KotiChef

Understanding fish anatomy not only helps with preparation but also opens up culinary possibilities beyond just the fillets. Each part of the fish offers unique flavors and textures that can enhance your cooking.

Primary Parts of a Fish#

Understanding a fish's anatomy reveals how to maximize both flavor and value from your purchase. Each part offers distinct culinary opportunities beyond the familiar fillet.

The head—often discarded in Western kitchens—contains some of the most flavorful meat on the fish. The collar (the section just behind the gills) offers succulent meat with a perfect balance of fat and lean protein. Fish cheeks provide small but remarkably tender medallions prized by chefs. When simmered, heads release complex flavors that form the foundation of memorable broths and sauces.

Fillets, the main portions of meat running along either side of the backbone, offer versatility and ease of cooking. Within each fillet, the loin (the thickest part just behind the head along the top) provides the premium eating experience—tender, moist, and clean-flavored. The belly section below contains more fat, especially in fish like salmon, where it develops a buttery richness that melts on your tongue when properly cooked.

The tail section, while containing less meat, offers intensely flavored flesh that adds character to stocks. Fish skin varies dramatically between species—from the paper-thin, crispy perfection of properly cooked sea bass skin to the tough exterior of larger fish that's best removed. The skeleton and pin bones, when simmered, release gelatin and minerals that add body and depth to stocks.

Finally, roe (fish eggs) represents a delicacy in many culinary traditions, ranging from tiny, crunchy flying fish roe to the luxurious pearls of salmon or sturgeon caviar, each offering distinctive texture and flavor.

Beyond Fillets: Using the Whole Fish#

While fillets offer convenience, exploring the whole fish transforms your cooking while respecting the complete ingredient. This approach connects you to culinary traditions worldwide that have long celebrated fish in its entirety.

A fish head simmering in a pot releases deep umami compounds that create extraordinary broths. In Cantonese cuisine, steamed fish heads are treasured for their tender cheek meat and collagen-rich areas. The Japanese prize the collar (called "kama") of yellowtail and salmon, often grilling it with minimal seasoning to showcase its natural richness.

When bones, heads, and trimmings simmer gently with aromatics, they create a fish stock with complexity that purchased versions simply cannot match. This liquid gold becomes the foundation for authentic bouillabaisse, risotto, or a delicate poaching medium for other seafood.

Properly cleaned fish skin, once crisped in a hot pan, transforms into a textural counterpoint to the tender flesh beneath. The contrast between crackling skin and moist flesh is a hallmark of well-executed fish cookery across cultures—from Mediterranean sea bass to Chinese steamed fish.

Understanding these applications doesn't just expand your culinary repertoire—it transforms what might have been waste into some of the most flavorful elements of your cooking. This whole-fish approach honors culinary traditions, reduces food waste, and often introduces the most delectable parts of the fish to your table.