Fish dishes
#1
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Joined: Mar 2015
Posts: 16
Fish dishes
We have moved recently to Javea and as it is a port there is lots of fish as in supermarkets and fish market. I know only salmon and how to cook it, but the rest of the fish I never see before...Could someone please share some fish recipes from a local fish
#2
Re: Fish dishes
What fish have you seen in the market? Most of it is farmed or imported chilled/frozen.
Sardines (sardinas) and anchovies (boquerones) are probably local. Sardines are best grilled and anchovies are best deep fried. Most of the small fish are local but they are only really good for fish soup unless you like eating fish bones.
Avoid some of the attractive cheap fillets of white fish. It is usually farmed Panga from dubious sources in SE Asia. It is often sold a sole fillets. The only thing worth doing with that is feed it to the local cats.
The prawns are good, but they are all imported from the South Atlantic. Here in the south you can buy small local prawns but they are €60 a kilo or more.
The Dorada (bream) and Lubina (sea bass) are farmed, but they are very cheap and good, if only a bit small. Rodaballo (turbot) is farmed in the north of Spain and is good. Usually these fish are best grilled with butter or olive oil and garlic (if you like it). Sometimes they are filleted and done in bread crumbs. You won't often see them in a fancy sauce - just plain and simple which is the best way to eat fresh fish.
You may find Rosada in beach restaurants, usually served in smallish pieces in a light batter. It comes from the South Atlantic and tastes really good if you can find it in the market. Fried is best, but a la plancha with garlic is pretty good.
Squid (calamari) is good and comes in all sizes. Again, most are imported, frozen but you may find fresh squid, but it will be expensive. Again, usually fried, but sometimes stewed.
Sardines (sardinas) and anchovies (boquerones) are probably local. Sardines are best grilled and anchovies are best deep fried. Most of the small fish are local but they are only really good for fish soup unless you like eating fish bones.
Avoid some of the attractive cheap fillets of white fish. It is usually farmed Panga from dubious sources in SE Asia. It is often sold a sole fillets. The only thing worth doing with that is feed it to the local cats.
The prawns are good, but they are all imported from the South Atlantic. Here in the south you can buy small local prawns but they are €60 a kilo or more.
The Dorada (bream) and Lubina (sea bass) are farmed, but they are very cheap and good, if only a bit small. Rodaballo (turbot) is farmed in the north of Spain and is good. Usually these fish are best grilled with butter or olive oil and garlic (if you like it). Sometimes they are filleted and done in bread crumbs. You won't often see them in a fancy sauce - just plain and simple which is the best way to eat fresh fish.
You may find Rosada in beach restaurants, usually served in smallish pieces in a light batter. It comes from the South Atlantic and tastes really good if you can find it in the market. Fried is best, but a la plancha with garlic is pretty good.
Squid (calamari) is good and comes in all sizes. Again, most are imported, frozen but you may find fresh squid, but it will be expensive. Again, usually fried, but sometimes stewed.
Last edited by Fred James; Aug 7th 2015 at 3:17 pm.
#3
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Joined: Aug 2012
Location: Andalucia Spain
Posts: 669
Re: Fish dishes
Also there is good Cod and Merluza (hake in the UK). Both are white meaty fish. Delicious just shallow fried coated in seasoned flour or breadcrumbs.
have a look on the BBC.co.uk/food website. Great recipe tool. Put in one or more ingredients for suitable recipes.
We used to get nile perch which was rather nice too but haven't seen that for a long time now.
have a look on the BBC.co.uk/food website. Great recipe tool. Put in one or more ingredients for suitable recipes.
We used to get nile perch which was rather nice too but haven't seen that for a long time now.
#4
Re: Fish dishes
Yes, I had forgotten those two. I tend to eat haddock in preference, but the only place you can buy it is in the Iceland stores - for some weird reason it doesn't exist in Spain.
Perch is still available (perca) but you're right, not as common as it was - imported of course. Tilapia is around, but farmed in Asia.
Lidl sells frozen Alaskan pollock which is far better than the Atlantic version and is a totally sustainable species. Much like Cod/Haddock/Hake.
Perch is still available (perca) but you're right, not as common as it was - imported of course. Tilapia is around, but farmed in Asia.
Lidl sells frozen Alaskan pollock which is far better than the Atlantic version and is a totally sustainable species. Much like Cod/Haddock/Hake.
#5
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Joined: Mar 2015
Posts: 16
Re: Fish dishes
There is catch of the day market every evening in Javea in the port, and local supermarkets have stoles and stoles fresh fish, calamari, mussels and see creatures I never seen before not very expensive the most expensive is salmon, the frozen stuff I didn't even bother to look at. I need to take a picture of the stall so I can translate what the fish are I thought as well just by any that look at me and fry it, can't go much wrong with that. Fresh fish taste delicious as it is. I remember from my childhood salmon just cot from the river (Amur) smells cucumber ... Didn't have much of a fish assortments in Manchester, but here I think I must get more see food on the table...my 6 yo likes garlic prawns very much, but a bit expensive in cafes and she can eat all plate on her own
Decided I'll buy one tomorrow and see what it turns up like
Decided I'll buy one tomorrow and see what it turns up like
#6
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Joined: Apr 2010
Location: London (mainly)/Oliva
Posts: 2,137
Re: Fish dishes
The area/country where the fish is sourced is usually shown. You would be surprised how little is local.
#7
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Joined: Aug 2012
Location: Andalucia Spain
Posts: 669
Re: Fish dishes
Local fish? The med is pretty depleted. The Spanish are a very successful nation at trawling the various seas and oceans of the world to cope with the voracious appetite for fish.
We had sea urchins from a street corner stall in Cadiz with a beer in a cafe. Interesting but shan't be repeating the experience. Plenty of other shellfish.
We had sea urchins from a street corner stall in Cadiz with a beer in a cafe. Interesting but shan't be repeating the experience. Plenty of other shellfish.
#8
Re: Fish dishes
The label will also show if it is farmed or caught naturally and also whether it has been frozen in transit. If imported, the origin is often only shown as an FAO zone number which you can check here
FAO Fisheries & Aquaculture - FI fact sheet search
FAO Fisheries & Aquaculture - FI fact sheet search