GREATER WEEVER

A small fish with an elongated body and an upward-turned mouth (as it mostly lives buried at the bottom of the sea). A beautiful turquoise color when freshly caught, but soon turning browner and paler.

Fish facts

WARNING. The spines on the gill covers are poisonous.

How to cook greater weever

If you’re willing to risk the venomous spines, greater weever is a good eating fish. The flavor is said to be similar to sole.

Traditionally greater weever is one of the ingredients in the French fish soup bouillabaisse (where in the past it wasn’t sold to restaurants as the fishermen of Marseilles kept it for themselves).

The fillets are small but are appealing and attractive on the plate if they have gained a good color. Butter goes well with it.

The classic

Filleted and fried in butter, roughly the same way you would cook sole.

Conservation status:

Green.