Oily, full-flavoured fish with a steel-blue back and a banded silver flank. The flesh is pink and rich, and it stays moist under high heat where leaner fish dry out.

What it is

Scomber scombrus, landed whole with the head on and the gut cavity cleaned. Nothing is trimmed away, so the collar and belly stay intact.

Where it comes from

Wild-caught in the Norwegian Sea and the North Atlantic by purse seine, then frozen at sea or on landing within a day.

Specifications

Condition on arrival

Frozen whole and shipped solid. The skin should still show a clear banded pattern and the eyes should be bright rather than sunken.

Storage and thawing

• Keep at −18 °C or colder
• Thaw overnight in the refrigerator, on a rack, covered
• Use within 24 hours of thawing; the oils turn quickly
• Do not refreeze once thawed

Shelf life and delivery

• Best before: 12 months from the production date on the tray
• Cold chain delivery in an insulated liner with gel packs
• Check the fish are hard, the skin unbroken and the cavity clean on arrival

How to cook it

• Grill — score the skin, salt, four minutes a side
• Miso simmer — ginger, sake and white miso, ten minutes
• Cure — salt and rice vinegar for two hours, then slice
• Smoke — cold smoke for six hours, serve at room temperature

Allergen information

Contains fish. Packed in a facility that also handles molluscs and crustaceans.