What fish?

[eggchaser1987]

Yes, I'm asking yet again for the food advice of foodie PHers but the advice I have had in the past has been brilliant.

So fish, any advice. I have noticed we have a fresh fish van doing deliveries once a week and I have not really tried cooking fish.
I realise it will be pot luck as to what he has and what the fishermen caught but any advice on a nice fish that is reasonably easy to cook for two?

Thanks

[anonymous-user]

I could talk about fish all day! Have you any idea what kind of free fish he stocks? Is there a fish at the moment you are a bit of fan of?

[Hoover.]

sea bass..... very versatile

steamed with ginger, chilli, soy sauce, spring onion, and coriander... served with rice

baked - par boiled potatoes in oven dish, sea bass, cherry tomatoes halved, black olives halved, bit of oregano, fish stock, white wine.... cover in oven... 15-20mins, jobs a good one

[bobbo89]

For ease you cant beat tuna steaks, cook it like you would a normal steak, piece of piss!

[eggchaser1987]

I don't really know fish as such. I do enjoy a tuna steak but apart from that, battered cod and smoked salmon I'm out of ideas. Scallops are nice as well but I was thinking of proper fish rather than shell fish type thing.

Mackerel done on the bbq does appeal but probably more of a summer thing. I did think of a sole but I wouldn't know what to do with it.

[Shaolin]

Sword fish is good and similar to tuna but different, halibut is probably my favourite of all, similar to cod but better. Mackerel and sardines should be a definite, they are under-rated mainly because they are cheap I think, strongly flavoured so need different treatment to other fish. I usually do a spicy salsa or find an oriental recipe with ginger and garlic and other strong flavours. If you like salmon, you'll like trout, always better with roast almonds.

I find a lot of fish to be really quite similar I've tried many over the years from the fish counter and now don't bother with many of them.

[Mobile Chicane]

I think truly fresh fish (which sounds like what you have) is best just steamed or shallow-fried in butter.

Sole definitely just needs to be floured and fried. Squeeze of lemon over. Yums. Don't try to remove the skin before cooking as it's a proper faff.

[Murph7355]

Sea bass - hundreds of ways to serve this and a lovely flavour. Wild stuff's better than farmed.
Smoked haddock - I appreciate that this isn't exactly "fresh", but uncoloured, properly done haddock is fantastic. Oven cook or poach in milk. Spinach done with some garlic and not over cooked. Poached or fried egg on top.
Cod - with a tapenade type topping (garlic, olives, sunblushed tomatoes, olive oil etc blitzed together.
Trout - simply cooked with butter.

[soad]

Would you take a (loving) look at this little beauty.






A unique, firm-textured and meaty white fish, monkfish has an extraordinary appearance, with a flattened head, tapering body and mottled-brown, glossy skin.

[Cheese Mechanic]

As said, Sea Bass is a great start. If feeling flush , then Dover sole is a real treat, or even, if truly feeling flush then Turbot is absolutely marvellous. Have to say, the best, most flavoursome fish I have had.

[Burwood]

Shaolin said:

Sword fish is good and similar to tuna but different, halibut is probably my favourite of all, similar to cod but better. Mackerel and sardines should be a definite, they are under-rated mainly because they are cheap I think, strongly flavoured so need different treatment to other fish. I usually do a spicy salsa or find an oriental recipe with ginger and garlic and other strong flavours. If you like salmon, you'll like trout, always better with roast almonds.

I find a lot of fish to be really quite similar I've tried many over the years from the fish counter and now don't bother with many of them.

Huge fish eater and fisherman who has caught my own Marlin and YF Tuna, Hapuka(bass/groper). I would steer clear of Sword Fish for a couple of reasons. Rarely is it fresh (frozen) and it's at the top of the food chain so very high in mercury. It's also a magnificent animal and a bloody shame to butcher it. Number are dwindling. I find it a bit dry. I make a mean Thai fish curry with white fish +tiger prawns.

[Jamesgt]

soad said:

Would you take a (loving) look at this little beauty.





A unique, firm-textured and meaty white fish, monkfish has an extraordinary appearance, with a flattened head, tapering body and mottled-brown, glossy skin.

Looks awful but tastes great! No little bones deal with too

[matrignano]

A few off the top of my head:
- Cod oven baked with cheery tomatoes, chorizo and parsley
- Black cod marinated in miso paste/sake/mirin/sugar, grilled
- Tuna marinated in garlic and soy sauce, coated in sesame seeds, pan seared
- Seabass oven baked with garlic, pepper, bouquet garni

What about razor clams? Great for starters either steamed with a little white wine or oven baked.
Clams (vongole), awesome with pasta and really easy to cook.
Squid is great for pasta sauces too (cooked in garlic in its black ink), also stuffed squid is a very nice and easy starter (breadcrumbs, parmesan, parsley, egg, squid tentacles mixed together).

[HarryFlatters]

soad said:

Would you take a (loving) look at this little beauty.






A unique, firm-textured and meaty white fish, monkfish has an extraordinary appearance, with a flattened head, tapering body and mottled-brown, glossy skin.

One of the nicest things I've ever eaten was a monkfish cheek, garlic and chickpea stew that I got in a tapas place in Barcelona.

[Vyse]

If you can get your hands on some Halibut its well worth it.

Doesn't need to be this big though:

[eggchaser1987]

Thanks for all the ideas. I will be giving the OH an order for next week to go and get some when the delivery van is around.
Will give her a choice.and see what there is on the day but I will definitely report back. The sole idea is good, looks very nice and easy to cook but easy to get wrong.

Monkfish I would like to try but I think I need to get the OH on some visually appealing fish first :-D

[DUMBO100]

He's not a happy chappy! I'd be doing backflips if I caught a fish like that

[Bullett]

Make sure it is fresh and not frozen.
The only van that comes round these parts sells the bulk frozen fish which is pricey and not that great.

Mussels are great and so simple. not sure they have been mentioned yet.

[mattdaniels]

eggchaser1987 said:

Monkfish I would like to try but I think I need to get the OH on some visually appealing fish first :-D

Fillet monkfish and chop in to thick chunks. Coat in seasoned flour then dip in egg then panko breadcrumbs. Deep fry at 180 until golden.
Hey presto - posh fish fingers!

[bobbo89]

Bullett said:

Mussels are great and so simple. not sure they have been mentioned yet.

Not bought one for a while but a local catering supplier sells big tubs of mixed shellfish for a tenner. Mixed into a nice Putanesca sauce with a bit of pasta its by far the nicest thing you can make for how little effort is needed!