Canned tuna is an easy and versatile pre-cooked fish that is loved by people on the go as well as those who have time to savor their food. It comes in a variety of can and pouch sizes that make serving food for a crowd or individual portions easy. Tuna packed in water has a lighter, fresher taste while tuna packed in oil has a richer mouth-feel. In either case, drain the tuna thoroughly before adding it to recipes and use a fork to flake it to a consistency you like.
Catfish is a mild, sweet-tasting fish with moderately firm flesh that can be purchased fresh from the market as a skinless fillet. In the South, it is popularly breaded in cornmeal and deep-fried, which produces a crispy fillet. You may reduce the portion size by cutting the fillet into strips to serve either as an appetizer or as a finger-food for kids.
Briny and sweet with a hint of seawater-taste, clams offer a tender chew to many recipes. They may be cooked and served whole if small, or chopped and served as a component of a dish if larger.
Soft-shell clams may require a few rinses in cool, running water or a soak in seawater to rid them of sand, while hard-shell clams usually require little more than a brief rinse before they are ready to cook. Discard all clams that do not close when tapped on their shell or that have not opened after cooking-this means that the clam is dead and should not be eaten.
Cod is a delicate, sweet tasting fish that is usually available for purchase as a skinless fillet or, less often, as a seafood steak. Its mild flesh readily takes on the taste of added seasonings, so use them lightly to start.
The types of crab sold in the United States differ in size and appearance, but most have sweet, rich meat and are delicious when served in numerous preparations. Crab is commonly available for purchase alive; in pieces- refrigerated, canned, or frozen; and frozen whole. Each form has a different use and may be more readily available in certain regions than others.
