Fish & Seafood

Buy it fresh, or frozen

Fresh fish smells of the sea, not of fish. The flesh should be glossy and firm, and spring back when you press it. Ask at the fish counter what came in today. It is often the tastiest, and not rarely the cheapest. If you can’t find it fresh, frozen works perfectly well: fish and seafood are often frozen straight after the catch. Thaw it slowly in the fridge overnight and pat it thoroughly dry before frying, so it gets a nice surface instead of stewing in the pan. To choose sustainably, look for the MSC label for wild-caught and ASC for farmed, or look up the species in WWF’s seafood guide.

Seafood to start

Seafood is the classic festive starter, and most of it takes more assembling than cooking. Our shrimp cocktail with avocado mousse is a refreshed classic where the mousse is made in advance. A shrimp ceviche with mango, lime and chilli brings acidity and a little heat, and suits a summer evening as well as February.

Scallops are a luxury that is quick to cook. Pat them completely dry, salt them just before cooking and put them in a hot pan without moving them. They only need a minute or so on each side to get a golden surface and stay glossy in the middle. Our seared scallops with white wine sauce show how little is needed. If you prefer something made entirely in advance, a salmon pâté with pickled ginger and bleak roe is an elegant choice.

Fish as the main course

The most common mistake with fish is too much heat. Fry it skin side down in a hot pan until almost cooked through and only turn it briefly. The skin turns crisp and the flesh stays juicy. Salmon and Arctic char are at their best when slightly glossy in the middle, around 50°C. Our butter-fried Arctic char with potato purée is built on exactly that: crispy skin, butter and a smooth purée.

Flatfish such as plaice are mild and sweet and do well with a crispy coating. Dip the fillets in flour, egg and breadcrumbs twice, as in our double-breaded plaice, so the coating holds together and the fish stays juicy. Squeeze lemon over it and serve with boiled potatoes and a cold sauce.

One pot in the middle of the table

Some of the best fish dishes are cooked in a single pot or pan and set in the middle of the table. A bouillabaisse with salmon, cod, shrimp and mussels is both festive and easy to serve, with a generous dollop of saffron aioli on top. A seafood paella with mussels and shrimp is the same idea from Spain. Let the broth or the rice finish first and add the fish and shellfish last, so nothing falls apart. Tap the mussels before cooking: any that are open and don’t close should be thrown away.

Fish and seafood in season

A lot is available all year, but following the seasons pays off:

• Winter and spring: skrei, the Norwegian winter cod, from January to April. Scallops and oysters are at their best in the cold months.
• Spring and early summer: herring. Plaice gets fattier and tastier the further into summer you go.
• Summer: mackerel and new potatoes, and crayfish from August.
• Autumn: the lobster season opens at the end of September, and langoustines and mussels are at their best as the water turns cold.

After the fish

A fish and seafood dinner is rarely heavy, and dessert can carry on in the same fresh style. A fruit salad with Italian meringue and mojito sauce, a strawberry pavlova or a rhubarb pie with vanilla custard are fresh, sweet endings. With the Spanish menu, a citrus-scented crema catalana is the natural choice.

What to drink with fish and seafood

Fish and seafood want fresh wines with good acidity. With shrimp, oysters and scallops, a Chablis, a Muscadet or a dry sparkling wine works well. With butter-fried fish and creamy sauces, the wine can be fuller, such as a white Burgundy. With bouillabaisse, a dry rosé from Provence is the obvious choice, and with paella a Spanish Albariño. Alcohol-free? A cold sparkling apple juice, or tonic with lemon and cucumber.