Baking

Appears in

Published 2012

About

Baking is a great way to prepare large whole fish, which may be too big for a frying pan but will fit on a baking tray. It’s also an excellent way to heat shellfish gently without overcooking them. And of course all sorts of seafood pies and tarts wouldn’t be possible without ovens.

Some dishes combine baking with other cooking methods. What the Italians call al cartoccio and the French call en papillote involves wrapping fish in a paper parcel and cooking it in the oven so that it steams in its own juices. Braising and baking can also be combined by putting seafood in a covered baking dish with some liquid. Chefs also often combine baking or roasting and pan-frying, searing a fillet in a frying pan for colour, then finishing it off in the gentler heat of the oven.