type of equipment. Instruction manuals provide information specific to the piece of equipment, such as:

how to use it safely and hygienically
how to set up/assemble
what attachments/accessories can be used
how to operate the equipment and any programmable settings
ingredient quantities or volumes
troubleshooting (what to do when things go wrong)
cleaning and basic maintenance
spare parts information
service requirements (when to get the machine repaired or serviced).

You must always follow the manufacturer’s instructions. Do not attempt to repair or service a broken or faulty piece of equipment unless the instruction booklet says that this is within an operator’s skill level or your supervisor has indicated is it part of your responsibilities.

If equipment is broken, faulty, damaged or shows signs of wear and tear, you must notify your supervisor and tag or label the equipment as being ‘out of order’ or ‘not in use’ or similar.

Cleaning and sanitisation

No one wants to use dirty equipment or equipment that isn’t working the way it should. You should always make sure you have cleaned and performed any necessary maintenance on equipment so that it is clean and safe to use for the next time, or for the next person.

Time for some facts

Review Fact Sheet 7 Cleaning and sanitation to refresh your memory on the cleaning and sanitisation requirements of working in a commercial kitchen.

Common signs of uncleanliness or damage may include:

food that has not been removed from attachments and accessories
spatters or splashes of food on equipment housing
dust and dirt
stains or marks on equipment
cracks, slits and chips
issues with electrical cords and plugs.

Key cleaning and maintenance requirements relate to:

the correct way to clean and sanitise equipment
what maintenance can be safely performed (such as blade sharpening and adjusting, belt tensioning, oiling and lubrication)
signs of wear and tear or damage.

Commercial kitchens will have cleaning and maintenance checklists and procedures available for staff to follow.

Knives and knife skills

It’s important to know what type of knives you will use when preparing seafood. The main knives you will use include chef knives, filleting knives and utility knives.

Precision cutting

The term ‘precision cuts’ relates to the techniques used to cut food into precise shapes and sizes. You will often be required to precision cut seafood and there are a couple of reasons for doing so:

for filleting
for portion control
to cut food so that it can cook or marinate at an even rate.

Time for some facts

Review Fact Sheet 19 Knives to refresh your memory on the different types of knives used in a commercial kitchen environment. Also review the types of precision cuts.

Working sustainably

Every day you spend in the kitchen means you are using water, electricity, gas and producing waste. The impact of the hospitality industry on the environment is well known, and has led to changes in many practices.

Time for some facts

Look at Fact Sheet 8 Working sustainably.

Under the ‘Energy, water, waste and cleaning’ heading, review steps 1–3 to learn about what you can do to help reduce your impact on the environment.

If you have already looked at this Fact Sheet you can move on or review it to refresh your memory.

Workflow planning

Before you begin cooking, you must know what ingredients, equipment and utensils you need, and how long food will take to cook. You must also have a plan for which tasks will be completed during mise en place and which tasks will be completed during service.

Time for some facts

Look at Fact Sheet 10 Workflow planning.

If you have already looked at this Fact Sheet you can move on or review it to refresh your memory.

Mise en place considerations

When working with seafood, there are some tasks which are highly suited to being completed during mise en place and some that can only be completed during service.

Mise en place

There are a number of seafood-related tasks which are suitable to do during mise en place including:

cleaning and descaling fish
shelling shellfish
marinating
crumbing/battering
cooking using moisture (stewing/braising)
removing pin bones
cooking large items (oven roasting whole fish)
preparing stocks and sauces
filleting

Service

Some tasks are less suited for mise en place and need to be completed to order during service. For example:

cooking seafood using dry sources of heat to order (for example, deep frying)
grilling shellfish.

SHARE PLATE

Work with your group to brainstorm as many seafood-related tasks as you can that can be completed during mise en place and those which can only be completed during service.

