Fish

[Alan]

I love fish, but I feel that it is too expensive to buy in Scotland, and when I do get it, the quality is not the same as I've had in Spain and Italy. So, I'm not very used to cooking with fish. A few weeks ago I got a couple of really nice salmon steaks from a *good* fishmonger in my town, I don't do it often. I cooked it up in an orange and dill sauce and served with sautéed potatoes and closed-cup chestnut mushrooms cooked in garlic. Despite this masterpiece, I'm quite a boring cook with fish. I would like to hear of any of your favourite fish (and shellfish) recipes.

[Marina]

Don't worry, I have some fish recepies planned starting with Hake. But I agree with you that it is basic to start with really fresh fish... and I don't understand why in the UK being sourronded by the sea is so difficult to find fresh fish.

Last time I was in England (about 10 days ago) I went to Waitrose, and out of interest I had a look at the fish section, and apart of the Salmon the rest of the fish looked "old" and I have to say that it wasn't cheap either.
From what I saw in there it would be more adviseable to buy frozen fish or find a really good fishmonger.

I remember that one Christmas 4 or 5 years ago we went to Cormwall with some friends and,we bought a very delicious fish (I don't remember which) that was really fresh. So I suppose it is possible, but you just have to keep on looking for the right place and in that place, choose the freshest. Have a look at the eyes, that is a very good way to detect if the fish is fresh, they have to look as if the fish is alive.

Good luck!

[Alan]

. . . well our waters are covered with Spanish fishermen :)

I'll look forward to your recipe.

[simonb]

You can buy fresh fish in Britain but unforunately it's not as easy as it should be. The supermarkets are not the place to find fresh fish as their centralised distribution system don't work for things with a very short shelf life. Even on the coast, I live in Poole on the south coast, the supermarkets don't get their fish locally.

You have to find a good fishmonger or try and buy wholesale if you live near the coast. You have fantastic fish and shellfish in Scotland which is second to none and should be able to track down a good source. Have a look in Rick Stein's, "Seafood Lovers' Guide", for a list of suppliers in Scotland.

I'm lucky enough to have a local wholesaler who sells to the general public and I also know a local fisherman who sometimes sells to me direct.

Unfortunately, one has to try harder in the UK than in Spain, France and Italy but it's definitely out there.

[ValenciaSon]

At Benidorm, we stopped by food stand that sold fried sardines just off the fishing boats. You couldn't ask for fresher fish. Delicious! That stands in my mind as the all time best fish I ever ate. Based on pod casts and blogs on Lugo and their vast assortment of sea food, I would love to go there.

[Marina]

I'm not a great fan of sardines, but when you have them grilled on a barbacue at the beach or in a port they are usually great!!!

In Spain, it is common to have a few restaurants near sea ports that serve the fish that has been fished locally the same morning. Watch out and don't miss them because they are usualy great. They are very common all around Galicia (some of them are really simple and quite cheap) and in general in the Cantabric sea (North coast of Spain) and a few Mediterranean towns.

For example in Calpe, which is in north of Alicante, they have two or three restaurants near the port where they invite you for a drink at their door so you can have a look at the sea food which is displayed in tables near the entrance. Even though it is quite touristy it is great fun to see it all displayed and priced. This town is also known for the "Peñon de Ifach" which is a rocky peninsula that you can climb and has amazing views from the top

[ValenciaSon]

Oh my gosh!

We went to the Peñon de Ifach! That was right before Benidorm! It is so funny you mention Calpe! I believe that is where I had those sardines! My uncle had an apartment close to the beach! We climbed the Peñon de Ifach! What a coincidence!:eek::eek::D:D

[Davood]

Traditionaly in southern part of europe the people are fish eater than centrla of europe. So In spain and Italy and Greece we usualy find more fresh fish.
In Uk people usally do,nt eat so much fish so the diversity of seafood are not so much.
I like seafood very much. I can eat fish as Breakfast, lunch and dinerhttp://qsmile.com/qsimages/91.gif

[Isabel]

... I'm quite a boring cook with fish. I would like to hear of any of your favourite fish (and shellfish) recipes.

I love fish and in France it's not too fresh either. I like buying frozen fish and I have a million of different recipes to cook it, imagination helps.

Oven is the best invention to cook while you talk with your friends.

Take any frozen fish, put it into a oiled oven plate, cover it with a sauce and cook it folowing the minutes and temperature writen in the packaging. You can also put vegetables into the same plate (to be cooked more or less than the fish depending on the vegetable)

An example, cover the fish with garlic mayonaise and put it into the oven. You can serve it with green asparagus, or spinach or grilled aubergines.

A different one, mix olives with onions and tomatoes (peeled tomatoes), pour the sauce over the frozen fish and oven until it's cooked.

Imaginate and cook

[Polly]

I was completely enthralled with the selection of fresh sea fish available to us every day on our recent trip to the costa del sol. The sardines and fresh anchovies, especially, were a favorite. especially when we strolled down the boardwalk and found you could stop and get fire-roasted sardines, fresh from the sea from any number of food vendors along the beach. Squeeze a little lemon over the top and ....yum!

Here, in the States we never see fresh anchovey - it's always heavily salted and packed in oil. Sardines are generally sealed in cans swimming in canola oil or some kind of mustard or tomato sauce - which covers up the taste completely. Of course by then, the consistency is soggy as well.

Fish must have a FIRM flesh to be enjoyed!

I live in the Great Lakes region, so fresh lake trout, bass, perch, bluegill, lake-salmon, whitefish etc. are generally available, --- and we have smelt (very similar to the sardine) that is plentiful, but ocean fish and shellfish are flown in to local supermarkets a few times a week - and while the quality is generally excellent - it can be excruciatingly expensive, for a decent piece of wild caught ocean-salmon, tuna, snapper, tilapia - or anything else that comes from the sea.

Here is a recipe for beer-battered smelt - easily adaptable to fresh sardines!



Smelt (or Sardines) with Beer Batter

2 lbs dressed smelt
3 eggs
1/2 can cold beer
1 tsp. salt
1/2 cup flour
1/2 cup cornmeal
1 tsp. salt
1 dash Basil
1 dash Oregano
2 dashes Garlic Powder

Beat eggs until fluffy. Add beer and 1 tsp salt.
In separate bowl, combine flour, cornmeal, seasonings and remaining salt.
Dip fillets first into liquid batter then into dry mixture,
and back into liquid batter.
Fry in butter until light brown and fish flakes with a fork.


I would serve this with lots of lemon wedges, artichoke, fried zuccini (corgette), roasted tomatoes, olives and feta cheese - and maybe even some yoghurt-dill sauce for dressing.

[ianpoo1]

Hi
I was wondering if any one can help me. I’m setting up a fish tank business in Spain and all I need is a company or person that can supply me with or direct to the customer with fish of all kinds and offer a maintenance program of some sort. So I can offer the customer ever aspect of having a fish tank from me. I’ve spent hours searching the net but with out any joy. So if any one can help it will be appreciated and not forgotten.