Il pesce di luglio più fresco da mettere in tavola
You don’t know how to choose the best fish looking the stalls in market? Do not forget these three basic rules: fresh, Italian and above all seasonal. Seasonality does not only apply to vegetables and fruits, but also to fish species; the first factor determining seasonality is the restrictions on fishing that in some periods of the year prohibit fishing specific species in order to favor animal growth, other factors include climatic conditions, currents and periods of birth and growth of fish.
We are now accustomed to finding any product throughout the year, including fish that are caught in the sea or raised according to the rules of aquaculture, but it is also good to respect the seasonality of the fish. What can we then buy in this period? What is the best July fish to buy?
Sardines and anchovies
July is the month of these small fish that can be included in the category of blue fish. Tasty and with strong flavors, they are perfect to prepare lots of food. There are many typical regional recipes such as “sarde in saor” in veneto, which include fried sardines alternated with stewed onion in the vinegar, or the Anchovies Under the Salt of the Ligurian Sea IGP or even “sardine al beccafico” typical of Palermo. Sardines and anchovies are lean fish, they bring a small amount of calories and a good amount of protein. They are also delicious even fried or grilled.
Sea bream
Highly appreciated fish is abundant in the Mediterranean sea. On the market it is possible to find both breeding and fished sea bream and the difference between the two versions on the palate is quite marked; in the right season it is advisable to choose the freshest sea bream, leaner, tasty and healthier, as the bred fish are fed with artificial flour. Fishing is prohibited for species below 20 cm of length and 350 grams of weight, but above these measures you can buy and enjoy it in a thousand ways. Baked with aromas and potatoes, stuffed and roasted in a frying pan or grilled.
Prawns
From April to July, it is the maximum of production! So take advantage and eat fresh Mediterranean prawns. The prawn lives mainly in the sandy seabed, where it digs galleries. The best time for fishing with trawl nets is on plenilunio nights, when the jerk comes out of the den. The minimum catchable size is 7 cm, color indicates maximum freshness when it is uniform and the head has no blackening marks.
Prawns are excellent raw or marinated with lemon, it is also delicious with sauce, busara according to the Venetian recipe, or grilled.
Crabs
It’s the last month to find them fresh and in large quantities. Crabs must be eaten fresh, freshly caught, before the paws and the shell begin to darken; they are great fried or sauces to dress pasta, alone or with other crustaceans such as “pasta allo scoglio”. They have a delicate taste of sea.
Flounder
Fish that is abundant in the summer months, it looks like turbot for its flattened shape but is easily recognizable as the form is not rhomboid and has scales, unlike the turbot. The flesh is tasty and it is perfect to be grilled or fried with aromas, cherry tomatoes and white wine.
Amberjack
Amberjack is pretty spread above all in the summer months, from June to August, so it is a perfect fish to be bought in this hot period. It is a pelagic fish without teeth, which reaches great dimensions, even up to 30 kg. It is predominantly fish caught in the sea, but there are also in the south of Italy, mainly in Sicily. Compact and tasty flesh, are perfect if cooked in the oven or in a pan with oil, garlic and Mediterranean aromas.
