What's the difference between pollock and pollack?

There is some confusion around the name 'pollock', especially if you plumb the depths of Google where lots of information is American. Alaska or walleye pollock is the species most easily available in the UK, and it can be bought from sustainable fisheries; look out for the blue Marine Stewardship Council tick mark on fish packaging. You can find a list of the fisheries here.

Just to confuse you further there is also a fish called 'pollack', known as 'lythe' in Scotland, which is sometimes called pollock as well. This is also very like cod and haddock when cooked and is available line-caught off the Cornish coast. Look out for tagged fish and find out more about line caught fish here.

Use pollock as you would cod or haddock: in fish pies, fish cakes and Asian dishes, or try it tonight with sweet parsnips in our version of a warming chowder below...

SMOKED POLLOCK AND PARSNIP CHOWDER

30 minutes, serves 4, easy

pollock fillet 300g

undyed smoked haddock fillet 300g

semi-skimmed milk 500ml

olive oil 1 tbsp

smoked bacon lardons 150g

onion 1, diced

celery 1 stick, diced

fennel bulb 1 small, diced

bay leaves 3

parsnips 500g, peeled and cut into chunks

vegetable stock 500ml

single cream 150ml

parsley chopped, to make 1 tbsp

dill chopped, to make 1 tbsp

step 1

Put the fish and milk in a frying pan. Cover, bring to the boil, take off the heat and leave for 5 minutes until the fish is just cooked. Reserve the milk and flake the fish into big chunks, discarding the skin.

step 2

In a large saucepan, fry the lardons in oil until they start to turn golden. Add the onion, celery, fennel, bay and parsnips, and cook until the onion is soft. Pour in the stock and milk, bring to a simmer and cook until the parsnip is tender (about 10 minutes).

step 3

Take out and blend a ladleful of the chowder, then stir back in. Stir in the flaked fish and cream, warm through, add most of the parsley and dill and season with black pepper. Serve, sprinkled with the remaining herbs.

More pollock recipes to try

Spicy fish burger with chilli mayo

This recipe for spicy fish burgers with chilli mayo is a great recipe to have on-hand midweek. It's super-quick (ready in under 30 minutes) and easy, but is packed full of flavour and a chilli hit.

Thai pollock curry

This Thai pollock curry is a full of fantastic Asian flavours but is ready in under an hour, very easy to make and also comes in at under 500 calories - perfect for a midweek meal.

Coconut pollock with dahl

Pollock makes a great more sustainable alternative to cod and it really works in this easy Southern Indian style coconut curry. The dahl can also be eaten on its own for a spicy vegetarian main.