Fish

Appears in

Published 1994

About

Most chefs seem to prefer cooking fish to meat, but whether that’s because it cooks so quickly or because it is so adaptable and versatile, I’m not quite sure. Most of the fish used here are easily available from good fishmongers or fish counters in supermarkets, but if you can’t find, say, skate or tuna, you can always substitute with something similar.

When buying fish, there are some obvious signs that will alert you as to its freshness. Most fresh flat fish have what is almost a wet slime over their skins. All fish should have bright, rounded (not sunken) eyes, and the flesh should be firm to the touch. Some older fish, or fish that have been frozen, have flesh that is full of water, so soft that it almost falls apart.