Frugal Fish

I suddenly realised I'd got a bit fixated on meat and it was time to turn my attention to fish. (And veggies, obviously. That's next)

My impression up to now is that if you don't like farmed or tinned salmon (which I don't much) and don't like bones and don't want to eat unsustainable fish or fish that's been flown half way round the world there aren't a lot of options. But in a world of rapidly rising food prices fish seems to have stayed relatively stable.

This is what I found in my local Sainsbury's:

A frozen packet of whitefish fillets (Alaskan pollock, apparently) for £1.27 for 520g. OK, that's a long way for it to travel but at least it's sustainable and it's a terrific price. Together with some small frozen prawns (at £1.99 for 300g much cheaper than large ones) it would make a cracking fish pie (see my student website www.beyondbakedbeans.com for a recipe)

Cod steaks at £2.79 for 568g. Oddly if cod is in a block it's cheaper. Fine for chowders. Enough for four.

2 x rainbow trout for £2.81. That's our supper tonight with the leftover almonds from the weekend's couscous.

Boil in bag kippers at 62p for 220g. OK, I don't much like kippers but it's a cheap weekend brunch if you do.

2 salmon steaks on the bone for £2.44 (as with meat anything on the bone tends to be cheaper)

2 pollock fillets for £2.42. Pollock is sustainable. Hurray! But slightly tasteless so needs a garlicky tomatoey or similarly gutsy sauce with it.

220g of 'Seafood Medley'(I hate the word medley) for £2.99 on a two for one offer. Enough to make a seafood salad (with a Thai-ish dressing I suggest) and a pasta sauce.

Scottish rollmops at £1.09 for 260g. Easily enough for one, maybe two. Good with some crusty bread and a cold lager.

Marinated herring at £1.59 for 280g. Great base for a Scandanavian-style herring and potato salad. With dill if you can find some at a reasonable price.

Smoked mackerel at £1.87 for 292g. You could make a decent size batch of paté with this or a filling for a large quiche. Smoked mackerel is a great buy.

So, plenty of reasonably priced options then. And think of the good all that oily fish will do you . . .