Fishing is one of New Zealand’s favourite outdoor activities, and is a great family activity in New Zealand. Hook makes it easy to catch your own salmon and in our latest blog we delve a little deeper to find out more about our fish.
What type of salmon can I catch when fishing at Hook?
You can catch a Chinook Salmon, or King Salmon. They widely regarded as the best salmon to eat due to the naturally high oil content which makes the flesh tasty, soft and juicy.
What are the benefits of eating salmon?
The high oil content in Chinook salmon also mean there’s loads of Omega 3s which are great for brain health, eye health and can fight off depression! Just 150 gram will give you 100% of your daily requirement. It’s very high in protein – perfect for building all those muscles you need to keep up with all the fun activities going on in Wanaka. There’s also lots of essential vitamins and minerals including Vitamins B6, B12, Magnesium, Phosphorus, Niacin and Selenium – good for brain and eye health.
How do I cook my salmon?
At Hook you can choose to have you salmon prepared by us to eat-in or to takeaway. You can even take the whole fish or fillets away to prepare at home. Your fish will easily keep in the fridge for 3 -4 days. It can even be frozen for up to 6 months!
So as a rough guide for cooking your fish at home:
Baking – brush the fish with a little oil and/or lemon juice. Place on a lined baking tray and bake at 180C/350F for 10 minutes per 2cm thickness of fillet.
Grill/BBQ – brush with oil and season with salt and pepper. Cook the fillet for 4-5 minutes skin side down, then 1 -2 minutes with the flesh side down.
Sashimi (raw!) – it is actually better to leave the fish for 1 -2 day in the fridge before preparing sashimi. This gives the flesh time to soften and develop a deeper flavour. Ask us to remove the skin before you take your fillet home. Once you’re ready to eat it, remove the pins bones (easier after a day or two) and then use a very sharp knife to cut thin slices – try to make one sweeping cut rather than sawing the knife back and forth.
Don’t forget you can purchase our hand-made pickles to go with your takeaway fish so you can get the full Hook experience at home.
Finally, if you’re feeling adventurous or just want to squeeze every bit of goodness you can out of your catch try making your own fish stock. The head and bones can be made into a tasty stock by boiling them up with onions, garlic, carrots, celery and your favourite herbs. Strain before use and then use immediately or store it in the fridge for up to 3 days or freeze for up to 2 months.
