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MAKE THE MOST OF SEAFOOD
Planning a pescatarian feast? Ben Champkin, chef-patron at Catch at the Old Fish Market in Weymouth, shares his expert advice
What is dry-aged fish?
Dry-aged fish is all about holding fish at its best for longer. We keep it in a special fridge at a controlled temperature, no humidity and with a UV light, which slowly removes moisture and concentrates flavour. It’s similar to dry-ageing meat – enzymes break down the proteins, the texture firms up and the flavour becomes cleaner and richer. For chefs, it’s a dream, because the flesh is easier to cut and you get incredible, crisp skin when cooked – especially over coals. At Catch, we age bluefin tuna for up to two weeks and sea bass or bream for around 24 hours. It’s not something you can really do at home, but you can get a similar effect by unwrapping your fish and leaving it uncovered on a tray in the fridge for a day before cooking – you’ll get beautifully dry skin that fries to crisp perfection.