Microwaving
Microwaving is a great way to cook any type of fresh or frozen fish or shellfish.
To microwave whole pieces of fish
Season microwaved fish after it's cooked. Don't add salt and pepper to fish before you put it in the microwave - the seasoning may overpower seafood's natural flavour.
1. Arrange the fish in a shallow serving dish with the thickest parts on the outside edges of the dish.
2. Brush the fish with butter or lemon juice or cover it with sauce.
3. Cover the dish with a damp paper towel or plastic wrapping with holes for ventilation. This will keep the fish moist while cooking.
4. Cook the fish gently. Lower the power and pierce the fish if it starts to explode or spit during cooking.
5. Cook frozen fish on the low or defrost power range to start, and then cook at normal power.
Microwave cooking times for fish
Microwave cooking times for fish depend on both the thickness of the fish and the overall quantity of fish. In addition, fish keeps cooking for two or three minutes after you remove it from the microwave, so always aim to undercook it. It’s better to underestimate the cooking time for fish, rather than over estimate and run the risk of overcooking.
| Recommended microwave cooking times for fish | ||
|---|---|---|
| How fat is the thickest part of the fish? | Cooking time (in minutes) | |
| Fresh | Frozen | |
| 1cm | 1 | 1 defrost 1.5 cook |
| 2cm | 1.5 | 1 defrost 2 cook |
| 3cm | 2.5 | 2 defrost 2.5 cook |
| 4cm | 3 | 2 defrost 3 cook |
To microwave shellfish and crustaceans
Follow these instructions to cook different types of shellfish and crustacea in the microwave. The suggested cooking times are for about six shellfish.
| Microwave cooking tips and cooking times for shellfish and crustaceans | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Shellfish type | Cooking tips | Cooking time (in minutes for about six shellfish) | |
| Fresh | Frozen | ||
| Live mussels (and similar shellfish) | Place in the microwave and cook on medium-high power. The mussels are cooled when the shells open 1-2cm. | varies | n/a |
| Scallops | Pierce several times with a fork to allow steam to escape. Cover with a damp paer towel and cook on medium power. | 2-3 | n/a |
| Oysters | Pierce several times with a skewer or fork to allow steam to escape. Oysters are best cooked with a topping (for example, Oysters Kilpatrick) to prevent them drying out. Cook on medium power. Don't overcook or the oysters will toughen. | 1-2 minutes | n/a |
| Shrimp/prawns | cook on medium high power. | 4-5 | |
| Rock lobsters (crayfish) | First dispatch lobster by chilling in deep freeze until all movements stop. Then cook on medium to high power and turn once during cooking. Cover or sheild legs halfway through cooking to prevent them from overcooking. | Depends on the weight of the lobster. Let stand for at least two minutes before serving. | 6-8 defrost, and then cook as for fresh crayfish. |