Fish Species Guide

A fishmonger's notes on the fish and shellfish we sell: where they come from, when they're best, and how to cook them

Steve has been buying fish from the south coast and beyond for decades. These guides distil what we'd tell you if you stopped by the counter and asked, "what's this one like?": origin, season, flavour, and a few cooking notes for each species.

Fish & Shellfish Guides

Bass

Dicentrarchus labrax

Wild South Coast bass and farmed bass from Greece and Turkey: origin, season, sustainability, and the proper way to cook it

Delicate, slightly sweet, clean Firm, fine flakes, lean

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Fresh cod fillet at Parkstone Fisheries, Poole

Cod

Gadus morhua

Britain's favourite white fish, broken down properly: origin, season, sustainability, and how to cook it well at home

Mild, clean, slightly sweet Flaky, large white flakes

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Crab

Cancer pagurus

Brown crab caught by our local pot fishermen: sweet white meat, rich brown meat, available all year and at its best from September through to March

Sweet white meat, rich savoury brown meat White meat flaky and firm; brown meat soft and spreadable

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Dover Sole

Solea solea

The king of flat fish: Channel-caught, firm, and best cooked simply in butter

Sweet, clean, refined Firm, meaty, holds together beautifully

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Haddock

Melanogrammus aeglefinus

Fresh haddock, smoked haddock, and why some of us prefer it to cod: origin, season, and the proper way to cook both

Sweeter and more pronounced than cod Finer flake, softer than cod

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Lemon Sole

Microstomus kitt

Not actually a sole, but one of the loveliest flat fish in the Channel: delicate, sweet, and perfect for a quick supper

Sweet, delicate, slightly more pronounced than plaice Soft, fine, melt-in-the-mouth flakes

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Lobster

Homarus gammarus

Pot-caught Dorset lobster, kept live in our own tanks until you order: origin, season, and the right way to cook one at home

Rich, sweet, marine, deeply savoury Firm, succulent, the gold standard for shellfish

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Mackerel

Scomber scombrus

Local, sustainable, and one of the best-value fish you can buy: origin, season, and how to cook a proper mackerel

Rich, oily, full-flavoured Firm when fresh, soft when not

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Monkfish

Lophius piscatorius

Firm, meaty, and almost impossible to overcook badly: the so-called poor man's lobster

Sweet, mild, lobster-like Dense, firm, meaty, holds its shape

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Mussels

Mytilus edulis

Sweet, plump, and brilliant value: when they're in season, how to clean them, and how to cook the perfect pot

Sweet, briny, of the sea Plump and tender when fresh

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Oysters

Ostrea edulis (native), Crassostrea gigas (rock)

Native UK oysters and Pacific rock oysters: when each is at its best, how to open them safely, and what to drink with them

Briny, mineral, complex. Varies hugely by where they're grown Slippery, soft, ocean-fresh

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Plaice

Pleuronectes platessa

The orange-spotted flat fish of the Channel: delicate, sweet, and beautifully simple to cook

Sweet, mild, delicate Soft, fine flakes, very tender

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Prawns

Various, see below

King, tiger, Atlantic, Argentinian red: which prawn for what, where they come from, and how to cook them properly

Sweet, briny, prawn Firm, snappy, slightly bouncy when fresh

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Rainbow Trout

Oncorhynchus mykiss

Mild, clean and delicate, responsibly farmed locally and available all year round

Mild, clean and delicate, with a sweet undertone. Not overpowering or fishy Soft, delicate flakes

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Ray Wings

Raja clavata (thornback ray)

Sweet, ridged white wings with no fiddly bones, and the home of the classic black butter and capers

Sweet, mild, faintly shellfish-like Soft ridged strands that pull cleanly off the cartilage

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Salmon

Salmo salar

From Loch Duart's salmon farms in the Highlands to wild Atlantic salmon: origin, season, sustainability, and how to cook it right

Rich, buttery, distinctly 'salmon' Firm, oily, large flakes

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Scallops

Pecten maximus

Sweet, plump king scallops, hand-dived when we can get them, and how to sear them like a chef

Sweet, rich, faintly nutty Firm, tender, melting when seared right

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Turbot

Scophthalmus maximus

The premium flat fish: rich, firm, and buttery. Worth every penny, and best roasted on the bone

Rich, sweet, buttery, deeply savoury Firm, dense, succulent

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Poole's Fishmonger Since the 1920s

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