Fish makes for a delicious summery option and the choice is plentiful.
As we head into warmer months and can begin to imagine relaxed meals shared during summer evenings, fish is foremost in my mind.
I am always surprised by how little fish most of us eat. We are surrounded by it, after all, swimming happily in clear waters and we all know how wonderfully beneficial it is. I can only guess on a couple of obstacles. Number one, and most importantly, unless you have been lucky enough to have caught your own ... how fresh is the fish you are deliberating over? While it is easy to pop meat and chicken into the freezer, the delicate nature of fish means that inevitably an element of the texture and flavour is lost. Fish needs to be bought and cooked as soon as possible.
Number two may have something to do with choice.
Move over snapper and tarakihi, it's time for the public to enjoy the many other offerings available. Porae, ruby, monk fish and boar fish just for starters.
The cooking methods you can use are many and varied. Keep the skin on for delicious texture and crispness, pan fry fillets in a little olive oil, stuff and grill whole fish in the oven - or even better, on the barbecue - or puree into a pate to serve on crostini with a chilled glass of vino.
Last weekend I went out fish shopping with a bit of a secret spy agenda - to find species I hadn't tried before, and those that were fairly priced - but also to find out where to get the freshest.
Off I trotted to fancy pants gourmet stores but they didn't even sell whole fish - deemed too messy for people to contemplate. A whole fish can be simple and delicious.
My tip is to check out supermarkets and fishmongers with a high Polynesian, Asian and Indian clientele.
There the fish is expected to be as fresh as possible, the turnover is high and whole fish are preferred; plus the lovely guy behind the counter at the store I visited was happy to scale, gut and fillet, and handed back the carcass assuming I would be using it for stock.
CHEF'S TIP
Cook fish quickly over a high heat until just opaque - it is always better to slightly undercook than overcook.
