This Month

Mitch Tonks – founder of Fishworks and owner of The Seahorse – is a man who knows his fish. He also realises that most of us just aren’t as confident when at the fishmongers or – more likely – the supermarket. Hence his latest book, Fish – The Complete Fish & Seafood Companion, aims to de-mystify the whole process from catching to cooking, complete with glorious photography by Chris Terry.

Split into two, Part 1 is Know your Fish and it’s a fair description of what follows. Interviews with people in the industry, essays on sustainability, what fish-catching methods really entail, how to buy – and the clearest photographic guide I’ve ever seen of what to look for in fresh fish... Mitch is careful to give balanced, unemotional arguments on the realities of life at sea – there are no right or wrong answers in this most unforgiving of industries, but he’s clear on what consumers should look out for in order to buy knowledgably.

Part 2 is where you’ll find recipes and individual species recognition on everything from monkfish to sprats under the broad headings of White Fish, Oily Fish and Shellfish. Each species gets a run-down on physical and taste description, seasonality and even a list of names you might find them under when abroad, followed by a handful of recipe ideas. Frankly the recipes aren’t that complicated, but isn’t that the point? The freshest fish doesn’t and shouldn’t need fancy-schmancy cooking to make it shine. Try Mitch’s recipe for Stew of Coley & Red Mullet for a taste of Southern France, a pared-down Venetian-inspired Risotto of Gurnard and Peas, or Brixham Pollack, cooked with capers, parsley and eggs like a deconstructed fish pie.

Let’s face it – fish is never again going to be as cheap as chips, but with books such as this to guide us, if we’re careful, we can continue to feast off the fruits of the sea – we just have to spread our own nets a little wider than cod and haddock.