Firstly, well done in picking fishmongery up as a trade. It's an art that's underappreciated these days.
I hope they teach you gutting on your first day. The technique described in the link that Match posted is good for most fish, and a skilled hand can take a fish from flapping around to clean and sleeved in about 20 seconds, which proves it's not complicated. The art is being able to do it smoothly, so that all the guts and the front fins come out in one lump. It's almost impossible to describe, but really easy to do so get someone to show you.
Filleting takes a little more skill. You need to to learn the "feel": where pressure is required and where a delicate touch is better. Use a good flexible filleting knife - the more flex the better, I reckon. My Global will easily flex through 30 degrees. I don't know how much further it'll go coz i'm scared and it was expensive!
Again the site is good but a little thin on detail. Here are some additional pointers I'd include (Numbers correspond with stages on the website).
2) You'll see that as well as cutting behind the gills, you should cut behind the pectoral fins too (underneath it's armpits...). Do it in a straight line for presentation. As it says, don't cut through the spine, and don't cut through into the belly cavity. In fact, as you get close to the belly, you only really need to cut through the skin, while at the back you need to make sure you're right down to the spine (don't put pressure on the blade, fish flesh is quite easy to cut). Some people do this on both sides at this point - personal preference.
3) I prefer to cut down through the fish rather than from front to back. This is preference again. Only cut the flesh from the head to just behind the dorsal fin. You'll have to cut through all the pin bones that come horizontally out of the spine of the fish, so you can't just tickle it. Cut as close to the spine/centre line as you can but be carful not to go through to the other side!
Only a few bold strokes are required, but controlled so that you don't go too close to the belly and the ribs. If you do lots of small strokes the fillet will look all straggly. Once you have reached the spine all the way back to the anus/rear of the dorsal fin. Then move on to the next stage.
The first stage 4) This is as simple as it looks. Just push the knife through, aiming for it's 'vent' (bum hole). Once through, just run the knife along the spine. You'll get some resistance as you've got to cut through a good few pin bones again. Try not to let the knife lift away from the spine as it'll ruin the profile of the fillet if it has a curtailed tail...
The second stage 4 (!)) This is the hard bit to get looking nice. You should have the top half of the fillet free, and the whole tail on one side free. If you gently fold the flesh down towards the belly, you should see the spine, and coming off it you will see the ribs which line the belly cavity.
You need to use the knife to separate the flesh from the ribs. Again, the secret is to use as few strokes as possible and be careful not to let the knife stray deep into the flesh of the fish or it'll look straggly. long smooth strokes from front to back (oo er!) will get it done with the minimum of fuss. Some people claim better results running their fingers down the join to separate them, but it depends on the quality of the flesh: the softer it is the more likely I'd think about using my finger.
As you cut deeper and deeper you'll need to hold the loose flesh in your spare hand so that it is clear from the cutting area, and supported.
The last centimetre or two will be difficult because the flesh is so thin at the belly and the ribs will be flexing a lot, so don't worry if it gets messy there - you'll lose that bit when you trim the fillet anyway. You should now have a nice fillet! Wash it quickly but thoroughly, then get rid of any excess water.
The other side is arguably easier as you are now working with a fish that is flat on the underside, and you have a better judge of where the centre line is. The technique is the same. You will be left with the classic cartoon fish carcass, fit for Sylvester the cat out of Loonie Toons.
Tips:
Get a glove to hold the fish. Some suggest metal, but I prefer just cloth. It's a matter of taste. The cheaper the better as it'll get minging and have holes in it soon enough but it'll keep a good grip.
Don't over sharpen your knife - I lost the edge on a nearly brand new £35 Global filleting knife because some twonk automatically ran it over a steel before gutting a £1.70 trout (no, I didn't lend it to him, he pinched it.) I nearly filleted him...
:twak:
:aargh4:
Keep bare flesh away from ice or water - it tends to make it a bit 'soggy'. If you're laying it on ice keep the skin side down or put it in a placcy bag.
Beware of sharp bits - they're where you least expect them.
