Dressing a whole fish

1 servings

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Directions

Dressing a Whole Fish

Dressing a whole fish is easier than it seems.

To remove the entrails, slit the belly from the neck to the vent and crosswise behind the gills. Remove the viscera and clean the cavity under cold, running water.

To remove the fin, give it a quick tug, pulling forward toward the head. This will remove the fin cleanly. Never trim the fins with a knife or scissors.

To remove the scales, first soak the fish in cold water for a few minutes as scales are more easily removed from a wet fish. Lay the fish on a table or cutting board. Holding it firmly with one hand, take a blunt knife, and, with the edge almost vertical, begin working from the tail toward the head, scraping off the scales.

To prepare a fillet, first scale the fish. Then take a sharp knife and cut along the back from the tail to just behind the head. Next, cut down to the backbone to just above the collarbone. Turn the knife flat and cut the flesh along the backbone. You should now be able to lift the entire side of the fish in one piece. Remove the other side following the same steps.

To remove the skin, the fish should first be filleted. Place the fillet on a flat board, skin side down. Start at the tail end and pull the skin with one hand. At the same time, press the edge of the knife against the skin, holding it firmly to the board.

Adam Starchild has combined business travel with discovering the delights of native dishes from Hawaii and Hong Kong to Russia and the Caribbean. He is the author of The Seafood Heritage Cookbook (Cornell Maritime Press), co-author of another seafood cookbook, and the author of a number of food and cooking articles.

Submitted By BARRY WEINSTEIN On 08-30-95

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