General Seafood Terms
blacken – to sear fish or seafood in a cast iron frying pan or grill with high heat. The item is usually heavily coated with a blackening seasoning and typically cooked rare in the center.
broil – to cook an item in the lower section of the oven where heat contacts the item from above. This method is good for browning the topside of a fillet or other seafood.
ceviche – also spelled cebiche or seviche. A form of citrus marinated seafood salad. Ceviche originated in Peru.
chowder – a rich soup using seafood, vegetables and either a tomato based or dairy based broth.
bisque – a rich spicy soup containing lobster, shrimp or other seafood.
fillet – a cut of fish which consists of one boneless side of the fish, either skin on or skin off.
farm raised – seafood which has been grown in containment and fed a controlled diet.
omega 3 – fish oil is an important source of Omega 3 fatty acids; eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA). Omega 3 fatty acids found in fish oil have numerous clinically proven health benefits.
sustainable – the ability of a population to be harvested and still reproduce enough for population levels to remain constant.
wild caught – seafood that have existed naturally and harvested from the environment.
Seafood Products
catfish – this fish has white meat and a delicate flavor. Catfish are easily farm raised.
calamari – squid, prepared a variety of ways. Calamari is popular in several cuisines.
clams – a large group of shellfish. The most popular are hard clams which are eaten raw, steamed or in dishes such as chowders.
conch – conch and whelk are large mollusks, similar to snails. The meat is tough but has a distinctive flavor.
lobsters – large crustaceans, highly prized as a seafood delicacy. Northern or American lobsters come from Canada or the Eastern USA. Another type of lobster is the spiny or rock lobster, found in California, the Caribbean, and other regions.
mahi-mahi – dolphinfish; a brightly colored pelagic fish. Mahi mahi is a white fish with a distinctive flavor. The meat is high in Omega 3 oil. Mahi mahi is often grilled or broiled.
mussels – small shellfish, popular in Mediterranean and other cuisine.
oysters – shellfish, often served raw or steamed in the shell.
shrimp – a generic term for a group of crustaceans. American shrimp include white shrimp, brown shrimp, pink shrimp, royal red shrimp, rock shrimp, northern shrimp, and others.
salmon – a group of fish, the most sought after being the 5 species of Pacific salmon. Salmon are available wild caught or farm raised.
scrod – cod, haddock, or pollock that weigh less than 2 1/2 pounds.
surimi – a seafood product made from fully cooked fish and processed into products that look and taste similar to other seafood items such as crab meat, lobster meat or sea scallops.
tilapia – a small, farm raised fish, with a mild white flesh.
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