GUTTING

I believe that gutting a fish is only necessary if you are going to store the fish (as these will quickly turn the whole fish bad if left inside) or if you want to use the offal (which I do, of course, recommend). For those cooks experienced in fish filleting, gutting the fish is unnecessary if you are going to fillet the fish straight away. Take care not to puncture the gut with your knife when removing the fillets. For those with less experience, gutting the fish prior to filleting may make the process easier.

• To gut the fish, make an incision with a very sharp knife at the fish’s anal vent. Using only the very tip of the knife, cut up through to the gills under the bottom jaw of the fish. • Once the cavity is opened, carefully separate the membrane that sits in front and behind the gills and the collar.

• Spread the fish cavity fully open with both hands to expose the internal organs.

• The gills can now be pulled down towards the tail, and all the internal organs of the fish can be removed in one piece with little mess. Done correctly, you should be able to hold the gills up above your board and the fish’s offal will dangle below. • Wipe the cavity and skin of the fish very clean with paper towel. Reserve the offal.