Mackarel

Put fillets skin-side up on a lightly oiled tray and roast at 200°C for about 10–12 minutes, until the flesh is opaque and flakes easily. A whole fish will take longer, depending on its size.

Look for firm, shiny skin and clear, bright eyes; the fish should smell clean and briny, not strongly fishy or sour. Ask for it to be cleaned if you do not want to gut it yourself.

Keep it covered in the coldest part of the fridge and cook it within a day of buying. If you need to keep it longer, wrap it well and freeze it; thaw it in the fridge before cooking.

Its rich, oily flavour works well with sharp or fresh accompaniments: try lemon, horseradish, mustard, pickled onions, or a salad with crisp apple. It is also a classic choice for pâté with toast.

Yes: tinned Mackarel is already cooked, so flake it into salads, pasta or fishcakes rather than cooking it for a long time. Drain it first if it is packed in oil or water.

Only eat it raw if it has been handled and prepared specifically for raw consumption, with parasite control appropriate to the fish. Ordinary fresh Mackarel is best cooked through; the flesh should turn opaque and flake easily.

Atlantic mackerel is one particular species of mackerel; the names are not interchangeable for every fish sold as mackerel. Atlantic mackerel has 205 kcal and 13.9 g fat per 100 g, compared with 181 kcal and 12 g fat in Mackarel.