Cooking fish in summer is always a delight, the light, fresh flavours perfectly complementing the sunny days. Freshly caught fish, more plentiful in summer, brings a taste of the sea directly to the table and grilling fish outdoors only enhances the experience, infusing it with smoky flavours while keeping kitchens cool. Pairing beautifully with vibrant summer produce – think tomatoes and herbs – it is healthy, colourful and a treat for the microbiome too. Whether enjoyed at a beachside picnic, a backyard barbecue, or a casual dinner, fish epitomizes the season's culinary joys. And if we close our eyes, we could almost be beside the sea.

Mackerel Flat Breads


Canopy & Stars/ Gill Meller



Author, chef and River Cottage cookery trainer Gill Meller is the king of outdoor cooking. We could simply watch him cooking this mackerel over an open fire on the beach over and over, as we imagine devouring its salty goodness under big skies while the waves slap onto shingle. Wild cookery at its very best – and easy to make too. Watch it here.


Greek Style Roast Fish


BBC Good Food
Greek Style Roast Fish

We adore a one-pot dish and this one is a great summer iteration of that hearty style of cooking. Simply bung all the veg – the potatoes, onion, garlic and oregano, along with the olive oil – in a roasting tin, and add the white fish and lemon for the last ten minutes. Finally scatter it with parsley at the very end for a fresh, zingy, easy, crowd-pleasing, healthy and delicious feast. Find the recipe here.


Fish Cooked In A Spiced Tomato Sauce


Julius Roberts/ Penguin
Fish Cooked In A Spiced Tomato Sauce

Rich, velvety tomatoes shot through with preserved lemons, garlic and smoky paprika and a tahini sauce with the added complexity of cumin: Julius Roberts’ winning white fish dish originally hails from north Africa, based on a dish called ‘chraime.’ Says Roberts, ‘Preserved lemon is a pretty key element here, adding both salinity and a tanginess, but it can be salty, so be careful with your seasoning. I often eat this on its own as a light supper, but it is great with couscous and pitta.’ An instant addition to our everyday fallback repertoire. Find the recipe here.


Healthy Cod & Rice One Pot


Olive Magazine
Healthy Cod & Rice One Pot

Fish and rice is an absolute classic combination, transporting us pleasurably straight to Portuguese shores. One of the joys of white fish is how easily it absorbs other flavours and, in this case, we love how this one-pot dish takes on the sweetness of the basil and the plump cherry tomatoes. Quick, nourishing and sublime. Find the recipe here.


Tuscan Butter Shrimp


Delish
Tuscan Butter Shrimp

Balmy suppers under the stars are never not improved upon by the addition of creamy, buttery shrimp with spinach, cherry tomatoes and lemon. It’s easy, it’s moreish, and it’s perfect served up with a crisp glass of very cold white wine. Find the recipe here.


Steamed Fish With Ginger & Spring Onion


BBC Good Food
Steamed Fish With Ginger & Spring Onion

Steamed fish is naturally low in fat and high in protein, as well as being a great source of omega-3 fatty acids and vitamins such as D and B2, calcium, phosphorus, iron, zinc, iodine, magnesium and potassium. Cooked well, it also happens to taste pretty great too. We love this fresh and aromatic take with pak choi, mirin, garlic, soy and coriander. The perfect sustaining mid-week supper. Find the recipe here.


Fish, Chips & Mushy Peas


Jamie Oliver
Fish, Chips & Mushy Peas

Sometimes only good old fish and chips will do. And, under the tutelage of Jamie Oliver, we’re occasionally even willing to forego the local chippie and try our own hands at the classic which must, of course, come served with lashings of minty mushy peas. Find the recipe here.