Fried fish: a simple recipe. Video
River and seafood, fresh and frozen, prepared in the most incredible ways, fish has long become a worthy and revered dish on any table. But the most common and simplest recipe is fried fish.
People have learned about the best qualities of fish ever since they learned to catch it. It was easy to catch, stock up, cook. Yes, and she gave strength no less than other food. Over time, people learned about the high content of phosphorus, fatty acids and other substances that preserve health and youth. This is one of the reasons why fish is a welcome guest on any table – everyday or festive.
In connection with such a love for the aquatic inhabitant, many cooking methods have been formed, however, the recipe for fried fish (or baked under a marinade, which is very similar) turned out to be the easiest to execute and does not require clear rules.
They decided to fry fish differently in each country. For example, in England, where recipes for fried fish came from exiles from Spain and Portugal, it is customary to cook this dish with French fries, but fast food vendors pack it no longer in newspapers, as 30 years ago, but in cardboard boxes.
In Poland, caught fish is first fried in a pan, and then abundantly flavored with vegetables (onions, carrots, celery and bell peppers). But fried fish, the recipe for which originated in Italy, is perhaps the most unusual in taste. The fact is that there it is cooked on a wire rack, strongly acidified with lemon juice, add fennel, pepper and some unknown aromatic spices, which no housewife will tell an outsider about: this is a real secret that makes the fish at the same time fragrant, tender, slightly spicy , moderately salty – in general, extraordinary.
For a very long time, for those who did not know how to fry fish, and always confused something in the recipe, there was a popular tip: cook it in peanut butter. It drowned out any taste mistakes, gave the desired crust and did not burn
How to cook and what is needed for this?
These questions torment any housewife who wants to fry the fish correctly: so that the figure does not harm, but to feed the family, and so that it does not fall apart and does not stick to the pan, and so that it is juicy, but not watery. There are a lot of these “so”, the secrets of a successful meal are in every recipe for fried fish. The most accessible of them is given below.
– A pound of fish; – a couple of tablespoons of flour; – refined vegetable oil (otherwise there will be a lot of burning); – spices and salt – to choose from.
This is, simply put, the base of the products you need to cook. You can add an egg to them if the fish should turn out in a delicate batter, or sesame seeds for sprinkling if you want an oriental note in a fish dish.
So, you need to start by choosing the right fish. Not all sea varieties can be used: they are dry, and some even start to taste bitter after frying. But fried hake, pollock, flounder, halibut or pangasius fillet are quite worthy (it is better not to take it entirely: it is very difficult to peel).
Frozen fish can only be thawed in the refrigerator. Long, but this way the fish will retain moisture and remain juicy
Now the fish needs to be cleaned of scales, thoroughly gutted, cut off the tail, fins and head.
The fish head, of course, is not fried, but on its basis you can cook a light fish soup and serve then on the first with fresh buns with dill
If there is mucus on the fish, it is enough to wipe it with coarse salt. Such a “scrub” will also help the fish not to fall apart. Then the carcass (or fillet) is cut into pieces (3–5 centimeters wide), by the way, the skin is not removed, it is rolled in flour and put in a preheated pan on crackling butter.
You should not send the fish to a cold frying pan: this way, the pieces will not have a golden brown crust, which preserves the juiciness of the fish. By the way, the crust will be crispy only if you do not cover the pan with a lid. Now it remains to fry the fish for about 7 minutes, then turn the pieces over in turn with a wooden spatula and wait until they are fried on the other side. If it burns, falls apart or sticks, you can simply add oil, the excess will not be absorbed, and the dish will be saved.
Instead of flour for rolling, you can use breadcrumbs or sesame seeds, but not much, otherwise they will drown out the main taste.
It was said about how to fry fish in a pan. But with what to serve it? It’s simple. Any side dish is served with fried fish: cereals, vegetable stews, potato casseroles. If the fish is an independent dish, then you can decorate with lemon and herbs, and serve your favorite tartar sauce with it.
If this method of how to fry fish in a pan seemed too primitive and mundane, you can risk experimenting with recipes for fried fish. For example, use different oils in different proportions. You can also deep-fry fish in large portions, stuffed with mushrooms, spices or, in fact, minced fish with cheese.
The main thing to remember is that fried fish is not a recipe written in steps and seconds. First of all, fried fish is a fantasy of any, even a beginner, cook.