Fish & Shellfish ~ Food Pairing

Although they pretty well all go with citrus, dill and parsley. different fish have different affinities …

Oily Fish

Generally speaking oily fish are good with astringent flavours such as gooseberry and rhubarb and also beetroot, horseradish and capers, but here are some specifics.

Herring – onions, lemon, sour cream, crème fraîche, apple and beetroot.

Mackerel – garlic, lemon, potato, watercress, horseradish, beetroot, dill, chorizo, sour cream, crème fraîche.

Salmon, fresh – lemon, lime, leeks, cream, cream cheese, dill, spring onions, fennel, watercress and sweet chilli sauce and wine, even some reds!

Trout – much the same as salmon, above!

Tuna, fresh – olive oil, wasabi, soy sauce, avocado, sweet chilli sauce, mayonnaise, capers, black olives, red onions, lemon and lime.

White Fish

All white fish are all enhanced by cream, butter, leeks, fennel, ham, bacon and white wine, lemon, dill and parsley.

Smoked Fish

Classic Smoked Salmon including Lox and Gravlax – lemon, black pepper, dill, sour cream or crème fraîche, horseradish, rye bread and Champagne – possibly all at the same time!

Smoked Haddock, Cod and similar – leeks, bacon and ham, cream, butter, crème fraîche, black pepper and egg.

Hot-Smoked Salmon, Trout and Mackerel – lemon, black pepper, cream, cream cheese, horseradish and beetroot.

Shellfish

Crab, Lobster, Shrimp, Prawns and Crayfish all seem to pair with similar flavours – orange, lemon, lime, mango, chill, ginger, coriander, leek, fennel, avocado, butter, mayonnaise, brandy and white wine and Champagne.

Scallops – white wine, saffron, cream, asparagus, leeks, bacon and black pudding.

Mussels – white wine, Belgian beer, saffron, fresh fennel and chorizo.

Squid and Octopus – tomato, fresh fennel and fennel seeds, garlic and saffron.