Presentation and quality indicators

Before dishes are served it is important to evaluate them. Your dishes should be as per the standard recipe, comply with your organisation’s quality standards and should be visually appealing to customers. Check your dishes using the following as a guide:

Appearance:
- How visually appealing is the dish?
- How does your plating look from different angles?
- Do garnishes and accompaniments show a range of colour?
- Do garnishes and accompaniments enhance the main dish but not detract from it?
- Do all ingredients look fresh?
- Have you balanced the plate?
- How do your shapes, lines, patterns and stacks work together?
- Have all drips and spills been wiped (in the direction of the spill)?
- Is the servingware clean and free of chips and cracks?
- Have you used the correct type, size and shape of servingware?

Time for some facts

For more information about garnishes, look at Fact Sheet 35 Garnishes.

If you have already looked at this Fact Sheet you can move on or review it to refresh your memory.

Aromas:
- tangy
- earthy
- spicy
- herby
Tastes:
- sweet
- salty
- acidic
- sour
- bitter
- umami
- spicy
Textures (mouthfeel):
- chewy
- clean
- creamy
- crispy
- crumbly
- crunchy
- fibrous
- juicy
- liquid
- moist
- mousse
- rich
- slippery
- smooth
- velvety
Consistency:
- Are sauces of the correct consistency? Are they served consistently across all dishes?
- Has all seafood and accompaniments been cut cleanly and to the right sizes?
- Are portion sizes consistent?
- Is presentation consistent?
Temperature:
- hot
- cold
- room temperature
- is servingware correct temp?

LIFT THE LID

The Culinary Pro provides some great information for plating and presentation:

https://www.theculinarypro.com/plate-presentations

If you have already visited this link, you can move on or review it to refresh your memory.

Special customer requests and dietary requirements

It is quite common to receive specific requests from customers. These may relate to:

food allergies
food intolerances
eating regimes
contradictions with medication
special dietary requirements relating to texture, temperature or consistency
food preferences
food restrictions
being vegan, vegetarian or pescatarian
cultural and religious requirements, such as halal, kosher and so on.

Time for some facts

Look at Fact Sheet 11 Special dietary requirements.

If you have already looked at this Fact Sheet you can move on or review it to refresh your memory.

LIFT THE LID

Research the following:

· Are there any religious or cultural diets currently practiced in Australia that preclude the consumption of fish or shellfish?

· Does a Halal diet have an impact on the way that seafood is prepared?

Take notes about what you learn.

Cooking preferences

SHare plate

Work together with the rest of your group to decide on a course of action in relation to the following scenario:

A diner at the restaurant where you work has alerted you to the fact that they have a significant shellfish allergy. They have, however, ordered a seafood chowder which has been prepared with a fish stock made with various ingredients including muscle shells. The chowder also sometimes has shellfish in it and the customer has asked you to pick them out. You know that this is not a safe option and you have warned them of this. Should you still serve the customer with the dish as ordered?

2: Working with seafood

Culinary terms

There are some culinary terms that you will probably come across a lot throughout this unit including:

Filleting: filleting a fish is the process of slicing the flesh of the fish away from the skeleton (usually parallel to the spine). You can learn more about filleting at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m5r_sSqTc84 (follow this link for a range of additional filleting videos).
Pin boning: pin bones are the long, fine bones often found in the middle of fish fillets. Pin bones aren’t usually attached to the skeleton of the fish. Pin boning is the process of removing these bones before cooking or serving. You can learn more about pin boning at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j1Q6xfl-MLw
Skinning: skinning is the process of removing the skin of the fish either from a fillet, steak or other piece of the fish. You can learn more about skinning by watching these two videos:
- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h38TqmAhwMg and
- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hKledhPdfxk
Descaling: descaling refers to the process of removing a fish’s scales in preparation for cooking. You can learn more about de-scaling at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_PVKtayYE_Q
Cleaning: cleaning (sometimes called gutting) refers to removing a fish’s entrails, scales and sometimes head in preparation for cooking. You can learn more about cleaning at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZiGEN2F_spc
Shelling: shelling refers to the removal of the hard, outer layer of seafood (particularly prawns, crayfish etc) in preparation for cooking or eating. You can learn more about shelling at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hJTy_8Dtbsc

Time for some facts

For more general culinary terms, or others that you come across that you are not sure of, refer to Fact Sheet 14 Culinary terms.

