Haddock? how?

[Twiglett]

DS suddenly loves fish ..today he chose haddock (full fish not fillets)

I had to just chuck them out cos I couldn't get enough of the bones out to give to them

what am I doing wrong?

do the fillets from the s/market not have them taken out - maybe just big ones left -that are easy to see?

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Have you got a fishmonger near you, Twig? Quite often they'll fillet it for you if you ask.

I have to confess though, I always buy the fillet packs where it's been deboned and deskinned. I'm a lazy moo

i always buy fillets as well

I normally cook them for about half an hour wrapped in tin foil with butter, then if a few ramina i can 'flake' them out.

also the tail ends seem less boney

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along the dorsal fin is where a lot of the little bones everyone is worried about lie. the other place that is dreadful for bones are the little side fins near the head.

try cooking the whole fish in foil, lay it on its side and start to flake the flesh off from along the middle of the side working towards the dorsal fin and belly. if you are patient, trying not to disturb the bones of the dorsal too much, you will see the whole fish skeleton emerge. They next time you will feel a lot more confident about dealing with a whole fish.

(when I get near the little side fins would just discard them if dealing with kids. too much work for too little reward.)

You may want to try the technique out first in a meal you prepare for self and dh before trying to remove the bones from a fish destined for a child.

I poach them in milk and a few dabs of butter. Flake it and pick out the bones.

Thanks for that info alux, I have always made a mess of a whole fish.

Twiglett I always buy fillets and poach in milk (or just cod loin if I'm feeling particularly unwilling to deal with bones!)

me too normally

its just DS loves the whole fish with the skin on .. well the look of it anyway .. and he got to choose today (he ended up with tinned tuna poor wee mite)

Why don't you try and get him a little plate with a picture of a fish on it - then you can put what ever on top and he'll get a nice surprise at the end. I got a little bagette tray thingy from Matalan with a cow, piggy and horse on it as they are ds' favourite animals.

Twig - I buy boned fillets and then put in shallow dish, cover with milk, nob of butter and pop in the microwave until just opaque. Serve with mashed pots, cheese sauce and veg - or put into fisherman?s pie if time.
My kids love fish too and we have worked our way through our fishmongers store. Had to go out and buy Rick Stein?s book as I am wary of cooking fish but worth it. My eldest particularly like kedgeree, the creamy fish soup and traditional fisherman?s pie. We have avoided the shellfish and won?t touch eels..