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How to Saute Seafood

The best seafoods to saute are fish fillets under 1-1/2" thick, shucked oysters, large shrimp and scallops. Sautéing, or pan frying is somewhat similar to stir-frying. Sautéed seafoods are cooked over medium heat. The seafood is browned on one side, and is then turned over to finish cooking on the other side. Try lightly coating the seafood with flour, fine cornmeal, breadcrumbs or finely chopped nuts for a crisp outside and tender inside. Use a skillet with a non-stick surface to avoid using additional fat for cooking.

Heat a small amount of oil or butter in a heavy skillet over medium heat. Before placing seafood in the pan pat it dry to avoid any splattering during cooking. Add the seafood and cook on each side until browned and opaque through the thickest part. A good rule of thumb is to cook the seafood 10 minutes per inch thickness.

How to Stir-fry Seafood

Stir frying cooks small pieces of food in a pan over high heat. Because the food cooks very quickly, it requires constant stirring to cook evenly and avoid sticking. Avoid stir frying delicate fish, as it will fall apart during cooking. The best seafoods for stir-frying are hrimp, scallops and squid. Cubes or strips of firm fish like halibut, monkfish, salmon, swordfish, tuna and shark are ideal selections for stir-frying. Make sure seafood is cut in evenly sized pieces for best results.

Woks or a large skillet work fine for stir frying seafood. Heat the oil in a wok or large skillet over high heat. If using vegetables, add them first and cook, stirring constantly. When vegetables are tender-crisp, transfer to a bowl and set aside. If necessary, add more oil to the pan and reheat. Add the seafood and cook, stirring, until lightly browned and opaque in the center.

Return the vegetables to the pan, add any sauce or seasoning and toss to evenly mix. For best results avoid overcrowding the pan, or the food will release liquid and poach rather than fry. Try cooking in batches when you need to cook a larger amount of food.