Crossword Genius

Nifty cooking with fish finger (8)

Ross

I believe the answer is:

identify

'finger' is the definition.
(I've seen this in another clue)

'nifty cooking with fish' is the wordplay.
'cooking' indicates an anagram (cook can mean to falsify or distort).
'with' indicates putting letters inside.
'fish' becomes 'ide' (type of fish).
'nifty' is an anagram of 'ntify'.
'ntify' enclosing 'ide' is 'IDENTIFY'.

(Other definitions for identify that I've seen before include "Recognise as specific person or thing" , "associate" , "Empathise" , "Pinpoint" , "Point out" .)

I've seen this clue in The Independent.
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