We all have stories of when we first came into contact with fish: the smell of it, the peculiar shapes and sizes, the colours and varieties, even the first time we ate it.

My earliest memory was when I was five or six years old. I was playing in the sands of Salcombe beach, in Devon, and seeing for the first time all the bright sea anemones and little crabs in the rock pools strewn along the shore. It was so exciting to potter around in the pools with a little net, trying to catch anything that moved, waiting patiently for a shrimp or fish to appear from the shelter of a rock.

Those early experiences engendered in me a lifelong passion for seafood, and I hope the recipes below do justice to this — I want other people to understand my enthusiasm and be enthused and inspired in turn.

Filleting a fish

This works for round fish such as salmon, sea bass and mackerel. Get a sharp knife that has a long, narrow, flexible blade.

Lay the fish flat on a chopping board and insert the knife along the belly, removing the guts and the blood tract, which runs along the inside of the fish, next to the spine. Wash the fish to get rid of any scales and then, using a chef’s knife that is a bit heavier, remove the head by cutting through the flesh right down to the backbone. Using the first knife again, insert the blade at the head end and make a cut all the way through the backbone.

Flip the fish over and do the same on the other side. With the head end to the left, slide the knife between the flesh and bones, cutting along the whole length to loosen the fillet. Cut through the ribcage and pin bones into the belly, working your way down to the tail and separating the fillet from the ribs. Cut through the fillet at the tail, turn the fish over and do it all again, starting at the tail end.

Sustainable fishing

Environmentalists say total catches should be reduced by 40%, but they have been reduced by only 3%. The Marine Stewardship Council has up-to-date information on which fish are certified sustainable, and so can be eaten with a clear conscience. Visit msc.org

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