You may like to take particular note of any culinary terms that you come across throughout this unit for use in your assessment.

Fresh vs frozen?

During your time in the kitchen you will probably work with fresh and frozen seafood. Whether there are differences in taste, texture, quality and colour is contentious. Some argue that, in blind tastings and extensive testing, experienced chefs could not tell the difference. Others swear that fresh is best and that freezing changes the proteins and therefore the texture and taste.

Regardless of the taste and texture argument, what is not up for debate is that the nutritional value of seafood remains unchanged by freezing.

What do you think? Is the taste and texture changed by freezing? Perhaps you would like to get together with your group and run a test.

Characteristics of seafood

In 2017, Australian’s consumed an estimated 357,623 tonnes of seafood. On average, we eat more seafood than we do lamb and we spend around $5.50 per week. For more information about trends in seafood consumption, go to https://www.agriculture.gov.au/abares/research-topics/fisheries/fisheries-and-aquaculture-statistics/key-trends-2017#australias-consumption-of-seafood.

In this section we will look at the following seafood classifications:

Flat and round fish
Oily and white fish
Ocean and freshwater fish
Octopus and squid
Shellfish (including crustaceans and molluscs).

Fish

Flat and round fish

There are many varieties of fish, each with different tastes and textures. The shape of the fish relates more to how it is cleaned and filleted. Round fish have eyes on both sides of their body and result in two fillets. Round fish that you may be familiar with include brim, trout, salmon. Flat fish have eyes on only one side of their body (usually the top or the underside) and result in four fillets. Examples of flat fish that you may be familiar with include flathead, stingray and flounder.

LIFT THE LID

The process for filleting each type of fish is a little different. For more information go to:

www.danapointfishcompany.com/filleting-a-flat-or-round-fish/

Take notes about what you learn.

Lift the lid

Watch the videos in the following links to see some techniques for filleting round and flat fish.

· How to Fillet a Round Fish (02:55)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OKsl4qCHVMc

· How to fillet a flat fish (01:07)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cxh8l6LZg2w

You may like to make notes as you watch.

Oily and white fish

Fish generally falls into one of two categories – white fish and oily fish. Oily fish have oils dispersed throughout their flesh and are rich in Omega 3s. The oily fish that you are probably familiar with include sardines, salmon, tuna, and swordfish. On the other hand, white fish contain much less oil overall and the oil is limited mainly to the liver of the fish.

Lift the lid

You can learn more about the differences between white fish and oily fish at:

https://chefmurph.wordpress.com/2015/04/11/the-nutritional-benefits-of-oily-and-white-fish-varieties/

Ocean and freshwater fish

Fish are generally caught or farmed in fresh or saltwater. Although, there are some varieties, like salmon, that can live in fresh or saltwater. The main differences between fresh and saltwater fish include:

Freshwater fish are generally milder in flavour.
Saltwater fish have a saltier or brinier flavour. They can also taste ‘fishier’.
Saltwater fish tend to have larger bones.
Saltwater fish are generally easier to debone.
Freshwater fish tend to higher amounts of calcium.
Freshwater fish often have higher amounts of monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fatty acids.

Lift the lid

You can learn more about the differences between salt and freshwater fish at:

https://thehealthyfish.com/lake-vs-ocean-fish-need-know/

Lift the lid

You can learn more about eating fish at:

https://www.wellbeing.com.au/body/recipes/which-fish-is-the-safest-to-eat.html

https://www.heartfoundation.org.au/healthy-eating/food-and-nutrition/protein-foods/meat-poultry-and-seafood

Octopus and squid

Octopus and squid (regularly referred to as calamari on menus) are often confused. They are both types of seafood from the same family. They are both cephalopods (which means that they have ‘arms’ or tentacles connected to their heads while the rest of their body is in front of their head). There are differences in flavour and texture however. Calamari tends to have a smoother texture than octopus but it can be tough unless it is cooked properly.

LIFT THE LID

You can learn more about octopus and squid at:

https://www.shogunorlando.com/octopus-vs-calamari-whats-the-difference/

Take notes about what you learn.

