This Thursday, 27th August, Waitrose announced the impending launch of two new Icelandic fish varieties next month (10th September); Red Fish and Arctic Char, both of which are exclusive to the supermarket and a first in the UK.
The new fish launch comes as the Nordic food and drink trend continues to take the UK food scene by storm. The Nordic diet was tipped to be the diet of 2015 by VOGUE in January, describing it as similar to the 'widely hailed Mediterranean diet, which draws on the traditional cuisines of Greece, Spain, and Italy', but that it's more 'a way of thinking about eating'. The Nordic diet is made up of whole grains, foraged plants, fresh fish and meat.
Arctic Char is a cold water fish that is closely related to both the salmon and lake trout family. This oily fish is served in some of the best restaurants in Iceland and strikes a delicate balance of the mildly sweet, freshwater taste of trout with the more robust taste of salmon. Naturally high in Omega 3, Arctic Char is a white flesh fish, though sometimes appears to be a very pale pink.
Arctic Char is ideally prepared by heating a non-stick pan with a tablespoon of sunflower oil, lightly seasoning the skin with salt and pepper and placing skin side down in a pan with a knob of butter for 3 to 4 minutes on each side.
The Red Fish (MSC) has a beautiful rose blush on the skin making it stand out from other fish varieties.
Very popular in mainland Europe, the Red Fish is a white meat fish that is lean and flaky. The flavour is often compared to that of the Ocean Perch or Rockfish – mild and slightly sweet with a medium firm texture. To cook the Red Fish, simply pan fry on a medium/high heat and serve this delicious fish with fresh watercress and new potatoes.
Andy Boulton, Waitrose Fish Buyer comments, 'Scandinavian cuisine is becoming more mainstream, from both a health and flavour perspective. The ethos is based on quality ingredients served simply, and we are proud to introduce these delicious fish to the UK as the trend continues to build momentum.'