Yellowfin Sea Bream Whole Fish

A wild bream taken from inshore coastal water, gutted, scaled and vacuum-sealed while the body is still stiff. It arrives whole, head and tail intact, with the yellow fins and bright silver flanks that give the fish its name. Each order is a 2 kg pack, usually two to three fish depending on the day's landing.

Flavour

Firm, close-grained white flesh with a clean sweetness that stays on the right side of delicate. The fat sits under the skin rather than in the meat, so the fish eats light and never turns heavy, and there is little of the muddy note that farmed bream can carry.

Kitchen Notes

• Steam whole with ginger, scallion and a spoon of fermented black beans, then finish with hot oil and light soy.
• Score the flanks and pan-fry skin side down until the skin lifts away cleanly and crisps.
• Braise in a shallow pot with soy, rock sugar and star anise until the sauce coats the fish.
• Simmer the frame and head with ginger for a clear, sweet broth.

Bring it out of the fridge half an hour before cooking so the flesh relaxes, and salt the skin early if you plan to fry it.

Storage

Keep frozen at -18 degrees Celsius and use within six months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator, cook within a day of thawing, and do not refreeze.