Fishy business (+recipes)

One of my weekly readers has sent me an eye-opening article, clearly written from a vegetarian point of view, on 10 good reasons to eat "faux" or imitation fish instead of the real thing. I nearly choked on my outrage at the very idea of eating fake fish when we have some of the best salmon in the world in our waters.

Okay, if you're a strict vegetarian or vegan, that's your decision. But don't base your decision, as this article appeared to want you to, on the mistaken idea that our salmon are treated inhumanely and are filled with toxins.

My top two reasons to never eat imitation fish are precisely because fresh New Zealand salmon is not prone to toxins as some fish from other parts of the world are, and because the New Zealand Salmon Farmers' Association is proud of its farming methods.

Then there's the fact that fatty fish such as salmon, high in Omega 3, is associated with a large number of health benefits. By comparison, I have found the samples I have tasted of imported Atlantic salmon, now readily available here, inconsistently pin-boned and containing a good deal of bloodline with a fishy taste.

Atlantic salmon very closely resembles brown trout. Its skin can be silvery-blue to brownish-olive and comes from net sea cages in Tasmania or, more recently, Cape Jaffa in South Australia. King salmon from New Zealand, for me, has a much cleaner and more luscious feel in the mouth.

This country is home to the highest salmon farm in the world - Mt Cook Alpine Salmon, which sits 600m above sea level in the Southern Lakes district. The isolation and pristine water ensures no bacterial or viral diseases.

Akaroa, in the Banks Peninsula, meanwhile, with its deep current movement and shelter from the southerlies in Lucas Bay, is home to one of New Zealand's pioneering sea-rearing salmon farms. Started with little money, a hands-on approach and a healthy dose of Kiwi ingenuity, it has succeeded in producing chef-quality salmon.

And on my Food TV segments I have happily cooked with Regal Marlborough salmon; pan-searing it until pink, then resting it for three minutes until it acquires a wonderful marshmallow texture.

To crisp up the skin, scale the fillet (handling it carefully as not to break the flesh), then cut into even portions, skin-side up. Bend the fish slightly in an arc and make several incisions before frying it skin-side down in a hot pan with a little oil. Flatten it with a fish slice for 15 seconds, then drop the heat to low until the skin is crispy.

RECIPES
Pave salmon with herb crust 'blanket'
Citrus-cured salmon