brief high-temperature treatment to brown and/or sterilize the surfaces Compensate for uneven thickness by cutting slashes in the thick areas every 1– 2 cm This effectively divides the thick areas into smaller portions and allows heat to penetrate more rapidly Another strategy for relatively large portions is to cover thin areas loosely with aluminum foil, which blocks radiant heat and slows their cooking Check the fish early and often for doneness Simple formulas — 10 minutes to the inch is a popular one — and past experience can get you in the vicinity of the correct time, but there’s no substitute for checking the particular piece This can be done by measuring the internal temperature with a reliable thermometer, peering into a small incision to see whether the interior is still translucent or already opaque, pulling on a small bone to see whether the connective tissue has dissolved enough to release it, or pushing a small skewer or toothpick into the flesh to see whether it encounters resistance from coagulated muscle fibers Why Careful Cooking Sometimes Makes Fish Mushy Slow and gentle heating has an important place in meat cooking, and some fish — Atlantic salmon, for example — can develop an almost custard-like texture if heated gently to 120ºF /50ºC In fish cooking, however, slow cooking can sometimes produce an unpleasant, mushy texture This is caused by protein-digesting enzymes in the muscle cells of active fish and shellfish that help convert muscle mass into energy (p 189) Some of these enzymes become increasingly active as the temperature rises during cooking, until they’re inactivated at 130–140ºF/55–60ºC Mush-prone fish (see ... protein-digesting enzymes in the muscle cells of active fish and shellfish that help convert muscle mass into energy (p 189) Some of these enzymes become increasingly active as the temperature rises...a small bone to see whether the connective tissue has dissolved enough to release it, or pushing a small skewer or toothpick into the flesh to see whether it encounters resistance from coagulated... Why Careful Cooking Sometimes Makes Fish Mushy Slow and gentle heating has an important place in meat cooking, and some fish — Atlantic salmon, for example — can develop an almost custard-like