9.04

Seafood is divided into two major categories:

Fin fish fabrication techniques consist of scaling, trimming, gutting, and filleting the fish. Scaling methods are the same for both round and flatfish, but the way you gut and fillet them is slightly different. The tools needed for fin fish fabrication are a sharp, flexible filleting knife and a clean cutting board. When fabricating fin fish, put much of the trim to use in a mousseline, filling, canapé, soup, or sauce. When scaling fin fish, scrape off the scales from tail to head.

Once the fish has been scaled and trimmed, it should be gutted. When gutting round fish, make a slit in the fish’s belly and pull out the guts, or insides. Gutting a flatfish is a bit easier. Make the cuts around the head. As the head is pulled away from the body, the guts come away with the head. Filleting a fish is the step that separates the flesh of the fish from the bones.

Flatfish produce four fillets, and round fish produce two fillets. It is important to remove all of the bones from the fillet. Once the fish has been filleted, make it into various cuts, such as goujonettes (goo-sha-NETs) or small strips, or paupiettes (po-pee-EHTs), thin, rolled fillets filled with stuffing; steaks; or, most commonly, individual fillet portions of varying weights depending on the desired use.

Determining Doneness

Most all fin fish and shellfish are naturally tender, so do not undercook or overcook fish for tenderizing purposes. Cook all fish just until done. Following are guidelines to follow in determining doneness:

1. Flesh turns from translucent to opaque: Raw flesh of most fish is translucent. When the flesh turns a denser, more opaque shade, the fish is done.

2. Flesh becomes firm: Raw fish is somewhat mushy. As the flesh cooks, it becomes firmer and springs back to the touch when done.

3. Flesh pulls easily away from bone: As the fish cooks, the flesh loosens and can be effortlessly separated from the bone when done.

4. Flesh begins to flake: As the fish cooks, connective tissue breaks down and muscle fibers begin to separate from each other, or flake.

The fish is done as soon as flaking starts to occur. Finally, carryover cooking applies to seafood as well as meat. With this in mind, it is better to slightly undercook the fish and allow carryover cooking to bring it to doneness. Not taking the residual heat of carryover cooking into account often leads to overcooked fish and a less satisfying dish for guests.