(6) Cooking Seafood. Generally it is best to fry lean fish, such as haddock or flounder,
and broil or bake fat fish, such as salmon or mackerel; however, lean fish can be baked if it is
basted frequently with melted fat or if it is cooked with a sauce. TM 10-412 contains several
recipes for preparing canned salmon and tuna. Since these items are already cooked, they can be
used in a variety of salads.
(7) Cooking Dehydrated and Freeze-dried Fish and Shrimp. Dehydrated seafood items
are high quality products when handled properly. The two primary items in the Army system are
fish squares and shrimp.
(a) Fish Squares. To rehydrate the fish squares, follow the manufacturer's
instructions. The item is then prepared according to TM 10-412 the same as for a like fresh item.
Once cooked, however, the product must be handled with care as it will fall apart more easily
than a fresh item.
(b) Shrimp. Rehydrate cooked shrimp according to the manufacturer's
instructions. Prepare rehydrated shrimp by the recipes in TM 10-412 recipe in the same manner
as you would prepare the fresh item.
n. Carving. Let roasts and poultry stand for 15 to 30 minutes before carving them so that
the meat will be firm and not fall apart. Meat should be trimmed in the kitchen and carved on
the serving line. Follow these rules: Always use clean, sanitized equipment; use the proper
knife for the job; keep knives sharp; use a meat fork; and arrange meat portions in a serving pan
so that you can easily remove slices without breaking them. The two carving methods are by
hand or by a mechanical device.
(1) Hand Carving. Hand carving on the serving line provides the best product
presentation but requires skill and training to carve slices of equal size. Meat, fish, and poultry
recipes indicate serving size portions. Always cut across the grain of the meat and away from
the body. When carving a roast turkey, for example, begin by removing a leg. Separate the
thigh from the drumstick and remove a wing. Then, make a cut toward the ribs on a line
between the wing and thigh so that slices will fall free when you cut the breast. Slice the breast
parallel to the breastbone.
(2) Mechanical Carving. As an alternate to hand carving, a mechanical slicing
machine may be used.
o. Rice, Pasta Products, and Dressings. Rice is served with dishes such as chili con carne,
chop suey, and creole beef balls. It may also be added to some soups. Rice can be substituted
for potatoes or added to the main menu as an alternative starch for diners. To preserve valuable
vitamins and minerals, do not blanch, wash, or rinse rice after it has been cooked. To prevent
gumminess, never uncover the rice cooking pot or pan during the simmering period. There are
several ways to prepare and cook rice. The most common is steaming. Other ways to prepare
rice are the oven method and use of the pressure cooker. These methods are covered in more
detail in TM 10-412.
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