Find a Fishmonger where the fish can be seen whole.  This enables clear identification of freshness. Try to shop local and build trust with your fishmonger. 

Fish should not smell…

The aroma should be of a slight saltiness. Gills bright and pink or deep purple not dull and dark. It is fine to have a slight slime on the skin (of the fish J).

Always ask your fishmonger to scale and gut the fish.

Eyes should be clear and easily seen not deep and sunken. This can show the fish is old or has been frozen.  Frozen is fine if sold as frozen.

Look at the fishmonger’s shop… is it clean? Are the fish on ice? How much stock is left at the end of the day …These are easy indicators of freshness and quality.  It should never be a problem for the fishmonger to prepare and fillet your fish and even explain how to cook it store etc.

Mackerel, sardines etc. when held up should be firm straight and not bendy.

Types of Fish

Fish are grouped into 2 families:

1. Flat fish – Sole, Plaice, Turbot…
2. Round fish – Cod, Bass, Bream…

Fish Stock:

To make fish stock, the best fish bones and skin are from flat fish. They produce clear and fresh-tasting stock.  Another benefit of buying fresh whole fish, we not only get fish to eat we get soup and sauce bases.

Oily fish produce strong pungent misty stocks that are not to everybody’s taste.

Preparing Fish:

When preparing fish have a bowl for scraps – board with paper underneath so it does not slip.

You will also need:

1. -Sharp knife, ideally with a flexible blade
2. -De-boning pincers
3. -kitchen scissors

Preparation and cooking of round fish

1. -Round fish has 2 fillets (unlike flat fish, which has 4)
2. -Cut off the head and tail.
3. -Get rid of any sharp fins with kitchen scissors.
4. -Hold the fish firmly on a chopping board and run the knife along the backbone from head to tail
5. -Keeping as close to the bone as possible, remove the fillet with
6. -Turn the fish and repeat
7. -If you wish to skin the fillets as well: place the fillet, skin-side down, on the chopping board and slide the knife on the skin while pulling the skin (I would always recommend keeping the skin on unless making something like ceviche or tiradito).

Cooking smaller round fish fillets (such as seabass or mackerel):

1. Place a large non-stick pan over medium heat and get it thoroughly hot.
2. Place a non-stick pan over medium heat and wait for a couple of minutes until thoroughly hot (please note that we’re not putting any oil in the pan).
3. Score the skin side of the fish and rub it with oil.
4. Sprinkle the pan with a pinch of salt and heat the salt until smoking hot, turn the temperature to medium-low. Press the fish, skin side down into the pan, it will try to curl, don’t let it. You can release it after 20 seconds. Let it cook together until the meat side of the fish looks almost cooked (and has changed its colour). Flip the fish, finish with a knob of butter and squeeze of lemon.
5. Make sure that the lemon doesn’t hit the crispy skin as that would make it soggy.

Cooking thicker round fish fillets (such as hake or salmon)

1. Preheat the oven to 185C.
2. Place a large non-stick pan with an oven-proof handle over medium heat and get it thoroughly hot.
3. Place a non-stick pan over medium heat and wait for a couple of minutes until thoroughly hot (please note that we’re not putting any oil in the pan).
4. Score the skin side of the fish and rub it with oil.
5. Sprinkle the pan with a pinch of salt and heat the salt until smoking hot, turn the temperature to medium-low and place the fish fillet in the pan skin-side down. Add a splash of oil if needed.
6. Cook for five minutes, place the pan in the oven and cook until the fish is done (this depends on the size of the fillet but should be around five minutes). You will know that the fish is ready when the meat starts to be flaky.
7. Remove from the pan, flip the fish (it is skin side up now) and add a knob of butter and squeeze of lemon juice.
8. Make sure that the lemon doesn’t hit the crispy skin as that would make it soggy.

Preparation and cooking of flat fish

1. Flat fish has 4 fillets (unlike round fish, which have 2).
2. Always trim the sharp fins with kitchen scissors, some flatfish have extremely sharp fins and tails.
3. Make an incision with the point of the knife below the head and cut down towards the backbone, then continue cutting down the length of the fish and through the tail
4. Make a cut below the head diagonally from the backbone to separate the fillet
5. Separate the flesh from the bones by inserting the point of a knife into the cut below the head and sliding the knife along the bone with a long, gentle stroking motion
6. Lift the fillet from the middle as you continue the stroking motion, cutting away from you to remove the first fillet – you should be able to hear and feel the knife moving against the bones
7. Turn the fish around and repeat on the other side of the backbone to remove the second fillet, cutting a diagonal line below the head then inserting the point of the knife from the tail end and gently following along the line of the bones to remove the fillet
8. Turn the fish over and repeat this process on the other side, cutting along the backbone and under the head
9. Use stroking motions along each side of the backbone to remove the third and fourth fillets
10. Trim the edges to neaten the fillets – these can now be skinned and cooked as required.

Cooking flat fish fillets

1. Scatter a bit of flour on a large plate.
2. Season with salt and pepper.
3. Pop the fish fillets on a chopping board and season all over with salt and pepper.
4. Squeeze over a little lemon juice and finely grate over some zest.
5. Dip the fish fillets in the flour, turning to lightly coat both sides of the fillets.
6. Shake off any excess flour.
7. Put a large pan on high heat and warm it till it’s smoking hot.
8. Add a splash of oil to the pan – enough to create a thin film on the bottom of the pan.
9. Add the fish fillets, skin-side-down, and fry for 1-2 mins till the skin is crisp underneath.
10. Carefully turn over and fry for a further 1 min.
11. If your frying pan is too small to cook all the fish fillets together, cook them in batches, adding extra oil as needed and making sure to keep the pan hot.
12. Serve the fish straight away with your choice of sides.

Cooking whole flat fish

1. Rinse fish and cavity thoroughly, removing any remaining guts, until water runs clear. Pat dry with paper towels.
2. Pat the fish completely dry with paper towels.
3. Preheat the oven to 180C.
4. Arrange whole rosemary sprigs over the base of a roasting pan large enough to lie the fish flat, then drizzle with 1tbsp of oil. Place fish on rosemary. Make scores in the skin of the fish, and tuck garlic and halved rosemary sprigs into scores.
5. Drizzle fish with another 1 tbs oil, then layer lemon slices on top.
6. Cover tray with foil and roast fish, removing foil after 20 minutes, for 30-40 minutes or until cooked through. Transfer to a serving dish or serve straight from the pan.