Preparation tips

How to steam a fish

As liquid use water, wine, fish stock, court bouillon, lemon juice, marinade or the like. Put the fish on a small, buttered plate. Place a broad pot with a few centimeters of liquid on the stove. Bring to a boil under a lid. Make a nest out of aluminium foil and place it in the pot. Put the plate on top. Cover with the lid and steam the fish fillets until white throughout. You may want to cover the fish with greased parchment paper to avoid drying out.

How to boil a fish

Bring the liquid to a boil. Put the fish in the liquid and let it boil again. Skim the liquid and keep it at boiling point under lid until the fish is done. If you are serving the fish cold, let it cool in the cooking liquid to keep it juicy. Cool it quickly in a cold storage room or a refrigerator.

How to fry a fish

It is important to heat the pan before frying the fish. If you place the fish in a cold pan, the breadcrumbs will fall off, and the pan will "boil".

Plain frying

Brown the fish in butter/oil at a high temperature, and then fry it at a lower temperature. Meunière frying: Coat the fish in flour, brown it in butter/oil in the pan, and then fry it at a lower temperature.

Breading

Coat the fish, first with a beaten egg, then breadcrumbs, possibly mixed with flour. Brown the fish in plenty of butter/oil, and fry it at a lower temperature.

How to grill a fish

All kinds of fish can be grilled, but especially fatty fish are well suited for grilling. Before placing the fish, the grill must be very hot. Glace the fish with marinade and butter/oil to give it a golden brown crust and keep it from getting stuck. Raise the fish a little on the grill and fry until the fish is done.

How to remove the skin from a fillet

Place the fillet skin-side down on a chopping board. Grab the fish by its tail. Use a sharp (preferably long and narrow-bladed) knife to cut into the meat right in front of your fingers. Cut back and forth with blade tilted towards the skin while you work away from the tail.