Perfectly Cooked Fish

I was recently contacted by Neil, representing The Saucy Fish Co, wanting to know if I would be interested in trying out some of their products. I'm always up for trying out new things, and we always try to eat fish a couple of times a week in our house, so I said yes, quite happily.



The Saucy Fish Co is all about serving healthy and delicious fish, but also fish that is inspired and a bit above the norm. They produce four different ranges of products:

• Foil bake bags: A range of 5 different fish and sauce combinations, in a foil packet that you can bake in your oven.
  
• Fish and sauce packs: Salmon, Sea Bass or Smoked Haddock, fresh fish fillets with a variety of sauces (Sun Blush Tomato, Watercress and Creme Fraiche, Chili, Lime and Ginger for the Salmon, Mustard and Dill Vinaigrette for the Smoked Haddock, and Beurre Blanc and Dil for the Sea Bass. Fresh fish fillets that you can cook in your preferred way and a tasty sauce perfectly matched to accompany them.
• Sauce Sachets: Five fresh sauces ranging from a tasty Teriaki to a Marie Rose sauce, all prepared and ready to serve with your fish.
• Saucy Centre Fishcakes: Two different tasty varieties of fish cakes, in their words - fantastic fish with a smashing sauce, the lovely, oozy, melty bit in the middle and the crumbly golden coat that'll grab your tastebuds every time. (These look fabulous!)

Environmentally sound and sustainable fish presented in unique and delicious ways, traditionally made using techniques and all natural ingredients you would find at home. They make a wonderful choice for a no fuss meal option that goes far beyond the norm that we find in convenience foods these days.



I was given several vouchers that I could use at Tesco's to pick up some of their products to try. After seeing the fish cakes I was really keen to try them out, but I was sorely disappointed by Tesco's. Our local store, which is really quite large, had only one product for me to try, The Salmon Fillets with a Watercress and Creme Fraiche sauce. I really would have loved to try the fish cakes, but had to make do with what was available.



This was delicious. The fish was fresh and very tasty and the sauce was gorgeous. I could taste the pepperiness of the watercress, and a light tang of the creme fraiche and an underlying richness of cream and butter. In short it was deliciously rich and went fantastically with the salmon, which I had panfried in my grill pan according to the directions below.

All that was needed was a few side dishes to make a beautifully complete meal which felt and tasted special. Todd was really impressed. On the side I made my Colcannon which went wonderfully well with the fish and sauce and a tasty mixture of peas and beans, which also went quite well.



Many thanks to Neil and The Saucy Fish Co for a beautiful meal!

Here's my tips for cooking fresh fish perfectly everytime:

*How to Cook Fish Perfectly Every Time*
Printable Recipe

Fish literally only takes a few minutes per side (depending on the thickness) of your fish filets to cook.

GRILLED:

Sturdy and fatty fish, including grouper, salmon, tuna, swordfish and shark all grill beautifully. Make sure you have a very clean grill. Oil it lightly before adding the fish, then leave the fish alone. If the grill is properly heated and prepared, the fish will develop a nice crust and release when cooked. For more delicate types of fish, such as sole, Cod or haddock, using a fish basket makes the job easier. Just be sure to remove the cooked fish from the basket as quickly as possible so that it doesn't stick, or do like Nigella and cook it on a sheet of foil on the grill. The fish is done when it flakes easily with a fork.


STEAMED:

To steam fish, place water or stock in a large saucepan and add seasoning ingredients (lemons, ginger etc.) Bring the liquid to a simmer, place the fish in a steaming basket and place over the simmering liquid. Don't let the liquid boil as this will cook the fish too quickly and it could overcook in seconds. Again the fish is done when it flakes easily with a fork.

BROILED:

Broiled fish is really tasty, especially if you season the fish well before cooking. Preheat the broiler ahead of time and then place the seasoned fish in a broiler pan, 4 to 6 inches away from the heat source. Watch carefully. Thin fillets should broil without having to be turned over, but thicker filets shoud be carefully turned halfway through the cooking time.

PAN FRIED:

Using just a light coating of oil and making sure to heat your skillet or grill pan are the surest tips for a perfectly sauteed piece of fish. Also remember to let the fish cook, without disturbing it for 2 to 3 minutes to help develop a nice crust, before turning it over. Also cook it in batches rather than overcrowding the pan. Thin fillets will cook in 2 to 3 minutes on one side and then flipped and cooked for another minute or two. Turn off the heat and allow the residual heat of the pan to finish cooking the fish. Thicker fillets will take 5 to 6 minutes on the first side and then only 4 to 5 more on the second side.

POACHED:

The fish is poached in a flavoured liquid which is called court bouillon. You can use any aromatic herb or vegetable in the poaching liquid. I like to use a mixture of vermouth, water, peppercorns and parsley stems. Do not let the poaching liquid boil. It should be barely simmering.