Depending on the flavor and texture you are looking for, there are many different ways to cook fish. You might be cooking steaks, fillets, or whole fish and there are many methods to try. Stuffing is a good way of adding flavor and texture. Using round fish is best because they have a bigger body cavity. Be careful not to overstuff the fish if you are using a breadcrumb stuffing, because breadcrumbs expand when cooking. A parsley and walnut pesto is very good with sea bass. If you are using fillets, you can sandwich them with stuffing or roll them up, then oven-bake them.

Methods of Fish Cooking

Steaming is a good, easy way to cook fillets, whole fish, and steaks. You need to put the fish in the steamer over boiling water and have a tight-fitting lid on it. Poaching is another healthy way of cooking it, in which you add seasoning, cream or another thickener and herbs. This gives you a sauce to serve with the fish.

Oven baking and roasting give great results and suit whole fish or fillets. You need to add oil or butter, seasoning, herbs and white wine to the fish, in an ovenproof dish. For very tender and moist flesh, you can cook the fish "en papillote", which is in sealed paper or foil. This means the fish will cook it its own steam. You can add lemon or limejuice, fresh herbs and white wine to the foil parcel before cooking, for more flavors. To braise fish, you place it on some sauted vegetables in an ovenproof dish. Pour over white wine and bouillon, put a lid on the dish, and bake it for 20 minutes or so.

If you are using fillets or small, whole fish, grilling is another cooking method. If your fish are whole, make a few slashes through the skin on each side of the fish and brush it with olive oil or melted mutter. Turn the fish halfway through cooking and baste it if you want. You can also wrap the fish in foil with herbs, lemon juice, and olive oil before placing it on the grill.

Some fish can be cooked without being heated. Ceviche is an example of this, when you soak white fish, such as sole, flounder, scallops, or snapper, in limejuice, chili, and herbs. The acid in the citrus juice cooks the fish.

Wood Fish Board for Cooking

You can use pretty much any wood to cook fish, as long as it is pest-free and untreated. You need to soak the board for at least an hour before cooking, to ensure it is waterlogged. This means the wood will generate enough steam to cook the fish

Cedar is a common wood for fish boards but you can also use alder, maple, cherry, apple, or oak. A wood fish board is for one use only and you can get one from a specialty food store or online.

To stop the fish sticking to the board, brush the fish with oil first on one side. You will not need to flip the fish during cooking because it cooks indirectly. Season the fish and place it on the fish board, which you then put on the grill. Make sure you are using a low fire so as not to ignite the board and baste the fish during cooking with anything non-flammable.

Using a wood fish board to cook the fish results in a wonderful flavor. The wood will smolder, making the fish deliciously smoky. In addition, since you only use the board once, it really cuts down on washing up!