Seafood Facts

Shopping For Fresh Fish

Fish are fragile creatures, and their quality begins to deteriorate within minutes of being hauled from the water. That's why being able to choose the freshest fish in the market is tantamount to choosing the best.

But choosing fresh fish can be tricky, especially today for us Americans, since most of the fish we buy is already cut up into fillets and steaks. While this makes cooking

fish a snap, it also means that we need to pay attention before we buy. Here are some guidelines for helping you choose the freshest catch in the market.

• Where Do I Buy Fresh Fish?

• How Do I Know I am Buying Fresh Fish?

• How Much Do I Need?

• Will it Keep Fresh Long?

The Right Market

But how do I know I am going to the right place?

Choosing where to purchase your fish is every bit as important as choosing which fish to buy. Whether you shop at a specialty seafood shop or in the neighborhood supermarket, make sure that it's a place with a high turnover.

Sometimes a gourmet seafood store, even if they have dozens of varieties for sale, isn't as good a choice as the corner market, simply because fewer people may shop there.

If you shop at a place with a lot of traffic, you are guaranteed a high turnover, which almost always guarantees fresh fish. On the other hand, just because your supermarket does a bustling business in every other department doesn't mean they sell a lot of fish.

A good way to tell is simply to watch the seafood counter while you shop. Is it crowded? Are other shoppers looking carefully over the refrigerator case, being choosy about what they take home to their families? Crowds, especially discriminating ones, can be a good sign.

Presentation is key. Are the fish beautifully (or at least neatly) displayed and surrounded by ice?

The little plastic signs which list the price per pound should be stuck into the ice (or a lemon half if the store is fancy) next to the fish, not into the fish itself. The counter and surrounding areas should be sparkling clean, without pools of murky liquid collecting. Pools of murky liquid are also bad signs when collecting underneath the fish.

Is your fish store a good one? Watch the counter people in action. How are they handling your dinner?

Are they carelessly flopping the fish into the wrapping, holding the steaks or fillets by a thin edge (which can tear the flesh), or dangling your snapper by the tail? Fish are not as hardy as chickens, and need easy handling (although you probably wouldn't want your butcher lifting your chicken by its drumstick, either).

Odor is also a telltale indicator. When you walk into a fish store or approach the fish counter if you're in a supermarket, are you greeted with the crisp clean scent of salt and ice?

This is what you should smell. If the air is at all rank, vaguely foul, or even somewhat less than fresh, something could be amiss. If this is the case where you buy your fish, think about changing venues.

Checking out the Merchandise

Once you've chosen your market of choice, choosing which fish is the freshest should be as easy as asking the fishmonger.

Spending a little time talking with him or her will help you make an informed choice.

Find out the fish's history. Where and when did the fishmonger buy the fish? Was it caught locally or shipped in from elsewhere? Has the fish been frozen? (Previously frozen fish cannot be refrozen.) Obviously the longer the fish has been out of the water, the less likely it will be fresh.

Fresh? It's Your Call

The best way to guarantee you are buying fresh fish is looking at, smelling and (if possible) feeling what is on offer.

If you are buying whole fish look for:

• Moist, and even slippery, skin

• A shiny skin with firmly attached scales (If Unscaled) and bright coloring

• Bright red, moist gills

• Firm flesh, which bounces back when touched

• Crystal clear eyes - not sunken into the surrounding skin

• A fresh smell

If you prefer the convenience of buying fillets or steaks look for:

• Firm flesh

• Clear white or red color, depending on the variety of fish

• Even coloring

• Moist appearance

• A fresh smell

There are key indicators that other forms of seafood are fresh as well.

How Much is Enough

While we at Gorton's believe that you can never have enough seafood in your life, here is a more precise estimate, per main course serving:

Whole fish: 3/4 to 1 pound
Fillets and steaks: 5 to 8 ounces
Shrimp and scallops: 5 to 7 ounces, shelled
Clams and mussels: 3/4 pound
Oysters: 1 dozen
Squid and octopus: 6 to 8 ounces
Lobster: 1 1/2 pounds in the shell

Storing Fresh Fish

Keeping it Cool

First of all, the only shelf your fish and seafood should ever see is your refrigerator shelf.

After buying, wrap fish in waxed paper or place in a covered dish and refrigerate. It is important to cook as soon as possible, although fresh fish can be refrigerated for a day or two.Frozen fish may be stored in the freezer for up to 6 months.

You can store live clams in the refrigerator in an open container covered with a moist cloth for up to 2 days. Shucked clams may be stored in their liquor (the liquid surrounding them) in the refrigerator for up to 3 days and in the freezer for up to 3 months.

Refrigerate live crabs, covered by a damp towel, until just before cooking. They should be used the day of purchase. Leftover cooked crabmeat may be refrigerated, tightly covered, for up to 2 days. Canned crabmeat may be stored, once opened, in the refrigerator for up to 2 days.

Store live mussels in a single layer on a tray covered with a damp cloth for up to 2 days. Shucked mussels may be stored in their liquor in the refrigerator for up to 3 days, or frozen for up to 3 months.

Refrigerate shucked scallops for up to 1 to 2 days.

Before storing uncooked shrimp, rinse them well under cold running water and drain thoroughly. Refrigerate, tightly covered, for up to 2 days.Cooked shrimp can also be refrigerated for up to 2 days.