Marinating (sometimes referred to as sousing) means that you place the seafood in an acidic marinade that effectively ‘cooks’ without heat. Marinating can also be used to add flavour to your fish before you cook it.

Marinating is a good way to prepare medium to firm textured fish. It works best with fillets.

To marinate fresh or frozen fish

1. Cut the fish into cubes of about 1.5cm — or larger if you wish.

2. Place the cubes in a non-aluminium bowl or strong plastic bag with fresh herbs or thick slices of onion.

3. Add the juice of oranges, lemons or other citrus fruit, or wine or vinegar.

4. Cover and place in the refrigerator.

5. Fish is very delicate and highly absorbent. If you want to flavour fish for cooking, marinate for only half an hour. If you are marinating for a ‘raw’ fish dish, then marinating overnight ‘cooks’ the fish.

6. Drain the marinade from the fish and serve the fish with seafood sauce or coconut cream.

7. The marinade may be re-used immediately as long as it’s been refrigerated but don’t keep it for more than two days in the fridge.

Use the same method for frozen fish, but first take the fish from the freezer and leave it at room temperature for just long enough to make it easy to cut into cubes. Add 1-2 hours to the marinating time to allow the fish to thaw.

Marinating for flavour just takes half an hour

Only marinate fish for half and hour if you just want to add flavour to your finished dish. If you leave the fish in marinade for longer than this, a chemical change starts to change the look and texture of the fish. If you leave fish in marinade for several hours, it takes on the look and texture of cooked fish.

To marinate shellfish

You should not marinate uncooked shellfish. Always cook the shellfish lightly before you start to marinate them.

You can marinate any pre-cooked shellfish like mussels that have been steamed open. Just place them in an acid-based marinade (see the instructions for fish) and keep them chilled overnight before serving. The more acid in the marinade the sooner the shellfish will be ready to eat.

You can store marinated shellfish for up to seven days in the fridge before you eat them.