Main Ingredients:

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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.

About the Author

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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