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How to clean and fillet fish
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| An undisputed protagonist of refined second course dishes and an invaluable ingredient for maritime first courses, fish is one of the great classics of Italian cuisine. In order to eat it at its best though, it should be prepared according to the most suitable cleaning and filleting techniques, which differ according to the fish's shape and dimensions. |
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| 1. |
In order to prepare a good fish dish, the raw materials must be extremely fresh. Fish is in fact one of the most perishable of foods; if it has not just been caught, we not only run the risk of it smelling and tasting unpleasant, but also of it endangering the health of those eating it. To identify fresh fish, we need simply to pay attention to a few details. The eyes should be sparkling, not sunken, and the cornea should be clear and transparent; the scales should be shiny and iridescent and must adhere well to the skin; the flesh should be elastic and firm. Another important thing to note are the gills: if the fish is fresh, these will be rigid and adhere well to the head, and be bright red in colour- a brick red for bluefish- and without any trace of mucous.
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| 2. |
Once chosen, the fish should be cooked within a short space of time as it will not keep for long periods. In any case, before putting it in a pan or if you decide to freeze it and use it at a later date, it is necessary to clean the fish thoroughly. The first step is to gut the fish. Using a pair of scissors, make an abdominal incision along the length running from the tail to the head. Then remove the innards: this is a delicate process as is advisable not to break the gall bladder. Should it break, it will release bile that will make the flesh bitter. After finishing this step, wash the fish thoroughly in running water and dry on a cloth or kitchen roll.
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| 3. |
For some recipes, it is necessary to remove the scales before gutting the fish. Remember though that this is not always necessary: grilling or baking do not call for scaling, although it is essential if the fish is to be cooked in a sauce or used for a sauce or soup.
Appropriate tools exist for scaling the fish, but one can also use a sharp knife. Use the blade to scrape the skin, moving from the tail towards the head, namely in the opposite direction to that of the scales. At this point, it is necessary to remove the fins with a pair of scissors. Lastly, lift the gill covers and remove the gills.
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FOR THE PERFECT FILLETING |
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| 4. |
Filleting is the process whereby we obtain clean fillets of fish that are ready to cook. To fillet the fish we need suitable knives: there is a specific fish-filleting knife that is a small, straight knife, and the smooth knife (a knife with a wide blade) for "scalloping" the large fillets. Generally speaking, one should place the fish on the board with its back turned towards the person cutting. Then insert the knife diagonally behind the gills until reaching the spine. Then turn the knife towards the tail and, resting it on the fish bones, cut until reaching the tail fin: in this way, we obtain the first fillet. After having turned the fish, continue for the second fillet as per the first. Then trim the edges of the two fillets and use tweezers to remove any fish bones left in the flesh.
Finally, proceed with the removal of the skin. Put the fillets on the board, with the skin on the surface. Insert the blade from the tail side between the flesh and the skin. Then, holding the skin firmly with one hand, run the blade through at a slight angle with a sawing action, keeping it in contact with the skin until it has been completely removed.
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| 5. |
Flat fish such as sole require a particular method of filleting. This is as follows: use a sharp pair of scissors to trim the edges of the sole. Hold the skin firmly with one hand holding it between thumb and index finger and starting out from the tail, tear the skin off with a clean and firm movement. To improve the grip, use a cloth or kitchen roll. The same operation is repeated on the bottom part to remove the white skin. At this point, rest the sole on the board and use a knife with a flexible blade to make a cut, following the spine. Continue letting the knife slide delicately over the fish bones until it is possible to gently remove the top fillet. Use the same technique to remove the second top fillet, then turn the fish and repeat the procedure for the lower side.
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