Shellfish

Shellfish are popular in Australia and we have an abundance of good quality seafood available to us. Shellfish fall into two categories – crustaceans and molluscs.

Crustaceans are those types of seafood that have an exoskeleton (or skeleton on the outside of their body). For example, crayfish, prawns, shrimp and so on.

Molluscs have a soft body and usually live within a hard shell. For example, mussels, clams, scallops and so on.

LIFT THE LID

· For more information about the types of prawns available in Australia go to:

https://www.australianprawns.com.au/types-of-australian-prawns/

· For more information about the native shellfish available in Australia go to:

Native shellfish – http://tasteaustralia.biz/bushfood/native-meats-seafood/shellfish/

· For information about choosing, cleaning and preparing shellfish, go to:

https://www.allrecipes.com/article/choosing-and-using-shellfish/

Take notes about what you learn.

Watch and learn

Your trainer will now demonstrate a range of the practical techniques you need to use when working with different types of seafood. Before the demonstration, take a few minutes to review the videos referenced in the ‘Culinary terms’ section above. Keep in mind that you should apply the safe food handling and hygiene techniques that you have learnt previously whenever you are in your training kitchen.

Chef’s toolbox

Find two recipes for each of the following types of seafood used in Australia and add them to your Chef’s Toolbox:

· Flat fish

· Round fish

· Oily fish

· White fish

· Ocean fish

· Freshwater fish

· Octopus

· Squid

· Crustaceans

· Molluscs

· Whole fish

what’s cooking?

Practise the following techniques:

· cleaning

· descaling

· pin bone removal

· filleting

· portioning

· shelling

· skinning.

Your trainer will provide you with the food items and equipment. Follow the instructions and techniques learnt in the practical demonstrations and instructional videos. Apply the correct use of cookery techniques, equipment and utensils, and safe food handling practices which you have learnt in this and other units.

Marinades, accompaniments and garnishes

There are many ways that the flavour, balance, nutrition and presentation of seafood can be supported and enhanced. These include marinades, accompaniments and garnishes. Each provides a different function and each adds a different layer to a seafood dish.

Marinating seafood

Seafood is particularly suitable for marinating because its relatively mild flavour supports the flavour of the marinade well and doesn’t overpower it. Marinades help seafood to remain moist throughout the cooking process too.

Tips for marinating seafood

· Remember your food safety rules still apply when marinating – seafood must be kept in the fridge, covered, in appropriate containers, separated from other food items and so on.

· Toss seafood pieces around in the marinade so that it coats all surfaces equally.

· Follow the guidance for marinating times in the recipe. As a general guide, seafood needs less time in a marinade than other protein types.

· Acidic marinades can actually cook the seafood so you need to keep your eye on things.

The list of marinades for seafood is almost endless but they tend to fit into one of three main categories:

Asian style marinades.
Dry marinades (sometimes called rubs).
Traditional marinades (traditional marinades are a mix of an oil, an acid and seasoning – usually herbs, spices and sauces).

Time for some facts

Look at Fact Sheet 36 Marinades.

If you have already looked at this Fact Sheet you can move on or review it to refresh your memory.

Lift the lid

For more information about marinating seafood, go to:

https://www.thespruceeats.com/marinating-fish-and-seafood-334331

Chef’s Toolbox

Research at least five marinades commonly used with seafood. Make sure that you select items which are from different menu styles. Add your findings to your Chef’s Toolbox.

Watch and learn

Your trainer will now demonstrate a range of the practical techniques for marinating seafood. Keep in mind that you should apply the safe food handling and hygiene techniques that you have learnt previously whenever you are in your training kitchen.

what’s cooking?

Practise marinating a range of seafood which may include:

· oily and white fish

· octopus and squid

· shellfish.

Your trainer will provide you with the food items and equipment that you need. Follow the instructions and techniques learnt in the practical demonstrations and instructional videos. Apply the correct use of cookery techniques, equipment and utensils, and safe food handling practices which you have learnt in this and other units.

