Learn how to master the
basics of fish cookery
Fish is among the healthiest foods on the planet. It is great for heart health and is high in nutrients including quality protein, iodine, and vitamins and minerals. Fatty fish (salmon, trout, sardines, tuna) are considered the best for your health as they contain high levels of omega-3 fatty acids and fat-soluble vitamin D. It is recommended that you eat one to two serves of fatty fish per week to meet your body’s omega-3 requirements. Many people fail to meet the dietary recommendations because they simply don’t know how to incorporate fish into their diet, but fish is an incredibly versatile ingredient that is easy to prepare. Try fish in curries, stir-fries and soups, as well as steaming, grilling, barbecuing and frying it.
Here we show you how to master the basics of fish cookery with three popular methods of preparing and cooking fish.
Grilled fish
It really doesn’t get any easier than grilling fish. All you need to do is brush the skin or flesh of the fish with a little oil or melted butter. Preheat a grill pan or your barbecue and place the fish in the pan. Cook for 2 to 4 minutes per side depending on the thickness of the fish fillet. Allow the fish to rest for a few minutes before serving. Grilling works well for virtually all types of fish including salmon and tuna.
Crumbed fish
To crumb fish begin by patting the fish fillet with paper towel to remove any excess moisture. Place 1 cup of plain flour in a bowl. In a separate bowl, whisk 1 egg. Then on a plate, place 1 cup of breadcrumbs and season with salt and pepper. Dip fillets in the flour, shaking to remove any excess flour before dipping in egg wash and finally placing in breadcrumbs to coat evenly. You can create new flavour profiles by adding herbs, spices, nuts and even cheese to your breadcrumbs. If you would like a gluten free option, use gluten free flour and quinoa flakes work well as a substitute for breadcrumbs. Our favourite type of fish to crumb is flathead but any firm fish works well.
Battered fish
Pat fish fillets dry with paper towel. Combine 1 cup of plain flour with 3 cups of soda water or beer in a large bowl. Whisk to combine. If you batter will coat the back of a spoon then you have the right consistency. Place 1 cup of plain flour on a plate and season with salt. Flour the fish fillets and dust off excess flour before dipping in the batter. Make sure the oil that you are cooking the fish in is hot enough before adding the fish. It should bubble if you place the handle of a wooden spoon into the oil. Cook fillets in the oil, making sure you don’t overcrowd the pan. Gummy flake is a fantastic fish to batter.
