Seafood King's secrets - Tony Warburton
Tony Warburton, proprietor/chef at the Crown Inn, Church Enstone, Oxfordshire, and winner of the seafood category of the PubChef Awards 2005, offers his tips on serving stunning seafood at your pub
TALK TO THE EXPERTS
It's important to build a good rapport with fishmongers. They will be able to offer insight into the best value fish on the market and give advice on cooking. You also don't have to be near a coast to use a fishmonger. I use a firm in Cirencester.
GET IT EXPERTLY FILLETED
Getting fishmongers to fillet your seafood saves valuable time. They are also properly trained and with correct briefing are likely to make a better job of it than most chefs.
NICE ON ICE
If you receive a batch of fresh fish then make sure you freeze it on arrival. Wrap the fillets in clingfilm and freeze them for up to three weeks. Don't store them for any longer as the quality will start to deteriorate.
TIMING IS EVERYTHING
When cooking fish always make it the final thing you do. Other ingredients should be almost cooked before you begin. This will prevent you overcooking the fish or leaving it waiting on the hot plate.
WITH OR WITHOUT SKIN?
Certain fish such as sea bass or gilt-head bream will benefit from cooking with the skins on. It gives a nice crisp texture to the dish. For best cooking heat a non-stick pan then add a small amount of olive oil. Fry the fish until cooked and serve immediately.
KEEP IT SIMPLE
Don't overcomplicate the dish. It should have three components fish, sauce/garnish and accompaniment. Serve seafood straight from stove to plate.
GO GREEN
Use only sustainable species of fish. These can be checked through the Sea Fish Industry Authority.
VARIETY IS SPICE
Experiment with more unusual types of fish such as red gurnard or pollock. There are a lot of fantastic species that are under-used and you shouldn't always be tied to cod, salmon and plaice. Why not try doing some beer battered pollock?
GRILL, FRY OR ROAST?
These are the three main ways of preparing fish. It's best to match the type of fish to the style of cooking. Lemon sole and salmon are quite adaptable whereas mackerel and red gurnard are specifically suited to pan-frying.