Accompaniments for seafood

Accompaniments are food items which are added to a dish to compliment or enhance the seafood. The selection and preparation of the accompaniment can be as important to the success of the dish as the preparation of the its main component – in this case the protein.

The accompaniments selected will depend on the style of the dish, the style of dining, the course, the budget for the dish, the preferences of the customer, the availability of produce and a whole range of other factors.

Some basic principles for accompaniments for seafood include:

Balance textures – for example, the light and crisp textures of an Asian style coleslaw can offset the richness of deep fried fish.
Balance flavours – for example, calamari, with its sweet, mild flavour, can be balanced with stronger, sharper flavours in the accompaniments.
Balance the plate – ensure that accompaniments make the plate look attractive, that there is a balance of colours and textures.

Time for some facts

Look at Fact Sheet 37 Accompaniments.

If you have already looked at this Fact Sheet you can move on or review it to refresh your memory.

Lift the lid

For more information about accompaniments for seafood, go to:

https://www.allrecipes.com/gallery/popular-side-dishes-fish/

https://www.tastingtable.com/cook/national/best-fish-seafood-side-dishes

https://whatsfordinner.com/kitchen-tips/seafood-side-dishes/

Chef’s Toolbox

Research at least five recipes for accompaniments for fish and seafood. Make sure that you select items which are from different menu styles.

Add your findings to your Chef’s Toolbox.

Garnishes for seafood

Garnishes provide additional colour, texture and flavour to your dish. For seafood, the following garnishes match well:

herbs like parsley, thyme, rosemary, watercress
citrus like lemon, lime
vegetables like charred capsicum, cucumber, fried shallots.

Time for some facts

Look at Fact Sheet 35 Garnishes.

If you have already looked at this Fact Sheet you can move on or review it to refresh your memory.

Chef’s Toolbox

Research at least five garnishes used commonly used with seafood. Make sure that you select items which are from different menu styles.

Add your findings to your Chef’s Toolbox.

what’s cooking?

Practise preparing accompaniments, garnishes and sauces for a range of seafood dishes which may include:

· oily and white fish

· octopus and squid

· shellfish.

Cooking methods

Time for some facts

You will use braising, deep frying, grilling, poaching, roasting, sautéing and stewing with seafood. Refer to the following Fact Sheets for more information about each of these techniques:

· Fact Sheet 24 All about sautéing

· Fact Sheet 27 All about braising

· Fact Sheet 28 All about frying

· Fact Sheet 29 All about grilling

· Fact Sheet 30 All about poaching

· Fact Sheet 31 All about roasting and baking

· Fact Sheet 32 All about stewing.

Sautéing seafood

Sautéing is the process of cooking foods quickly in a small amount of fat so that they brown on the outside while remaining tender and moist on the inside. Seafood is particularly suitable for sautéing because it cooks so quickly.

Watch and learn

Read the information about sautéing seafood at: https://www.truenorthseafood.com/seafood-school/cooking/sauteing/

Your trainer will then demonstrate a range of the practical techniques that you will use when sautéing seafood. Keep in mind that you should apply the safe food handling and hygiene techniques that you have learnt previously whenever you are in your training kitchen.

what’s cooking?

Practise preparing a range of seafood dishes using sautéing. The ingredients may include:

· oily and white fish

· octopus and squid

· shellfish.

Frying seafood

Deep frying is a fast, dry-heat cooking method that uses oil or fat heated to very high temperatures to cook seafood. Food is often coated in batter or breadcrumbs to create a crisp coating on the food. The coating also helps the food to retain its moisture during the cooking process. Deep frying is often used for fish, squid and various kinds of shellfish.

Shallow frying uses similar principles to deep frying – it is still a dry-heat method of cooking where heat is transferred through to the seafood via the oil and moisture is drawn from the coating to form a crust. The main difference is that the food is cooked in a small amount of oil or fat (usually no more than halfway up the side of item).

Shallow frying is generally used where the food item needs to stay in contact with the surface of the pan rather than float around in the oil. This might be because it would lose shape or integrity if it was deep fried.

Shallow frying is often used for items such as fish cakes, flakier fillets and seafood that has been coated in flour or other seasoning but that is not suitable for deep frying.

