Cod

Generous, adaptable and a proper winter prize, cod is one of the most loved fish to land and to cook. It feeds over beaches, harbours and deep water alike, and its flakes are as at home in batter as in a slow Sunday bake. Tell it from a haddock, treat it kindly in the pan, and it will repay you all winter.

How to spot it

Cod and haddock get muddled constantly, so start there. Cod has a mottled greenish-brown back and a pale, almost white lateral line; haddock is greyer, with a dark lateral line and a smudgy dark blotch above the pectoral fin, the famous "thumbprint". Beyond that, cod is built to a clear plan: three rounded dorsal fins along the back, two anal fins beneath, an upper jaw overhanging the lower, and a single barbel hanging off the chin like a whisker. The belly is white, and a good fish reaches around 1.2m.

Where it lives

Cod aren't fussy about where they show up, coming from beaches, harbours, jetties, estuaries and deep water. They're mainly bottom feeders, though they'll lift into mid-water readily enough when the food's there. Around Cornwall, Boscastle repays the effort on the north coast, along with the Padstow headlands and Perranporth, and the Penzance area is worth a look too. Their run holds from January through to April, when the colder water pushes them inshore, which is reason enough to wrap up and fish the quiet end of the year.

Catching it

Cod are famously unfussy, which makes them a forgiving fish to target. They'll take almost anything, baited hooks, feathers, jigs or lures, and respond best to fresh, generous baits worked close to the bottom or through mid-water. Fish the beaches, harbours, jetties and estuaries from January through to April, when the cold draws them in. Boscastle, the Padstow headlands, Perranporth and the Penzance area are all worth a try. The minimum landing size for cod in UK waters is 35cm, so carry a measure, return undersized fish quickly, and put back more than you keep on a good night. Check the tides and forecast, and wear grippy boots on the rocks.

In the kitchen

Cod is the white fish that does everything. The flakes are big and dense and hold their shape, so it batters and deep-fries without collapsing, and it's just as happy roasted, poached, baked, or folded into chowder, pie or fishcakes. Parsley, lemon and capers are the classic foil; for something warmer, rub the loin with smoked paprika and chilli and roast it in butter. The one rule that matters: pull it off the heat the moment the flesh turns from glassy to white and the flakes part at a fork. Push past that and it dries. It freezes well too, wrapped tight and thawed slowly in the fridge.