A flat, silver-gold fish with a small head and a single central bone, so the flesh lifts cleanly off the frame in wide pieces. The meat is soft and faintly sweet, which is why it takes so well to a very hot pan and a short stay in steam.

What it is

Trachinotus blochii, the pompano traded across Asia under its golden name. The body is broad and compressed, the fins washed yellow, and the skin thin enough that it crisps in the pan instead of peeling away.

Where it comes from

Raised in anti-wave net cages set in open coastal water, where the current keeps the fish moving and the flesh firm. Harvested at 400 g to 600 g, bled, gutted and frozen in a shore plant within hours of leaving the cage.

Specifications

Condition on arrival

Frozen solid and individually wrapped, so the fish come apart one at a time. The skin should be unbroken and the belly cavity clean; check that the wrap is not torn before it goes into the freezer.

Storage and thawing

• Keep at −18 °C or colder for up to nine months
• Thaw in the refrigerator overnight, still in its wrap, on a plate
• Wipe the skin dry before it hits the pan, or it will steam instead of crisp
• Do not refreeze once thawed

Shelf life and delivery

• Best before: 12 months from the production date on the carton
• Sent on a cold chain in an insulated liner with gel packs
• Freeze on arrival and check the wrap on every fish

How to cook

• Pan-fried: score the skin, dry it well, four minutes a side in a hot pan
• Steamed: ginger and spring onion, eight minutes over rolling steam
• Oven: 200 °C for 18 minutes with olive oil and herbs

Allergens and compliance

Contains fish. Packed in a facility that also handles crustaceans and molluscs. Raw product, cook thoroughly before serving.