The main reason for writing this is to assist all my couples who do ask me what a certain dish is however this is not a glossary of all Italian dishes, and it will come but not now, it is a small glossary of Italian fish dishes which appear on a regular basis on our menus so to assist me and you here are some translations and details. However all you foodies out there, if I have it wrong and you wish to contribute please do so and your comments are greatly appreciated. I would also love to receive any photos of dishes with the fish mentioned below, either of the dish eaten or the fish itself in its “unprepared” form.
We start our Fish journey with Orata (gilthead bream) or there is striped bream (Marmora) and Sea Bream which are all extremely suitable for baking and usually served as a main. White Sea Bream is best cooked over a charcoal barbecue if there is one. This is followed by Pesce San Pietro, our equivalent of John Dory. It is quite an expensive fish and it is usually served boiled. There is Triglia which is striped Mullet or Goatfish and is mostly used for pasta sauces but also good if fried or boiled and used in fish soups. The famous Acciuga (Anchovy), an oily fish and used quite a lot as seasoning.
We now move to Branzino, Spigola or Cernia di Fondale, known as Seabass. The beauty of Seabass is its great flexibility and it can be prepared in a number of ways. A delicious method is to bake it in a salt crust and wrap it in foil. Dentice (Dentex) The flesh is very tasty and this is a delicate fish. There are a range of menus where the fish is used with pasta and risotto dishes.
Pesce Spada (Sword Fish) and usually you see Involtini di pesce spada (stuffed swordfish rolls).
Muggine or also known as Cefalo is gray Mullet which can be quite expensive. Coastal fish. We then have Salmon (Salmone) which is served a lot with pasta. Rospo or Rana Pescatrice (Monfish), a fish which is very much in demand and has hardly any bones and when cooked tastes a little like Lobster. Rombo (Turbot) which is usually filleted and steamed or poached in a sauce. Sgombro, (Mackerel) which is a good value fish and must always be eaten fresh.
For Cocktail and canape moments or for starters or even for pasta dishes, try the following:
For Cocktail and canape moments or for starters or even for pasta dishes, try the following:
Seppia (Cuttlefish) which come stuffed, baked, broiled or stewed with the ink often added to the cooking water to colour pasta or rice dishes. Calamaro (Squid) with round bodies with 10 tentacles and usually eaten in a seafood salad, sliced or fried. Lumache di mare literally translated this means sea snails and once extracted the meat is full of flavour. Vongole (Clam), great with pasta or even a main course. Cozze (Mussells) served cooked even though they used to be eaten raw like oysters. Really good boiled and excellent with pasta dishes. Cannolicchio (Razor Shell) boiled or eaten in a seafood salad. Capesanta (Scallop) popular in Italy especially in seafood salads and starters. Served usually in a white wine sauce and an alternative to stuffing for light meats. Cannocchia (Mantis Shrimp) which can be boiled and eaten with parsley, garlic and lemon juice. Great for souples and seafood salads. Grancevola (Spider Crab). Granchio (Crab) used in fish soups, stuffed or served alone
If your wedding or Italian trip to Italy is taking place on Lake Iseo or Lake Como for example, you will need to consider fresh water fish….
Trota (Trout) – Rainbow, Salmon and Brook Trout all live in the waters of Lombardy and they are at their best broiled but also great marinated or fried in breadcrumbs. Lavarello (White fish) prized for its delicate flesh and versatility. Pesce Persico (Perch) Delicious with many bones and it can be fried or served with antipasto. Storione (Sturgeon) Mainly treasured for their roe which is used as caviar. The fish is oily and tastes good broiled or fried, filleted and cooked in breadcrumbs. The following freshwater fish is often found on Umbrian menus……Carpa (Carp) often oven baked, Lasca (Roach) this fish tastes a little like Pike, Trota (Trout) already mentioned and served as Trota al Tartufo. Tremolo (Grayling) a delicate flavour, Tinca (Tench) Sweet fish and tastes good fried or baked.
I am sure I have missed out on a few however if you think I have just send me your comments and I will try to update.
