There are several products in which, in addition to the gastronomic essence, the symbolic one is also important. Bread and wine, for example. In every world religion there is always some kind of sacred food.
There is, however, another kind of symbolism. For example, for post-Soviet Russia, the Italian herb arugula, the New Zealand fruit kiwi and the sea bass laurel have become symbols of bourgeois life, open borders and the endless world of culinary pleasures. Lavrak is not the most prominent in this series, perhaps, but it was he who marked the transition on the supermarket shelves from heavy briquettes of frozen capelin and the violence of a fish day on Thursday to a situation where fish can be not a burden, but a pleasure.
Lavrak has many names. He is also a sea bass, he is also a sea bass, he is also a sea wolf, he is also a branzino and a dozen other different nicknames. Gastronomy, having become a universal art, took French terminology for technological processes, and left the names of products to the local discretion. Lavrak, however, although it has become the most common culinary fish in Russia, they call it mainly in English – sea bass. However, computers, too, have not been called computers for a long time.
90% of the sea bass in our stores is farm-produced: this fish is well cultivated and therefore not too expensive. However, fishing is that part of the food program where the epithet “farming” does not mean an unconditional benefit. Farm carrot – yes, happiness and good luck. And farm fish are lower in status than wild fish.
Seabass feels equally good on the grill, in the oven, and in the pan, it fits perfectly into fish soups, and can also be eaten raw. Seabass is a predator, eats crustaceans, small fish and shellfish, and such a diet, of course, makes its taste bright enough. White, dense and at the same time tender meat with a delicate, elegant taste: the sea bass had every reason to enter the cookbook of history, and he did not miss this chance.
Lavrak, aka sea bass, branzino, sea bass and sea wolf …
Sea bass with leek and oyster mushrooms
For 6 people
Preparation: 30 minutes
Ingredients
- 1 kg sea bass fillet
- 300 g Shiitake mushrooms
- 500 g oyster mushroom
- 50 g butter
- 50 ml olive oil
- 30 ml of cognac
- 2 g of saffron
- 600 g of leeks
- 4 garlic cloves
- 2-3 sprigs of basil
- 2-3 sprigs of parsley
- Salt, ground black pepper to taste
Preparation
Heat brandy in a small saucepan and mix it with saffron. Let it brew for 5 minutes and melt the butter in the same place, without bringing to a boil. Grease a baking sheet with oil and place the perch fillet on it. Brush the oil on top of the fish, season with salt and pepper.
Cut two types of mushrooms into quarters and fry them in olive oil for 5 minutes. Add finely chopped garlic, salt, pepper, remove from heat. In the remaining oil, fry the thinly sliced leeks until soft, season with salt and pepper.
Put the baking sheet with the fish in the oven (160 ° C) for 7 minutes.
Serve perch with mushrooms and leeks. As a sauce, you can use olive oil, punched in a blender with basil and parsley.
The sea bass had every reason to enter the cookbook of history
Sea bass ceviche
For 6 people
Preparation: 20 minutes
Ingredients
- 600 g perch fillet
- 6 limes
- 100 ml coconut milk
- 50 ml olive oil
- 2 garlic cloves
- 1 chili pepper
- 1 avocado
- 2 tomatoes
- 50 g red onion
- 50 g cilantro (coriander)
- 6 radishes
- Salt to taste
Preparation
Cut the sea bass fillet into small cubes and pour over lime juice, coconut milk and olive oil. Add finely chopped garlic and chili peppers, mix and marinate in the refrigerator for 2 hours. To chilled pickled fish, add diced avocados and tomatoes, finely chopped onions, cilantro leaves, thin circles of radish. Season with salt, stir and serve immediately.