Selecting fresh fish might seem a little mysterious. There are a few "tells" to consider when selecting seafood. Here is Santa Barbara, we can go to the docks and buy directly from the fisherman and know that the fish is just hours out of the water. Most folks lack that kind of access. I recall being at a food convention some years back and the fames chef Gilbert Le Coze of Le Bernadin in NY was a guest panelist. When asked about selecting fish he summed it up in just a few words. He said he looked at the eyes to see if they were full and clear, looked at the gills to see if they were bright red and fresh looking and tested the texture by touching the fish to see if the flesh was firm. End of test. Those criteria are all well and good if you are at a wholesale fish market buying whole fish (in the round in the vernacular).
Most retail fish purchases are going to be fish already filleted. Your first defense is to buy from a fish specialist, not a large chain with a fish section as part of the meat department. Here are a few tips to look for wherever you purchase your fish wherever you buy it. Plan to use fresh fish within two days of purchase. Maximum quality in fresh fish is maintained if fish is loosely wrapped and packed in finely crushed ice to prevent moisture loss.
Another important aspect to consider is buying seafood that is on the sustainable seafood list. The Monterey Bay Aquarium publishes a current list of suggested species and those to avoid.
Here are a few basic guidelines for selecting seafood.
1. Smell: The fish should not have a strong oder and be stored on ice, in a refrigerated case, separate from the other offerings.
2. Any blood lines should be bright red to pink.
3. Bright skin and scales: Fresh fish will have bright skin, with a nice metallic sheen.
4. Firm flesh: Feel the fish by pressing the flesh to make sure it is firm. It should spring back from your touch. Check the flesh to make sure it is smooth and intact, not broken or flaky. The steaks or fillets might be moist, but the moisture should be clear, and the flesh should never feel slimy. If it looks like the flesh is broken and readily oozes water, it may have been frozen.
5. Shellfish criteria varies with the type. Bivalves (clams, mussels, oysters) should be closed and have no strong smells. Lobster and crabs should be from live tanks and be very responsive.