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Essential Guide to Cooking with Fish

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A guide to buying and preparing fish

Buying: What to consider when buying fish

Freshness
As with all cooking, the secret to ensuring that your dish is as tasty as can be is to use fresh,
quality ingredients. For this reason, being an ace food shopper is an essential part of being a

whizz in the kitchen. To help you start, here’s a quick checklist of things to look out for when
you next visit your fishmonger.

Glistening skin: The skin of the fish should have a fresh glimmer to it.
Bright eyes: The eyes should be bright and glistening. If they appear dull, sunken,

glazed over or red, the fish is probably old or was previously frozen.
Scarlet gills: The gills (if they’re present) should be a bright scarlet colour. Brown or
dull-looking gills is an indication that the fish is old.
Firm flesh: When you prod it with your finger, the flesh should be firm or at least
‘bounce back’.
Whiff free: A fresh fish should have no discernible smell. The stronger the smell, the
older the fish.

Sustainability
Whether you’re in a restaurant or queuing up at the fishmonger, it’s important to think
about sustainability when buying fish. Given the state of our oceans, it’s our responsibility to
preserve our marine life. Whenever possible, always try to buy fish from sustainable stocks.
Be brave and don’t be afraid to ask questions about where the fish came from and how they
were harvested. Never buy undersized fish – if they’re caught too young, they don’t have a

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