Introduction

This lesson will present some reminder to help you determine if the seafood you are cooking is done. A topic on the common accompaniments for seafood dishes will be presented as well.

Guidelines for Plating Seafood

Accompaniments vary according to the type of seafood and the method of cooking used. Accompaniments should add contrast while complimenting the dish. The following are the common sauces and side dishes for seafood recipes.

There are other common guidelines that the kitchen staff should observe when plating dishes for food service. The following are some of the important aspects of plating that you should look into:

• Uniformity - Same dishes should be the same in terms of color, size, shape and portion size. Another way of making the dishes uniform is by presenting the same dishes with the same utensils and made out of the same materials.

• Simplicity and Stability - Dishes should be assembled as simple as possible without compromising their visual appeal. Too elaborate arrangements should be avoided in order to keep the stability of the dish. The more toppings you put into the base result to higher chances that the dish will fall out when taken by the diners.

• SHIFT (Shape, Height, Interest, Flavor and Taste) - This five-letter mnemonic means making sure that:

- The plate shows various shapes which can be in uniform or varying sizes;

- Height is considered as another dimension in arranging the elements on the plate;

- Colors and texture are put into and set up effectively enough for the plate to be appealing and enticing; and

- The flavor and taste of the dish are made sure to be pleasing to the diners the same way as they were satisfied by the visuals of the plate.

• Portion - Each plating of the same dishes should be the same in terms of count, weight and volume.

• Safety and Sanitation - When plating, you should make sure that all the utensils are clean and safe to be used by the guests. Ceramic crockery and cutlery items should be free from cracks. Stainless or iron tableware should not have dents and rust. More importantly, the doneness and freshness of food should be checked before serving. It should be made sure that cooked food items will be served cooked and raw items will be served fresh.