What to cook with fish: 6 recipes

How to choose and store fish

Fresh fish should smell of the sea or of nothing at all, never sharply fishy. Fillets look moist and glossy, the flesh springs back when pressed, and there is no liquid pooling in the tray. Frozen fish is a perfectly good choice, often frozen very soon after the catch: look for packs without frost crystals inside, which signal thawing and refreezing.

Cook fresh fish the day you buy it or the next day, keeping it in the coldest part of the fridge. Thaw frozen fillets overnight in the fridge. Salted herring and canned tuna are pantry heroes: keep them on hand for salads.

Ask at the fish counter to remove skin or bones if you don't want to do it yourself; for salmon, keeping the skin on helps it hold together in the oven.

Tips that make fish dishes better

• Don't overcook salmon. It is ready when the flesh just flakes and is still slightly translucent in the centre; it will finish cooking as it rests.
• Dry white fish well and dust it lightly with flour before frying, as in the cod with carrot and onion marinade: the crust holds and the fillets don't fall apart.
• Soak very salty herring in milk or cold water for half an hour if you find it too strong.
• Lemon and dill go on at the end: acid and fresh herbs lose their brightness in the heat.

A fish week: what to cook

• Monday: oven-baked salmon with lemon, 25 minutes.
• Wednesday: tuna and egg salad from the pantry.
• Friday: cod with carrot and onion marinade, even better the next day.
• A celebration: herring under a fur coat, made the day before.

Leftovers, kids and budget

Cod in marinade is traditionally served cold and keeps for two to three days, so a double batch works well. Leftover salmon flakes into a salad, an omelette or an oat crepe. Eat cooked fish within a couple of days.

For children, remove all bones and start with mild white fish or salmon. To save money, choose frozen white fish such as cod or pollock, and canned tuna; salmon can be an occasional treat.