How to cook fish

Thursday 24 June 2004

Cooking fish is really quick and easy. And there are so many different types of fish to taste, plus endless recipe ideas to try. If you're a bit squeamish, you can ask your fishmonger to gut and fillet fish for you and get rid of the head! Or you can buy fish fillets or steaks that are ready to cook.

Meaty types of fish, such as tuna steaks, cook really well on a hot griddle pan. Or you can cook most types of fish in minutes under a hot grill.

Cooking fish in the oven allows the fish to be infused with the flavours of other ingredients. And of course, once it's in the oven, you don't have to worry about it. Sea bass and trout are delicious roasted. You can wrap the fish in foil with just a splash of olive oil and some wedges of lemon. Or, for a more Italian flavour, try adding olives and capers too. Serve with some boiled new potatoes and broccoli or green beans.

You can also poach fish on the hob or in the oven by placing it in liquid. Salmon poached in white wine with tarragon and chives is particularly delicious.

Steaming is another really easy way to cook fish and it's healthy because you don't need to add any butter or oil. Try steaming cod with ginger and spring onions. You will need a steamer for this – either a bamboo or metal steamer that fits on top of a pan of water, or an electric steamer. Serve the cod with rice, a dash of soy sauce and some fresh coriander leaves on top.

Smoked fish is also really tasty. For a great snack or simple starter, try smoked salmon on wholemeal bread or crispbread, with a grinding of black pepper and a squeeze of lemon. If you’re not keen on the texture of smoked salmon, try hot-smoked salmon and trout, which have a texture similar to cooked fish. Or try kippers for breakfast, with some granary toast and grilled tomatoes.

Fish is also a very healthy choice for barbecues. Fresh sardines are especially tasty when barbecued because their skin goes all crispy. Serve them with wedges of lemon and a green salad.

Canned fish is a great store-cupboard standby for times when you need a snack. Canned sardines on toast is a great choice, because it's super-quick to prepare and sardines are a good source of calcium, as well as omega 3 fatty acids.