Group · Fish
Gurnard
The gurnard (known in French as grondin) takes its name from the grunting noise it makes out of the water, produced by its swim bladder. A big-headed fish of the rocks, it was long used only for soup before being rediscovered for its firm flesh.
In terms of nutrition facts, raw: 108 kcal per 100 g, with 19 g of protein and 2 g of fat. The Ciqual table does not publish its mineral or salt content for this entry: the matching fields are left empty on the page rather than estimated.
Macronutrient breakdown
Nutrition table per 100 g
| Calories | 108 kcal |
| Kilojoules | 455 kJ |
| Protein | 19 g |
| Carbohydrate | 3,4 g |
| Fat | 2 g |
Tips
19 g of protein for 108 kcal. A very decent ratio, in the upper average of the white fish in the database.
Its head makes up half the weight. This is the point to remember when buying: allow 400 g whole weight per person. In return, the head makes a remarkable stock.
Its flesh does not fall apart. Firm and compact, it holds up in soup, in curry and even on skewers, which few white fish allow.
It is very cheap. Its reputation as a soup fish keeps the price low even though its flesh is as good as that of far more expensive fish. It is one of the best buys on the fish counter.
The tub gurnard is the largest species. It gives thicker fillets, easier to cook than the small red gurnards, which are kept for bouillabaisse.