IN SEASON
Is there a fi sh (perhaps lesser known) that you would recommend we try? One fi sh that I don’t think we see enough of is gurnard. It’s a beautiful fi sh and in France it’s a staple in bouillabaisse (fi sh stew). I think it’s down to its popularity that we don’t see it but maybe it’s got a slow reproductive rate. In terms of lesser known I would go for something like pouting, which is a member of the cod family, it’s small has big eyes and is delicious. Also in the autumn look out for whiting, we use them
grill is skin side up. In terms of cooking time, a
fi sh like mackerel, put it in a hot pan and hold it there until the fi sh relaxes then cook for 45 seconds, fl ip it over and 10 seconds on that side. Take it off put it on a tray and cover for a minute. The fi sh will carry on cooking while you dish up the rest. Really delicate fi sh like red
mullet can be cooked through a cartouche of good quality parchment cut in a circle to stop it from sticking. The skin still gets crispy through the paper.
“Always cook fi sh with its skin close to the heat source”
in Asian broths, they have a lovely delicate fl avour. Herrings are another one, they put some people off because they’re quite bony, but have a delicious fl avour. Fillet them, pin bone them, chop the fl esh up, mix with chopped ginger and spring onion, chestnut mushroom and mold into little fi shcakes and pan fry. Beautiful.
What are your tips for cooking fi sh to perfection? Relax! Don’t overcook it! The optimum temperature is 45C (fi llet) or 55C on the bone if you’ve got a temperature probe. I always cook fi sh quickly there’s no need to cook it slowly. If you’re grilling, heat the
grill for 10-15 minutes fi rst and aluminum trays are good because they distribute heat evenly and you don’t have to turn the fi sh because the heat comes down onto the tray and cooks from the bottom up. Always cook fi sh with its
skin close to the heat source. Even if you don’t like the skin always cook it with the skin on and take it off afterwards. So panfrying is skin side down,
Would you recommend preparing fi sh at home ourselves?
It depends. I don’t like preparing fi sh at home because of the mess and my cat! If you’ve got a good fi shmonger use them – whatever you don’t do yourself you will pay for. I would always get the fi shmonger to at least descale the fi sh.
If you are going to prepare
fi sh at home you need a fl exible knife, pair of pliers, scissors for the fi ns and a descaler.
What should we be looking for when purchasing fi sh? A healthy looking fi sh for one thing. By that I mean bright eyes (not sunken and imploded). Slime is good. The fi sh should be fi rm to the touch and while fi sh is always going to have a smell it shouldn’t ever be smelly, it should smell and taste like what it’s eaten. Look at the gills they should be red – especially fi sh like mackerel. You want blood red gills on mackerel. Although on the other hand certain fl at fi sh shouldn’t be eaten too fresh. Dover sole
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for instance goes tough as old boots when grilled if it’s really fresh. Lemon sole is at its best between 4 and 7 days after being caught. The only exception to that rule is plaice, which is best after about 2-3 days, after that they start to lose fl avour. You can tell the freshness of a plaice by the brightness of their spots. Fish like pollock also benefi t
from being left on the bone for 2 or 3 days to give them a bit more fl avour. I also tend to cover them in salt 20 minutes before I cook them then rinse and dry before cooking. That draws out excess moisture for grilling and intensifi es the fl avour. Finally, never choose the
dish then buy the fi sh. Go buy the fi sh then choose the dish. Although most fi sh is interchangeable for another as long as you stick to the same group of fi sh.
Are there any suppliers you would recommend? Our main supplier is Matthew Stevens and Son in St Ives. But there are lots of small independents, Kernow sashimi springs to mind, they have one boat and a good website. Wings are good then there are companies like Fish For Thought. When I’m home in Polperro I go over to Pengelly’s in Looe. If you live in the area use these small ones because if you don’t they will go out of business.
Where is the best place to source information about fi sh? The fi rst thing to do is speak to your fi shmonger. They know all about it and are trying to do the best thing for the fi shing industry. The MSC has a useful app for your phone but essentially try and buy from small boats wherever possible, it will be in better condition too.
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