Watch and learn

Read the information about frying seafood at: https://www.thespruceeats.com/quick-deep-frying-tips-for-seafood-1300742

Your trainer will then demonstrate a range of the practical techniques that you will use when frying seafood. Keep in mind that you should apply the safe food handling and hygiene techniques that you have learnt previously whenever you are in your training kitchen.

what’s cooking?

Practise preparing a range of seafood dishes using frying. The ingredients may include:

· oily and white fish

· octopus and squid

· shellfish.

Grilling seafood

Grilling is the process of applying dry, radiant heat that quickly hits the outside of the protein and then more slowly penetrates to the centre. Unlike sautéing or frying, grilling doesn’t rely on fat to transfer heat. It is suitable for marinated pieces of seafood, fillets, shellfish and octopus and squid.

Watch and learn

Read the information about grilling seafood at: https://www.allrecipes.com/article/grilling-101-seafood-grilling/

Your trainer will then demonstrate a range of the practical techniques that you will use when grilling seafood. Keep in mind that you should apply the safe food handling and hygiene techniques that you have learnt previously whenever you are in your training kitchen.

what’s cooking?

Practise preparing a range of seafood dishes using grilling. The ingredients may include:

· oily and white fish

· octopus and squid

· shellfish.

Poaching seafood

Poaching is a technique which involves very gently cooking food items in a simmering liquid (just below a boil). It is particularly suitable for seafood because it leaves you with a clean, moist and succulent meat which is great on its own or as an addition to other dishes. The poaching liquid can also be used for stock.

Poaching is often used for fish and shellfish and sometimes used for octopus and squid.

Watch and learn

Read the information about poaching seafood at: https://www.aboutseafood.com/resource/poaching/

Your trainer will then demonstrate a range of the practical techniques that you will use when poaching seafood. Keep in mind that you should apply the safe food handling and hygiene techniques that you have learnt previously whenever you are in your training kitchen.

what’s cooking?

Practise preparing a range of seafood dishes using poaching. The ingredients may include:

· oily and white fish

· octopus and squid

· shellfish.

Roasting seafood

Roasting and baking are both forms of dry-heat cooking where hot air circulates around the seafood to cook in the inside and brown the outside. The food is cooked, uncovered, so that moisture can escape.

Whole fish are particularly suitable for roasting.

Watch and learn

Read the information about roasting seafood at: https://www.truenorthseafood.com/seafood-school/cooking/roasting/

Your trainer will then demonstrate a range of the practical techniques that you will use when roasting seafood. Keep in mind that you should apply the safe food handling and hygiene techniques that you have learnt previously whenever you are in your training kitchen.

what’s cooking?

Practise preparing a range of seafood dishes using roasting. The ingredients may include:

· oily and white fish

· octopus and squid

· shellfish.

Steaming seafood

Steaming cooks food using the moist heat from steam that is usually generated by boiling water. Note that the food doesn’t come into contact with the boiling water. There are a number of tools for steaming but generally, there is a pan of boiling water (often with flavours and aromatics added) and a steam basket or pan that sits over the water so the rising steam can circulate around the food to cook it.

Seafood is particularly suitable for steaming – it cooks food gently and cleanly. It is particularly suitable for shellfish.

Watch and learn

Read the information about steaming seafood at: https://www.truenorthseafood.com/seafood-school/cooking/steaming/

Your trainer will then demonstrate a range of the practical techniques that you will use when steaming seafood. Keep in mind that you should apply the safe food handling and hygiene techniques that you have learnt previously whenever you are in your training kitchen.

what’s cooking?

Practise preparing a range of seafood dishes using steaming. The ingredients may include:

· oily and white fish

· octopus and squid

· shellfish.

Chef’s Toolbox

Research at least one recipe for seafood using each of the cooking methods listed above. Add your findings to your Chef’s Toolbox.

Chef’s Toolbox

Use these pages to record recipes, tips and useful resources to add to your Fact Sheets so, at the end of your course, you have a set of references that you can take with you into the workforce.