The UK, and many countries around the world love fish, and all around the world, there are many varieties and flavours of fish and seafood.
Fish is an important ingredient in many British dishes – such as Fish and Chips, Fish Pie and Fish Cakes. Fish is also very popular all around the world, and is a staple food in many diets.
what to look for when buying fish
Smell
Good, fresh seafood should smell a little bit of the sea – similar to the smell of fresh seaweed. If it smells too fishy, or not very nice in any way, it may already be off. Off fish can make you very sick.
Appearance and texture
The fish should be firm to touch and look shiny. You can test it by pressing it softly. If it bounces back slightly, it’s good! If it doesn’t bounce back, it’s probably best to choose another piece.
how to store FISH
Store fresh fish in your fridge and use it as quickly as possible.
If you are storing shellfish (like crabs and prawns), cover them with a damp cloth in a box with a lid, to stop them drying out.
If they are already in a packet from the supermarket, you can keep them in the packet.
HOW TO COOK FISH
Fish is usually only cooked quickly, in a pan with a drizzle of oil or butter, steamed or baked. But, once it’s in the pan, don’t overdo it!
Cook it for just a minute or two per side for a very thin fillet, and 2 or 3 minutes per side for thicker fillets like cod or salmon.
Cooking your fish just enough will help keep it moist and juicy. It’ll help keep it from falling apart too.
So how do you know when it’s done? Go for nice golden colour, because browning food means flavourful food, and look for a texture that’s only a little firm to the touch.
what goes with fish?
A basic rule is that if you have a plain, dry fish, then it's good to have sauce or juicy sides in the meal. Or, if you have a saucy fish meal such as fish pie, then plainer sides are best, such as simple vegetables.
So for example, a baked salmon fillet would be good with a saucy/juicy side, such as cauliflower cheese or braised celery in white sauce and buttered new potatoes. Cod in parsley sauce would work with mashed potato and peas.
If you don't want a side dish, you can serve a sauce or herb butter with your fish or vegetables to give you the juicy-ness.
