Seafood is synonymous with our Kiwi summers. We trawl bite.co.nz for tips and recipes to help with your own fishy occasions
Batter up ...
Everyone loves fish and chips. Make your own with Geoff Scott's super-easy beer batter. Have everything laid out ready to go before mixing the batter. The fresher the batter, the crispier the result! Get the recipe
How to get crispy fish skin
Pat skin-on fillets dry with paper towels. Use a large stainless steel frying pan (not a non-stick one). Heat a couple of tablespoons of oil until it shimmers and almost smokes. Add the fish to the pan, skin-side-down, and press on it with a fish slice for about 30 seconds to get as much contact as possible. The skin may stick at first but, like other protein, it will release as it cooks. Leave without turning for about two-three minutes until you see the edges browning and the flesh start to turn opaque at the bottom. If the skin is still stuck to the pan, leave it for another 30 seconds and then try again. When released, flip your fillets and cook for another couple of minutes, depending upon the thickness.
To remove pin bones from salmon
Run the tip of a knife across the top of the bones towards the tail, this will cause the bones to "pop" up and be easier to see and grasp. Using a pair of tweezers or fine-nosed pliers, get a solid firm grip on the bone tip and very slowly but firmly pull the bone away from the tail, towards the head. Cure your beautifully pin-boned salmon and serve up gravadlax. Perennially perfect for summer entertaining, it fits the bill for breakfast, lunch or on a platter to serve with drinks. Delicious, made-ahead and sooo easy too! Go Scandinavian using juniper berries or try a ginger or the beetroot-cured version photographed above.
Whole fish
If you're a newbie fisher or, yikes, someone gives you a whole fish and you don't know how to prep it, Celia Hay's step-by-step guide to scaling, gutting and filleting is here to save you. And remember, it's waste not, want not … there's more to that fish than a couple of fillets. See Warren Elwin's nose-to-tail recipes: Fish head curry, grilled fish collar, fish stock and simple fish soup.
Want to cook your fish whole? See Jan Bilton's Chinese-inspired fish in chilli bean sauce (below) and Jo Wilcox's BBQ cajun fish with tzatziki.
Want to hot smoke salmon at home?
The only equipment you need is a large deep frying pan or wok and a small round wire rack to fit inside it, for the fish to sit on.
See Geoff Scott's step-by-step instructions for how to go about it.
Aloha!
They may have made a big mistake with that missile alert but those Hawaiians are right on the button with their great poke bowls - perfect meal options that fit New Year's clean eating resolutions. See Warren Elwin's Four Bites recipes, including the grilled salmon version above.
2 affordable crowd pleasers
Mussels and squid won’t break the bank and they are great, tasty choices for casual catch-ups over summer.
Salt and pepper squid
This favourite pass-around party food is hot, crisp, tasty and incredibly easy to make. The squid can be cut and kept on paper towels in the fridge until needed and the dipping sauce can be prepared in advance. Look for frozen, fully cleaned squid tubes which will already be tender. They are so convenient, defrost quickly in cold running water and slice easily into perfect rings. Get the recipe
Thai red curry mussels
Get Delaney Mes' recipe here. And see Celia Hay's step-by-step guide to cleaning mussels here.
3 family fish dishes from Kathy Paterson
Crumbed fish with mustard mayonnaise
Fish with curry vinaigrette
Fish with spicy mustard seed dressing
