To combine environmental protection and deliciousness on our plates, there's nothing like combining information and good ideas. Focus on the spring fish to put in your basket.
Farmed trout
This cousin of salmon has the good taste of having been raised in France for over a century. No need to go far to enjoy yourself!
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Whole or filleted, it's impossible not to see its resemblance to its salmonid cousin. However, its finer scales and the presence of black spots on the body avoid confusion. The spectacular iridescent band which adorns that of the most produced species in France has earned it the pretty name of rainbow trout.
Choose it wisely
There are both portioned trout (approximately 350 g after a year of breeding) and more family-sized trout (2.5 to 3 kg, aged 2 years). Whole, fillet or fillet, its flesh ranges from soft pink to brighter, depending on the diet it received. France is the leading European producer of trout from organic farming in fresh water, with around thirty fish farmers committed to respecting environmental criteria and animal welfare.
The good moment
Available all year round.
On the plate
You don't even have to peel it to cook it! Deliciously vintage, trout meunières (rolled in flour, then pan-fried in butter) are always a treat. To prepare it raw, spending it in the freezer for 15 minutes firms up its flesh and makes it easier to cut. Delicious smoke, we also appreciate its large diameter eggs clicking under the tongue which bring an intense iodine sensation as the final touch to a tagliatelle dish.
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Prepared gravlax style, dill and crushed pepper are excellent accomplices. Preferably combine it with tangy foods (citrus fruits, red onion pickles) which will balance the natural fat of its tender flesh.
Yellow place
Delicate flesh that comes apart well, few bones and a taste that everyone likes. Much more durable than cod, it has nothing to envy of it!
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In the gadidae family, there is not only cod (overfished, the consumption of which must be avoided) but also coalfish, mainly targeted by industrial fishing. Since pollack likes rocky areas, it is best fished with a net or line. Compared to its cousin the saithe, it does not have a goatee, has a green-brown back and golden flanks spotted with yellow, as well as a dark and curved lateral line. His handsome appearance earned him the pretty nickname “officer” in Brittany.
Choose it wisely
Caught by line, the taste and precious quality of its flesh are preserved. The fresher it is, the brighter its scales will be. Please note: the name “pollock” is incorrectly used to commercially designate hake or pollock.
The good moment
In good quantity on the stalls until the end of May.
On the plate
The great enemy of pollock is overcooking: steam or a bain-marie will preserve its texture. In fish and chip fritters, the dough preserves the flesh, which flakes and remains soft under the golden crust. Finally, cooking one-sided, that is to say on the skin in a pan with a drizzle of oil over medium heat, while the heat penetrates the flesh, also gives excellent results.
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Don’t hesitate to pair it with intense flavors, like an aioli or a green sauce with parsley and spring herbs.
Wild Skinny Line
Its XXL format and its beautifully dense flesh justify a special place in menus.
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This long, strong fish (it can reach 2 meters and weigh up to 100 kg!) with silver or even bronze reflections, is also known under the name of “croaker” or “grower”. A nickname due to the noise emitted by the vibrations of its swim bladder during reproduction periods, which fishermen hear up to 10 meters away!
Choose it wisely
Although it is unfortunately fished by trawl all year round, fishermen working with longlines (a type of angling) and line fishing only fish for it when it approaches the coast. Always choose animals that have already reproduced, over 70 cm long, which fishmongers often cut into fillets or blocks. There is also farmed lean meat, labeled Label Rouge. For freshness, carefully check the shine of the scales.
The good moment
In spring and summer, when it approaches the coast to breed.
On the plate
As fine in taste as sea bass, but firmer in texture, its beautiful size allows you to obtain a particularly pleasant thickness of flesh, which can be worked with both raw (tartare, sushi, ceviche) and cooked. Its dense texture supports cooking in the oven particularly well… and you can even smoke it like salmon!
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As its name suggests, lean is very low in fat (2.2 g per 100 g). A small marinade (olive oil, white wine or lemon juice, fresh herbs) will give it softness as well as flavor before cooking.
The gray sea bream
Also called “griset” or “canthère”; it has long been eclipsed by farmed gilthead sea bream. However, the finesse of its flesh also deserves a crown!
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A pretty gray blue, it does not have a yellow border at eye level, unlike its royal cousin. It is better to favor specimens of good size (35 to 40 cm) to be sure that the sea breams have had time to reproduce and protect the species.
Choose it wisely
With its fragile flesh, gray sea bream is often damaged by trawling which, moreover, puts too much strain on the resource. Always choose it fished by line, from Brittany to Oléron, or by net from a small boat, in the area from Arcachon to Royan. Those from the Channel are also famous, and sometimes sold under the name “bream”.
The good moment
In spring and summer, when they are found in abundance.
On the plate
Well fished, its fine white flesh turns out to be soft and delicate, ideal for sashimi and raw preparations. Fillet or whole, it is better not to rush it: it will prefer gentle cooking, at low temperature, or in the oven started from cold (without preheating). Only XXL sizes will remain soft on the plancha or on the barbecue.
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Lime and coconut milk work just as well as white butter, its lean flesh particularly appreciating the softness. Olive oil is also one of its best accomplices, Mediterranean flavors suiting it particularly well. It’s your turn to lemon, orange, fennel and thyme, to place on the foil packets.
The calendar of fish seasons
What fish to eat and when? To solve this puzzle, here is a summary of the species recommended season after season, knowing that line fishing should be favored. To consult to rhyme good on the plate and good for the planet.
A fisherman's point of view
It is near Granville that Emmanuelle Frésil, aboard her boat “La Petite Laura”, fishes for shellfish and fish. “Talking about “season” when we talk about fishing is confusing, because it is a very earthly notion. We should rather talk about the economic season, the period when fish is the cheapest, which unfortunately is often confused with the breeding season during which fish are easier to catch. There are also open and closed fishing seasons for certain fragile species. Finally, we see that climate change is disorienting marine species. »
