Tuna

Pat it dry, brush it lightly with oil and sear it in a very hot pan for about 1–2 minutes on each side for a pink centre. For fully cooked fish, cook until the centre reaches 63 °C; thicker steaks need longer.

Yes. Tinned tuna is already cooked, so you can drain it and add it straight to a sandwich, salad or pasta. Fold it in near the end of cooking if you want to keep the flakes intact.

Transfer it from the opened tin to a covered container and refrigerate promptly. Use it within two days.

Tuna in spring water has a cleaner, lighter taste; drain it well and mix with mayonnaise, yoghurt or a little olive oil so the filling is not dry. Tuna in oil is richer, and a spoonful of its drained oil can flavour pasta or a salad.

Mix it into a Niçoise-style salad with green beans, potatoes and egg, or add it to pasta with tomatoes, olives and capers. It also works well in a jacket potato or a tuna pasta bake.

For a similar flaky fish, use cooked salmon or mackerel. For a plant-based filling, mash chickpeas with mayonnaise or tahini, lemon juice and chopped celery; it gives a hearty texture, though not a fish flavour.

Look for firm, moist flesh with a clean, mild smell, not a strong fishy or sour odour. Keep it chilled on the journey home and cook it promptly.