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Learn with Gelf Alderson

Hands on Fish & Shellfish

Improve your skills and learn how to cook fish with the Hands on Fish & Shellfish course taught by Gelf Alderson at Learning with Experts

Course overview

This lesson will provide you with an introduction in how to purchase fish, check for quality and freshness, as well as the importance of sustainability. Gelf will teach you how to gut, scale, fillet and debone a round white fish in simple steps. At the end of the lesson you will put your new skills in to practise, creating the perfect pan-fried fish basted with butter and adorned with a simple garnish. Lesson length: 39 minutes Assignment: Using sustainably sourced white fish, practise filleting and pin boning. Show evidence of your first and second attempt so to demonstrate how your technique has progressed.

Meet Gelf Alderson

Gelf Alderson is the Culinary Director at River Cottage having worked alongside Hugh F-W for nearly ten years. Gelf is a dedicated ambassador of the River Cottage commitment to sustainability. He was one of the early pioneers of the farm to fork philosophy and is passionate about using food that is farmed locally, sourced from the River Cottage kitchen garden, or foraged from the surrounding area. Gelf is able to communicate the importance of sustainable eating in a simple, practical and down to earth way. He is both engaging and charismatic and leaves people with a clear understanding and heads full of ideas to implement at home.

Course description

Chef Gelf Alderson from River Cottage teaches you how to be confident sourcing, preparing and cooking with fish and shellfish.

You look at fish seasonally available, learn about sourcing your fish and shellfish sustainably and how to shop for the freshest fish locally.

Gelf will teach you the basics of fish preparation including gutting, scaling and filleting three types of fish – flat, round and oily – with a particular focus on knife skills.

And you will learn a variety of techniques including pan-frying, baking and stewing plus creating stocks and broths and delicious fish dishes.

Once you’ve learned the techniques and practised it yourself you will finish the course feeling confident in your ability to cook fish and shellfish at home.

You'll learn:
  • how to check fish and shellfish for freshness, quality and sustainability
  • how to gut, scale and fillet a fish
  • preparing and cleaning shellfish
  • recipes include pan-fried fish, fish stock, hot smoked mackerel, paprika cockles, clams with cider and mussels with chermoula
The course includes:
  • 4 on-demand video lessons - presented by Gelf Alderson and River Cottage
  • lifetime access to the videos, notes and interactive class
  • flexible classes - join and learn when and where you like
  • downloadable lesson notes
  • practical fish and shellfish assignments and recipes (with tutor feedback available)
  • access on your mobile, PC, Mac or laptop
  • small interactive online classroom - chat online to students from around the world and share your creative ideas
Independent Cookery Schools Association approved

This course has been approved by the Independent Cookery Schools Association (ICSA), recognising the highest standards of training.

Time to complete the fish cooking course:

Every student is different but in general we think the whole course will take around 14 hours 30 minutes to complete including:

  • Video lessons: 2 hours 30 minutes in total
  • Course notes: 30 minutes per lesson
  • Your fish cooking recipe assignments: at least 2 hours per lesson
  • Interactive classroom time: 15 minutes per lesson
  • Tutor feedback review (Expert level): 15 minutes per lesson
You'll need:

Your lesson notes will include the full details of the ingredients you'll need, but you will be making fish and shellfish dishes, so you'll need standard kitchen equipment.

Ready to get started?

Just add the course to your basket above - choose the 'Expert' option for personal feedback from Gelf on fish and shellfish cooking assignments.

If you know someone who'd love this course then give it as a gift - just tick "This is a gift" at the checkout.

Any questions? Contact us by clicking on the orange speech symbol - we'd love to hear from you.