How to buy fish at a counter: what to ask a fishmonger

You do not need to know any fish names to buy fish well. The one sentence that works at every counter in the country is this: "I want something for two, in the oven, in about twenty minutes." Say what you are cooking, who you are feeding and how long you have, and a fishmonger will do the rest. This guide covers what to ask, what to expect for free, how to ask for a particular cut and what to do if you feel out of your depth.

What do I say if I do not know what I want?

Give three pieces of information and stop there.

• How many people. "Two of us." "Four adults and two children."
• How you want to cook it. "In the oven." "In a pan." "On the barbecue." "In a curry."
• What you want from it. "Something mild." "Something with a bit of flavour." "Nothing with bones." "My daughter will not eat anything that looks like a fish."

Then ask the question that matters: "What is in good condition today?" That gets you a real recommendation rather than a sale of whatever is slowest to move. Every fishmonger has an opinion about what came in well this morning and most are glad to be asked.

What questions should I ask a fishmonger?

• "What is good today?" The question that gets you a real recommendation.
• "When did this come in?" A fair question and a fair answer is a specific one.
• "Has this been frozen?" Ask it without embarrassment. For prawns, squid and many scallops the honest answer is yes, and that is normal. Our page on fresh or frozen fish explains why.
• "What would you do with it?" You will get a cooking method, a temperature and usually a sauce.
• "How much do I need?" Say the number of people and let them weigh it. Our portions guide has the numbers if you would rather plan at home.
• "Is there anything cheaper that would work as well?" There nearly always is. Gurnard, coley, dabs, megrim, whiting and mackerel do a great deal of work for very little money.
• "Can you take the bones out?" Yes. See below.
• "What is that one?" Pointing is allowed. It is how everybody learns.

What will a fishmonger do for me for free?

More than most people realise, and this is the main practical reason to use a counter. At From The Sea the following are done by hand in the shop at no extra charge:

• Scaling and gutting a whole fish.
• Filleting it, round or flat.
• Skinning the fillets, or leaving the skin on if you want it crisp.
• Pin-boning, which is pulling the fine bones out of the fillet with tweezers.
• Portioning to equal weights so everything cooks in the same time.
• Butterflying a round fish so it opens flat for the grill.
• Shucking oysters and picking crab.
• Bagging the bones and head for stock if you ask. Most people do not ask and it is free food.

Two things follow from this. First, buying a whole fish and having it filleted for you is usually good value, because you also leave with the frame for stock. Second, you are paying for the weight of the fish before it is cut, so ask what a whole fish will yield if you are budgeting. A round fish typically gives roughly 40 to 50 per cent of its whole weight as skin-on fillet, and flat fish rather less.

How do I ask for a specific cut?

These are the words that get you exactly what you want.

• Fillet. The whole side, off the bone.
• Loin. The thick, even front section of a large fillet. Cooks evenly, holds a batter, roasts well.
• Tail piece. The thin end. Cheaper, cooks faster, good for a quick pan or a pie.
• Steak or cutlet. A cross-section through the fish, on the bone. Holds together on a barbecue.
• On the bone. Whole or in sections with the bone in. More flavour, more moisture, more work at the table.
• Skin on or skin off. Skin on for pan-frying and roasting, skin off for poaching, curries and pies.
• Thick cut. Ask for it. Thick pieces are far more forgiving than thin ones.

If you are cooking one dish for several people, say so and ask for even portions. Uneven thickness is a common reason home-cooked fish comes out both dry and underdone at the same time. Our note on fillet, loin or steak goes further into which cut suits which dish.

How do I judge fish on the slab myself?

Five checks, ten seconds, and they work at any counter anywhere.

• Eyes clear, bright and slightly domed, sitting proud of the head.
• Gills deep red or rich pink under the cover, clean and wet.
• Flesh springs back when pressed and leaves no dent.
• Smell of clean salt water and cut cucumber. A sour or ammonia note means age.
• Skin bright and tight with the scales holding on.

On fillets, look for tight glossy flesh with no gaping between the flakes and no liquid pooling in the tray. A whole fish shows you more than a fillet does, which is a good reason to buy it whole and have it cut. The full version is in how to tell if fish is fresh.

What if I feel intimidated at a fish counter?

Read this and then forget about it, because nobody behind a counter is judging you.

• Not knowing the names is normal. Point at it. Most customers do.
• Asking the price first is normal. "What is that per kilo?" and "what would a piece for two cost?" are ordinary questions.
• Asking for a small amount is fine. A single fillet is a fine order.
• Changing your mind at the counter is fine. Nothing is cut until you say so.
• Saying you have never cooked fish is useful information. It gets you a forgiving fish and a simple method rather than a whole turbot.
• Go at a quiet time if you want to talk. Weekday mornings are calmer than Saturday. Ask more on a Tuesday.

If you would rather plan first, fish for beginners lists the species that are forgiving to cook.

How do I order ahead?

Ring the shop. If you want a whole turbot for Saturday, six dressed crabs for a party or two dozen oysters shucked for a specific hour, saying so in advance is how you get it, because these things are bought at market a day or more ahead. Special requests are ordinary trade at a counter and cost nothing to ask for. See special orders.

How do I get it home and keep it?

Take it home reasonably promptly and get it into the coldest part of the fridge, which is usually the bottom shelf. Keep it in the paper or the bag it came in, sit it on a plate so nothing drips, and cook it within a day or two. If you are shopping for later in the week, buy frozen for those days or freeze it yourself on the day you buy it. There is more in how to store fresh fish.

Come and ask

We have run the counter on Barnes High Street since 1972 and we cut everything by hand in the shop. Nobody is expected to arrive knowing what they want. Tell us who you are feeding and how you want to cook it, and we will take it from there. Opening hours and directions.