Sea bass

For a whole, scaled and gutted sea bass, make a few shallow cuts in each side, season and roast at 200 °C for about 20–25 minutes, depending on its size. It is ready when the flesh is opaque and separates easily from the backbone; the centre should reach 63 °C.

Pat the skin dry and heat a lightly oiled frying pan until hot. Cook the fillets skin-side down for 4–5 minutes, pressing gently at first, then turn and cook for 1–2 minutes more, until the flesh is opaque.

Fresh whole sea bass should smell clean and mild, have clear, bright eyes and firm flesh that springs back when pressed. For fillets, look for moist, intact flesh without discolouration or a strong fishy smell.

Keep fresh sea bass covered in the coldest part of the fridge and cook it within one to two days of buying it. Freeze it sooner if you will not use it in that time, and thaw it in the fridge before cooking.

Its mild flavour works well with lemon, garlic, parsley, fennel and olives. Serve it with roast potatoes or grilled vegetables, or use fillets in a Mediterranean-style tray bake with tomatoes and courgette.

Gilt-head sea bream is a close swap: it is also mild and can be roasted whole or cooked as fillets. For a firmer fillet, try striped bass; adjust the cooking time to the thickness.

Fillets are usually boned, but small pin bones can remain, so run your fingers along the centre line and pull out any you find with tweezers. A whole cooked fish has a central backbone and fine bones; lift the top fillet away carefully before serving.

They are similar: sea bass has 23 g of protein per 100 g, while Mediterranean bass has 20.1 g. Mediterranean bass has less energy, at about 98 kcal per 100 g compared with 209 kcal.