A TRUE ‘afishionado’, Mitch Tonks has spent his career lovingly cooking fish. The chef and brains behind restaurant chain Fishworks says he is more at home preparing fresh turbot with parsley than rubbing peppercorns into fillet steak.

His latest book, Fish, is a simple guide to cooking a diverse range of dishes, using ingredients you might not have heard of: “I say seafood is exciting because there are so many different species available to eat and enjoy,” says Tonks.

■ Fish by Mitch Tonks (Pavilion, £20)

Serves two
50g/4tbsp butter
2 megrim, about 500g each (ask fishmonger to trim the fins, scale the fish and remove the heads)
Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
Small handful of fresh parsley
Small handful of fresh mint
Squeeze of lemon

METHOD
1. Preheat the grill to high.

2. Melt half the butter in a pan large enough to hold the fish and suitable for cooking under the grill.

3. Add the fish, white side down, to the pan and cook gently for four to five minutes.

4. Baste the fish with the butter then place the pan under the hot grill for five to six minutes until the thicker top side is starting to crisp and bubble.

5. If you don’t have a suitable pan, carefully transfer the fish to a roasting pan and cook under the grill.

6. Season with salt and pepper and place in a serving dish.

7. Add the remaining butter to the pan and heat.

When the butter is foaming, add the garlic and fry for one minute or until it’s just turning golden.

8. Add the parsley and mint and finish with a squeeze of lemon, then spoon over the fish and serve.

9. Boiled potatoes sprinkled with just a little parsley are a perfect accompaniment and can mop up some of the wonderful garlicky butter on the plate.