All articles
Everything on Anchor & Hope, organised by topic.
Fish Basics
- Fresh vs Frozen Fish: Choose for the Dish — Fresh fish is not automatically better than frozen fish. Choose by package condition, cold handling, the cut your dish needs and when you can cook it.
- How to Bake Salmon: Oven Times and Temps by Thickness — Bake salmon at 400°F (205°C) on a lined sheet pan, skin side down, until the thickest part reaches an internal temperature of 145°F (63°C) and the flesh…
- How to Pan-Sear Fish: Crispy Skin, No Sticking (5 Steps) — To pan-sear fish, pat the fillet completely dry, season it, and heat a heavy skillet over medium-high until a high-smoke-point oil shimmers.
- How to Tell When Fish Is Done (145°F Rule + Visual Cues) — Fish is done when it reaches an internal temperature of 145°F (63°C) at its thickest point — the FDA's recommended safe temperature for fin fish.
- How to Poach Fish Gently and Check Doneness — To poach fish gently, arrange evenly sized portions in one layer and cook them in seasoned liquid held at a bare simmer, not a rolling boil.
- How to Find and Remove Pin Bones from Fish — Lay the cold fillet skin-side down on a clean board and sweep your fingertips across its thick centre section to find the pin-bone tips.
- How to Steam Fish Without Drying It Out — Place fish in a single layer above—not in—gently boiling water, cover the pan, and cook with circulating steam.
- How to Store Fresh Fish Before You Cook It — Take fresh fish home in a cold bag or cooler, then refrigerate it at 40°F (4°C) or below and cook it within two days of purchase.
- How to Thaw Fish Safely Without Wrecking Texture — Thaw frozen fish in the refrigerator overnight whenever possible.
Shellfish
- How to Clean Clams Before Cooking — To clean live clams, keep them cold, discard cracked shells, and tap any open shell; discard it if it does not close.
- How to Cook Mussels: Steam Times and When to Toss One — Scrub and debeard the mussels, then discard any that stay open when tapped — those are dead.
- How to Cook Shrimp So It's Tender, Not Rubbery (3 Methods) — Cook shrimp hot and fast, and stop early: sauté 1–2 minutes per side over medium-high heat, poach 2–4 minutes in just-boiled water with the burner off, or…
- How to Debeard Mussels Before Cooking — Keep live mussels refrigerated at 40°F (4°C) or below until preparation. Discard cracked shells and apply current FDA guidance to any open shell.
- How to Steam Clams and Know When They Are Done — To steam clams, scrub and sort live clams, place them over a shallow layer of actively steaming liquid in a wide covered pot, and remove each clam when…
- How to Thaw Frozen Shrimp Safely — The safest way to thaw frozen shrimp is overnight in a refrigerator at 40°F or below.
- Shrimp Size Chart: What Count Labels Mean — A shrimp count such as 21/25 means 21 to 25 shrimp per pound; lower numbers indicate larger shrimp, while higher numbers indicate smaller shrimp.
Coastal Recipes
- Crab Cakes That Hold Together Without Heavy Binder — Drain lump crabmeat without pressing it, whisk the measured binder separately, then fold in the crab and panko only until combined.
- Fish en Papillote: A Parchment-Packet Method — For fish en papillote, heat the oven to 400°F and place one evenly shaped fillet on thin or partly cooked vegetables.
- Fish Tacos Recipe: One Base, Crispy or Grilled (30 Min) — The best fish tacos start with one base: mild white fish (cod, mahi-mahi, or tilapia) tossed in chili-cumin seasoning, warm corn tortillas, a quick…
- New England Clam Chowder Recipe: Creamy and From Scratch — New England clam chowder is a cream-based soup of chopped clams and their briny liquor, salt pork or bacon, onions, celery, and waxy potatoes, thickened…