No Need to Thaw: Easy Tips for Cooking Frozen Fish

Since fish doesn’t maintain the right taste or texture for more than 48 hours in the fridge, most of us end up freezing it. Frozen fish tastes just as fresh as fish straight from the sea but thawing it can be a hassle. Fortunately, you can skip that step. You can make a mouthwatering seafood dinner with frozen fish in just 15 minutes.

Frozen fish can go straight from your freezer to the oven or stove. You can grill, broil, bake, poach or steam frozen fish. The biggest difference is that you’ll need to add a few extra minutes to the cook time.

Here are a few tips for cooking frozen fish:

1. Run it Under Cold Water to Remove Ice or Frost: After you take it out of the freezer and remove the packaging, make sure to run cold water over it get rid of ice or frost.
2. Pat it Dry: Use a paper towel to pat the fish dry. This will help seasoning or a marinade to stick to it. Removing this moisture will also help it to sear nicely.
3. Don’t Forget Seasoning: Lightly brush both sides with olive oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Add additional seasonings or brush with a marinade for additional flavor.

You can follow these steps with any recipe to make a perfect seafood dish with frozen fish.

One of our favorite dishes to make is chef Erik Slater from Seward Brewing Company’s Pan-Steamed Seafood Marseilles:

INGREDIENTS

1 Tablespoon olive oil

1/4 teaspoon sea salt

1/8 teaspoon white pepper

1 Tablespoon shallot, minced

1 clove minced fresh garlic

1 teaspoon dry Herbs de Provence or Italian seasoning

1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice

2 Tablespoons butter

1/2 cup white wine (Sauvignon Blanc or Chardonnay)

4 Alaska Salmon or whitefish portions (4 to 6 oz. each)

INSTRUCTIONS

1. Warm up a 12-inch pan over medium heat. Evenly coat the pan with oil.
2. Add the garlic and shallot. Sauté for about 30 seconds then remove the pan from heat. Leave the burner on medium.
3. Place salmon or white fish in the pan with the skin facing down.
4. Pour water into the pan until the fillets are halfway submerged then add in the salt, pepper and wine.
5. Place the pan back on the burner, turn it up to medium-high and simmer.
6. Once it is gently bubbling but not boiling, cover the pan and reduce the heat to low and continue to simmer.
7. Cook for 4 to 5 minutes then remove the fish. Place in a serving dish and let rest for 5 minutes.
8. Using the liquid in the pan, make a quick reduced sauce by returning the pan to the burner and turning it up to high heat.
9. Reduce liquid by approximately 75%.
10. Add the butter, lemon juice and herbs. Whisk for about 1 minute as the butter melts and sauce thickens.
11. Once the sauce is nicely thick, drizzle the fish fillets with sauce and serve.

For more recipes, check out our Pinterest! Stop by City Fish Market to pick up fresh seafood to serve this week!