Fish

Put fillets in a lightly oiled baking dish, season and bake at 200°C for about 10–15 minutes, depending on thickness. It is ready when the flesh turns opaque and separates easily into flakes; thick pieces take longer.

Fresh whole fish should smell clean and mild, not strongly fishy or sour, and have clear, bright eyes and moist flesh. For fillets, look for flesh that is firm and moist rather than discoloured or drying at the edges.

Keep it covered in the coldest part of the fridge and cook it within 1–2 days of buying. If you will not use it in that time, freeze it; thaw frozen fish in the fridge rather than on the worktop.

Fish works well with lemon, herbs, potatoes and vegetables. Use it in fish pie, fish cakes or fish curry, or serve a fillet with peas and boiled potatoes.

Only use fish sold as suitable for raw dishes, such as sushi or sashimi, and keep it chilled until serving. Freezing can control parasites, but it does not remove harmful bacteria, so raw fish is not suitable for everyone.

For a similar flaky texture, use firm tofu or sliced aubergine in a curry or pie; cooking times will differ. In fish cakes, mashed chickpeas or beans can replace the fish, though the flavour will be different.