The sea offers us all sorts of surprises in terms of seafood. Diverse in size, shape, color and way of life, fish live in the vast expanses of water. But a fish with green bones is a bit hard to look at as a common fish.
However, this is the situation about the garfish - it has green bones, along with an unusual-looking and colored body. Because of its green bones, garfish was not considered a safe seafood for a long time, but now it is known that the green color is not harmful when consuming the meat. It is due to the content of biliverdin.
Since there is also Black Sea Garfish, it is good to know basic things about the fish, because its consumption is beneficial. What is good to know about the garfish and its place in the kitchen?
General information about Garfish
Garfish is one of the most desirable fish, but catching it is a rare opportunity even for experienced fishermen. Laymen often confuse the garfish with the eel due to common external markings, but the differences between the two fish are obvious upon close examination, both in terms of size and physical characteristics.
Garfish as a Latin name Belone belone and is often called sea needle. He is a representative of the Lepisosteidae family. This fish is pelagic, which means it moves in the upper layers of the water. It is found in the salt waters of the Atlantic Ocean, the Mediterranean Sea and also in the Caribbean, Baltic and Black Seas. It swims in small flocks or on its own.
Garfish is a predatory fish, it feeds on small fish - anchovy, small horse mackerel, Atlantic herring, sand eel, crustaceans. It also eats small insects that have fallen into the water.
The garfish often forages close to shore and hunts in man-made features that interrupt tidal flows. An interesting feature of the fish is that it makes great leaps to chase its food or to avoid some obstacle. Fishermen see it jumping over the water and this is a particularly attractive sight while fishing.
If the weather is favorable, it is possible to catch garfish, until the middle and even, until the end of December. In addition to being the subject of increased interest from anglers, this species of fish is also the subject of commercial fishing and has a high commercial interest in it. It is not an expensive fish on the market, it is easy to prepare, it has many serving options and therefore it is sought after by foodies.
Garfish appearance
The garfish has an unusual body - long and snake like, arrow-shaped, covered with small scales that fall off easily when touched. It has an oil green to blue colored back, silvery sides and belly. The fish's dorsal and ventral fins are very close to the V-shaped tail.
The most interesting are the jaws of the garfish - they are elongated and resemble a sharp beak like a bird, which is why the fish is known as a snipefish. Sharp cone-shaped teeth can be seen in their mouths.
The maximum size of the garfish is 70-75 cm, but fishermen most often catch 40-45 cm fish of the species and their weight often reaches 700 g. There are also much smaller ones, which are often called pens.
Garfish spawning
Sexually mature fish of the species are considered to be 5 years old, although some specimens are ready to breed at 3 years of age. Breeding takes place every year. The garfish is an oviparous fish and its eggs are found attached to objects in the water with tentacles on the surface of the egg.
Spawning occurs in May and June among seagrass beds. The younger ones remain in shallower waters, until they reach maturity and then may inhabit depths of up to 20 meters. Their lifespan is 5 to 9 years.
How healthy is garfish
The benefits of each fish are determined by the nutritional and chemical composition of the flesh and roe of the species. Therefore, the excellent composition of the meat of this fish should be noted right away. It is rich in useful substances, among which omega-3 fatty acids, phosphorus, iron, iodine stand out.
They contain group B vitamins in excellent doses with a positive effect on the work of the cardiovascular system and blood circulation. They prevent the clogging of blood vessels and the development of tumor diseases.
Regular eating of garfish helps moisturize the epidermis and smooth out fine wrinkles.
The meat of the garfish is nutritious, quickly satiates the body, at the same time it is a light food, suitable for dietary nutrition and weight loss.
How to cook garfish
Garfish can be consumed boiled, fried, baked, grilled or smoked. The recipes are numerous and there is an opportunity to satisfy all tastes.
Interesting recipes with garfish
Garfish with onion rings
A popular recipe for making garfish is with onion rings.
The fish is cleaned and cut into pieces. The onions, cut into rings, are placed in a pan just moistened with oil. Place the fish pieces on top of the onion, sprinkle with salt, black pepper and rosemary and finally add a little grated butter. The pan is covered with a lid, having previously poured a little water and is left to simmer for about 10 minutes.
Garfish with lemon jam
Necessary products:
12 garfish, peeled and cleaned
1/4 kilo of potatoes
2 tbsp. of butter
3/4 cup breadcrumbs
1 tablespoon of cinnamon
1 jar of lemon jam
Preparation:
The potatoes are boiled and mashed with oil. Add the cinnamon and lemon jam. Stuff the fish with this mixture and pinch it with toothpicks or skewers. Roll it in flour and fry it on each side for 1-2 minutes. It is served with steamed spinach.
Garfish appetizer
This fish is suitable for preparing appetizers that are not heat treated. You don't even need to remove the small scales. The fish is simply rolled in salt and left for 20 minutes. Then it is hung up and left to dry. It takes 12 hours to dry completely.
Garfish sprats are made by cleaning the fish, cutting it into pieces and placing them vertically in a deep dish with salt, bay leaves and peppercorns. It is poured with oil, covered and left for 3 hours on low heat. The finished dish is served chilled.
It can be marinated in jars and used as an appetizer.
Warm dishes from garfish
In order to really reveal the taste of garfish, it is best to marinate it beforehand. It can be fried in vegetable oil, baked with vegetables, prepared on the grill or in the oven.
Interesting culinary tips for garfish
This fish may not cleaned from the entrails before freezing for storage to prevent drying out.
The head and tail of the fish are not removed when cooking. They are not eaten, but they give the dish an attractive appearance.
The fish dish will look unusual if the fish is curled up in a circle and the tail and jaws are connected. A side dish can be placed in the resulting circle or served on its own. Either way, it's an unusual and attractive fish dish.
