Trimming and Scaling

Most fish, such as the salmon pictured here, have scales that need to he removed before cooking. Removing scales is a simple but messy task, so work as near to the sink as possible. Trimming any fins beforehand will make scaling more straight forward and, because some fins are spiny, will be gentler on your bands and make the fish easier to handle. Trim the fins with a pair of kitchen scissors but use a large chef’s knife to remove the scales, lish scalers are also available from specialist kitchen shops.