Please wait

Contact

37-39 rue Boissière
75016 Paris
France

Phone : 01 41 40 99 80

GaultMillau © 2025 All rights reserved

Forgotten fish: an underestimated treasure for our plates and our oceans

Forgotten fish: an underestimated treasure for our plates and our oceans

Mathilde Bourge | 2/10/25, 4:47 PM
Disable your adblocker

Christopher Coutanceau, chef-fisherman in La Rochelle, explains why we should abandon salmon and cod for "less noble" species such as horse mackerel and sardines.

Christopher Coutanceau, 4-toque Gault&Millau chef and passionate campaigner for the preservation of the oceans, invites us to rethink our consumption of fish. At his eponymous restaurant in La Rochelle, he advocates sustainable cuisine, moving away from so-called noble species such as sea bass and turbot, to give pride of place to lesser-known but equally tasty fish: sardines, horse mackerel, elders and other neglected species.

To help consumers turn more to these lesser-rated but delicious fish, he shares his convictions on the importance of diversifying our marine diet to preserve ecosystems and improve our health. " We're walking on our heads: salmon and cod dominate the menu, even though they're often imported and harmful to both our oceans and our bodies," he laments.

Blue fish: a concentrate of health

Blue fish, such as mackerel, sardines and anchovies, are champions of sustainability and nutrition. They are rich in omega-3 and vitamins (B4, B5, B6), and their short life cycle makes them less likely to accumulate pollutants such as lead or mercury.

Christopher Coutanceau insists on the importance of respecting seasonality: " Just as we make wine from ripe grapes, we should cook fish when it's at its peak. "These modest fish offer a myriad of culinary possibilities:

  • Sardines : marinated, grilled or simply snacked on a plancha, they shine for their simplicity and intense flavor.
  • Anchovies: a delicate but versatile product, perfect for marinating, frying or lightly smoking over a wood fire.
  • Mackerel: delicious whole en papillote or caramelized a la plancha, it also lends itself to escabeche for an explosion of flavors.

Forgotten fish: the little-known treasures of our coasts

Other species deserve a place of choice on our plates, as much for their taste as for their contribution to sustainable fishing.

  • Horse mackerel : often scorned and considered a fish "for cats", it is nevertheless prized in Japan, where it can fetch exorbitant prices. "Raw, it's an exceptional fish. Just don't cook it, or you'll be disappointed. "
  • Poca Luz: this fish, which is rarely caught in our waters, is abundant and offers extremely fine flesh. Fragile, it requires precise cooking to reveal its full potential.
  • La vieille: nicknamed the "grouper of the Atlantic", its fine flesh is ideal raw or cooked. What's more, its stocks are doing well, making it an environmentally-friendly and tasty choice.

Shellfish: unsuspected allies

In addition to fish, shellfish such as cockles, mussels and razor clams are excellent sources of nutrients. For example, cockles gathered on our coasts can be simply sautéed in butter with lemon and dill for a refined, sustainable dish.

Rethinking the way we consume

Img 3402 Olivier Roux

Christopher Coutanceau's message is clear: we urgently need to diversify our marine consumption. " Eating as wildly as possible and varying species, as we do with vegetables, is essential for preserving the oceans. It's also good for our dietary balance. The human body is like a car: if you put the wrong petrol in it, it breaks down. "He also encourages consumers to opt for seasonal fish and to ensure that they are not in the breeding season, to give the species time to regenerate, but also to have fish that is simply better and less fibrous.

Finally, he invites consumers to work with fishmongers who respect natural cycles and adopt a global approach, from head to tail. For every fish, no matter how modest, harbors an unsuspected wealth.

By following these precepts, we could not only preserve our oceans, but also rediscover an authentic, flavorful marine gastronomy.

Disable your adblocker

These news might interest you

Mory Sacko and Maisons du Monde join forces for a tableware collection
News & Events
Mory Sacko and Maisons du Monde join forces for a tableware collection
Maisons du Monde unveils its tableware collection, in collaboration with Mory Sacko. These objects, inspired by the chef's world, will be available from September 2025.
10 crêperies in Brittany
Tables & Chefs
10 crêperies in Brittany
It's impossible to spend a holiday in Brittany without stopping off at a good crêperie. Here are ten good places to enjoy crêpes and galettes of all kinds.
Reine Sammut becomes chef at Domaine Misincu in Cap Corse
News & Events
Reine Sammut becomes chef at Domaine Misincu in Cap Corse
Reine Sammut takes over the culinary reins at Domaine Misíncu, a haven of nature and serenity in Cap Corse. Between Provençal elegance and plant-based conviviality, she infuses La Table et au Jardin with her love of produce and people.
 Dialogues, Adrien Zedda's new restaurant in Biarritz
News & Events
Dialogues, Adrien Zedda's new restaurant in Biarritz
Chef Adrien Zedda and his accomplice Thomas Bouanich inaugurate Dialogues, a new address in Biarritz where the flavors of the vegetable garden meet the accents of the sea.
20 tables in the countryside
Tables & Chefs
20 tables in the countryside
What a long winter it's been! Even if we all enjoy dining out in a cosy atmosphere, sometimes with a roaring fire to warm us up, we have to admit that we've all been waiting for spring. To celebrate the return of this season, synonymous with renewal both in the now verdant countryside and in our finally colorful plates, there's nothing like a selection of 20 tables in the countryside. On the banks of a stream, in the heart of a valley, on a flower-filled terrace, on a square in the shade of a plane tree or on the edge of a forest. enjoy the charms of these "warmly" recommended addresses. Auberge de la Grive, Aisne Nicolas and Cécilia Gautier, whom we've been following for a long time (Nicolas also has the distinction of having twice been elected Jeune Talent, in 2010 when he worked at l'Ardoise, in Ognes, then three years later when he was at the helm of Château d'Esclimont), returned to the heart of Picardy in the summer of 2023. They sold their two other restaurants, Nature and Bistrot RG, in the North of France, to create, in a magnificent country house they fell in love with (and which they now occupy), the Bistrot RG.the two of them work in pairs, facing a dozen or so customers arranged in a U-shape around a central island where the couple are busy. The menus are imposed, of course, but that's the only slight complaint the Gautiers might have. Even if the atmosphere can sometimes take a little time to warm up (it's not always easy to get along with table-mates you haven't chosen), the dishes that follow one another soon cheer up even the sorriest of spirits. The 3 toques are already very close, for the very fine char from Voulpaix lightly confit, lovage and nasturtium, the soft-steamed monkfish (wonderful flesh) with beurre blanc and girolles from Saint-Gobain and the gourmet blonde from Caillouël roasted over the embers. As you can see, Nicolas Gautier still loves working with local produce (and he talks about it with passion), and he doesn't neglect the desserts, which are very elaborate and personalized. The cellar is quite short, but very well focused. Where? 5, rue du Logis, 02300 Trosly-Loire See the Gault&Millau review ofAuberge de la Grive www.aubergedelagrive.com
Loïc Le Bail, Gault&Millau d'Or 2025 for the Bretagne region
News & Events
Loïc Le Bail, Gault&Millau d'Or 2025 for the Bretagne region
The chef at Le Brittany restaurant in Roscoff was named Gault&Millau d'Or at the Gault&Millau Tour Bretagne 2025.
Become Partners