box, p 212) are best either cooked quickly to an enzyme-killing but somewhat drying 160ºF/70ºC, or else cooked to a lower temperature and served immediately Preparations for Cooking Cleaning and Cutting Most fish in U.S markets are sold precleaned and precut This is certainly convenient, but it also means that the scaled and cut surfaces have been exposed to the air and bacteria for hours or days, drying out and developing off-flavors Preparing fish at the last minute can give fresher results Both whole fish and pieces should be rinsed thoroughly in cold water to remove fragments of inner organs, the accumulation of odorous TMA, other bacterial by-products, and bacteria themselves Presalting Japanese cooks briefly presalt most fish and shrimp to remove surface moisture and odor and firm the outer layers This is especially useful for getting fish skin to crisp and brown quickly when fried As is true for meats, presoaking fish and shellfish in a 3–5% salt brine will cause the flesh to absorb both water and salt, with moisturizing and tenderizing results (p 155) Techniques for Cooking Fish and Shellfish The many methods for heating meats and fish are described in detail in the previous chapter, pp 156–65 Briefly, “dry” heating methods — grilling, frying, baking — produce surface temperatures high enough to produce the colors and flavors of the browning reactions, while “moist” techniques — steaming, poaching — fail to trigger browning, but heat foods more rapidly and can supply flavors from other ingredients (Chinese cooks often get the best of both methods by first frying a fish and then finishing it with a brief braise in ... poaching — fail to trigger browning, but heat foods more rapidly and can supply flavors from other ingredients (Chinese cooks often get the best of both methods by first frying a fish and then finishing it with a brief braise in... will cause the flesh to absorb both water and salt, with moisturizing and tenderizing results (p 155) Techniques for Cooking Fish and Shellfish The many methods for heating meats and fish are described in detail in the previous chapter,... are described in detail in the previous chapter, pp 156–65 Briefly, “dry” heating methods — grilling, frying, baking — produce surface temperatures high enough to produce the colors and flavors of the browning reactions,