How to... fillet a flatfish

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Daniel Pfyl, hospitality management lecturer at Otago Polytechnic, shares some professional techniques to make your cooking easier.

• To skin and fillet a flatfish such as flounder, sole, brill or turbot

Flatfish have both eyes on the top of the body. They can be scaled, cleaned and cooked whole, but to fillet them, remove the skin first.

PICTURE 1: With the dark side of the fish uppermost, make a small cut through the skin at the tail.

PICTURES 2 and 3: Holding the tail firmly with a cloth and with salt on the fingers of your other hand to give grip, pull the skin firmly towards the head so it peels off.

PICTURES 4 and 5: Turn the fish over and do the same on the pale underside.

PICTURE 6: Using sturdy scissors or a sharp knife, trim off the fins, leaving about cm. Cut off the head and tail, and rinse.

PICTURE 7: Cut a slit down the backbone. If you are pan-frying or grilling the fish whole it will cook more evenly, and if you are filleting it, this is where you start.

PICTURE 8: Working along the backbone towards the outer edges, slide the knife along the bones, lifting the fillets off the frame. You will end up with four fillets. The frame can be used for stock.

Thanks to Blue Water Products Ltd for supplying the fish.

If you would like to request a particular technique, please let us know.

Write to Tricks of the trade, Editorial Features, Otago Daily Times, P. O. Box 181, Dunedin or email odt.features@odt.co.nz [2] with tricks of the trade in the subject line.

More information on cooking from the Otago Polytechnic can be found on www.otagocookeryl4.blogspot.com [3]