Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall
LATIN NAME
Trisopterus luscus
ALSO KNOWN AS
Pout, bib
SEASONALITY
Avoid March–April when spawning
HABITAT
Common in British inshore waters
MCS RATING
2–3
REC MINIMUM SIZE
21cm
MORE RECIPES
Black bream with Jerusalem artichoke purée; Coley with bacon, apples and hazelnuts; Cod with fennel, capers and tomatoes; Pollack with courgettes and cannellini beans; Crumbed whiting goujons with curried egg tartare
SOURCING
Perky little pouting, with its shimmering pinky-golden coat, is a member of the cod family. And, like all the other members of the cod family that aren’t actually cod, it struggles with a lack of status. Pouting really struggles, though. It’s so far down the list of white-fish-to-try, that it often falls off it altogether. This is a shame because it’s a good eating fish and one that conservation bodies think we should be consuming more of, due to its relative abundance around our coast.
Everything’s rather accelerated with the pouting: it lives fast, reaching reproductive age before its second birthday and likely dying before its fifth. And once you’ve caught one, you have to act swiftly too: its flesh is delicate and if it’s been left hanging around after it’s reeled in, rather than being cleaned and iced tout de suite, it will be soft and mushy. This perhaps accounts for its reputation as a less-than-stellar supper.
But fresh, well-kept pouting is a joy – its tender white flesh as sweet as whiting and a touch more robust in flavour. Pouting is one of the reasons why a cold box of ice (or ice packs) is a must for me when I’m boat-fishing in warmer weather. Gutted and iced on board, then fridged at home at 5°C, a fish that would have been worthless by the end of a sunny fishing trip will keep its charm for 5 days.
A fresh fillet is quite pleasing enough sizzled in butter and served with a squeeze of lemon. But it can also be partnered with more assertive ingredients. Try whole baked pouting in foil, first stuffed to the gills with bay, lemon and garlic. Fillets are fantastically versatile: fried in a pan with chorizo; thickly sliced and dropped into fish stews or curries; or given the egg-and-breadcrumb treatment (or even just egged as below), then fried until golden and served with a tangy tartare sauce.
You can sometimes buy pouting in a fishmonger’s – especially close to a harbour where they are landed. Occasionally, it is also sold in supermarkets as a less expensive, more sustainable alternative to cod. Fillets should be firm and still slightly translucent.
These crumb-free fish fingers, simply coated in herby beaten egg and served with a mayo dip, are a breeze to rustle up. They also work well with plaice, coley, haddock, whiting or pollack. Serves 4
500g firm pouting fillet, skinned and pin-boned
3 medium eggs
About 3 tbsp finely chopped mixed herbs, such as thyme, parsley and chives
2 tbsp good quality mayonnaise
1 tbsp extra virgin olive or rapeseed oil
2 tbsp plain wholemilk yoghurt
Finely grated zest of 1 lemon
2 tbsp olive or rapeseed oil
Sea salt and black pepper
Lemon wedges, to serve
Cut the fish into thick fingers. Beat the eggs lightly in a bowl, season them well and add half the chopped herbs.
For the dip, mix the mayo with the extra virgin oil, yoghurt, lemon zest and some salt and pepper. Stir in the remaining chopped herbs and transfer to a serving bowl.
Heat a large non-stick frying pan over a medium-high heat and add the 2 tbsp oil. Working in batches if necessary, dip the pieces of fish into the herby egg, then place them in the hot pan and fry for 1–2 minutes on each side until golden and just cooked through.
Pile the crispy herby fish fingers on to a board and serve with the bowl of herby mayo and lemon wedges.