Tips and Advice for Storing and Cooking Fresh Seafood It's always good to cook fresh seafood within two days of purchase. If that's not possible, here are some tips to help you store it   Store live oysters, clams and mussels in the refrigerator. Keep damp by placing in shallow bowl with a wet paper towel draped over them Keep fresh shucked oysters, scallops and clams in their own container and store in the refrigerator. For best results, surround the container with ice Store live lobster and crab in the refrigerator in moist packaging, but not in airtight containers Just before opening and cooking scallops, mussels, clams or oysters in the shell, they should be scrubbed under cold water Handle all seafood with care. Seafood with bruises or punctures will spoil more rapidly
Baking Fresh Fish		Broiling Fresh Fish
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Preheat your oven to 425 degrees Rinse fish under cold water and pat dry with paper towels Lightly oil a shallow baking dish and place fish skin side down Season as desired Bake 6 to 12 minutes per inch thickness Add 5 minutes to total cooking time if fish is being baked in a thick sauce or wrapped in foil		Preheat broiler pan Rinse fish under cold water and pat dry Season as desired Lightly grease the hot broiler pan with a non-stick spray Arrange fish, skin side down, in a single layer Place pan about 4 to 5 inches from the heat Broil 6 to 12 minutes per inch of fish
Grilling Fresh Fish		Microwaving Fresh Fish
Rinse the fish with cold water and pat dry If desired, marinade the fish in the refrigerator for about 2 hours Season as desired Lightly grease foil or unheated grill rack Cooking time is 6 to 12 minutes per inch thickness Turn fish halfway through estimated time Grill the fish until it is just opaque throughout As a rule, shellfish cook faster than fin fish		Microwave the fish 3-6 minutes per pound in a 600-750 watt oven on high power Thick fillets and whole fish take slightly longer Place the skin side down Slash the skin to prevent curling Place thicker pieces along the outer edge of baking dish so the fish will cook evenly Cover the cooking dish tightly with plastic wrap Allow the fish to stand for 5 minutes Vent one corner of the plastic to allow steam to escape
Pan-Frying and Sauteing Fresh Fish Sauteing and pan-frying are ideal for thinner fish fillets Oysters, shrimp, scallops and squid also lend themselves quite well to this cooking method
To Saute your Fresh Fish		To Pan-Fry your Fresh Fish
Rinse fish with cold water and pat dry Lightly flour the fish Using heavy skillet, add a combination of 1 tablespoon butter and 1 tablespoon cooking oil and heat over medium high heat Add fish to the pan of heated oil and butter mixture, being careful not to crowd the fish because it will become soggy Cook 6 to 12 minutes per inch thickness		Place cooking oil into heavy skillet to a depth of 1/8 to 1/4 inch Coat fish with egg and milk mixture, then coat with breadcrumbs, cornmeal, crushed cereal or crackers Fry only as many fish as you can fit into the skillet Fry on high heat for 6 to 12 minutes per inch of thickness
Steaming Fresh Fish - Steaming is excellent for those who want to avoid adding extra fat to their diet. You can use a standard steamer or improvise by placing a cake rack in a roasting pan
Rinse under cold water and set on the steaming rack Be certain that the fish is above the liquid and not resting in it Steam 6 to 12 minutes per inch of thickness

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