TIPS for Keeping It QUICK

When time is of the essence, keep these things in mind:

1. The smaller the pieces, the faster they cook. When time is critical, don't choose large, thick fish fillets, or cut them into smaller pieces or cubes before cooking.
2. Turn up the heat! Now's the time to turn the oven up to 425°F or more so the fish cooks quickly and stays moist. This is only effective with smaller pieces of seafood: larger fillets or whole fish risk cooking unevenly or drying out when the oven's too hot. For stove-top cooking keep the heat at medium-high or high, stirring almost constantly for even cooking. (Again, this works best with small pieces of seafood.)
3. Don't forget to think about side dishes that are quick too! For vegetables, thin slices or julienne strips will cook much quicker than larger chunks. When picking a pasta, go for the thinner—and quicker-cooking—varieties such as angel hair, vermicelli, orzo and other small shapes. Couscous too, is a great turbo-quick side dish.