Fish has gained fame as a capricious product. It is enough to skip a few moments during its preparation and you will get a product without shape and flavor.
That is why many abandon fish in favor of meat or poultry, losing useful trace elements in their menu.
Actually cooking fish requires only a little experience and knowledge.
The first and most important step is defrosting the fish. Do not immediately remove the seafood from the package and do not wash it with warm water. Read more about proper defrosting in this article.
The next step is saturation with flavors and aroma. It only takes 30-50 minutes for the fish to soak in the marinade. The same cannot be said for meat, which must be kept for several hours. The most suitable for fish:
- lemon juice;
- soy sauce;
- white wine (neutralizes the smell of mud in freshwater fish well)
- red wine;
- any type of pepper;
- ginger;
- spices: dill, coriander, rosemary, marjoram, thyme.
The secret to a good marinade is simple. The subtle fish flavor is easily lost in a large number of ingredients. You should also give up vinegar. It extracts all the juices from the meat, making it dry and tough.
Last but not least is the salt. First, it is better to use coarse salt.
Second, you need to season it with salt wisely. You can put the product in salted water for 3 minutes, but it is very important not to fry it for too long. Or you can sprinkle the fish with salt and wait 5-7 minutes.
Secrets of frying fish
If you're using fish with skin, then you should not remove it before cooking. This will help to preserve the integrity of the product and will not absorb the excess salt. You can also remove it immediately before serving.
What other fish frying secrets are worth remembering?
Spread out the product only in a well-heated non-stick pan, otherwise it will stick.
If you plan to cook fish with spices, then it is better to add them not during the frying process, but to fry along with the oil before adding the product. This way, the fish will absorb all the flavors better.
Dip the fish in cornmeal or breadcrumbs before placing it in the pan.
When cooking a whole fish in a pan, it is recommended to make several transverse cuts with a depth of 2 cm. This way, the fish is fried evenly and does not fall apart.
You need to fry the fish on high heat without a lid.
A few minutes before cooking, you can add 1 tsp. of butter and pour it over the fish in several portions.
It's important not to overcook the fish in the pan, otherwise it will lose all its juiciness and this step will be pointless.
How to bake juicy fish
It all depends on the type of fish. For example, salmon, trout, and sea bass will be juicy with minimal seasoning. They are oily fish, so they don't require rich, oily marinades. Carp, sea bass, mackerel and flounder are considered medium in fat content, so it is recommended to sprinkle them with vegetable oil before cooking.
But cod and pollock are completely low-fat. Not only should they be richly saturated with the marinade, but it is also not advisable to bake them without oil.
More tips for cooking fish
When baking fish, as in frying, the temperature is important. Put the fish in a well-heated oven. This is also the rule when cooking stuffed fish.
The cooking time and temperature depend on the source products: whole fish is baked for about 30–40 minutes at 180°C, while fish fillets and fish cutlets can be cooked for 20–25 minutes at 180–200°C.
It is best to check the fish after the minimum cooking time. The meat of the finished well-cooked fish is easily separated and the juice that flows out is transparent.
Steaming fish
There is a secret to making steamed fish even tastier. Try adding all the spices separately from the salt to the water. As the liquid evaporates, it will transfer these flavors to the fish. Wondering what else can be added this way? Pour wine, soy sauce, anise or rosemary.
This method has another plus. The vaporized aromas not only infuse the fish with flavor, but also spread their aroma throughout the house. Therefore, it is unlikely that you will hide from your family that you are preparing something delicious.
What to do with dried fish
Alas, mistakes when cooking fish happen even if you know the secrets. There is nothing wrong with this, often the situation can be corrected. Melted butter will greatly improve the taste of dry fish. Also, don't forget the sauces. A safe bet is Tartar Sauce.
Tartar sauce for fish and seafood
Contrary to popular belief, pickles are not an essential ingredient. Like garlic and capers, are added if you like. Also, this sauce can be prepared on the basis of mayonnaise, but it's best to be homemade or store-bought with quality contents.
Ingredients:
egg yolks - 2 pcs.
mustard - 1 tbsp.
vegetable oil - 30 ml
lemon juice - 1 tbsp.
pickled cucumbers - 50 g
salt - by taste
black pepper - by taste
Cooking method:
Hard-boil the eggs and separate the whites from the yolks.
Crush the yolks into small crumbs, add the mustard and beat with a blender, until a smooth mixture is obtained.
Without stopping to beat the mixture, pour vegetable oil in a thin stream.
Season with salt and sprinkle with as much black pepper as you like, pour the lemon juice and beat well again.
Finely chop or grate the cucumbers and mix them with the sauce.
If desired, you can decorate the tartar with herbs.
As you can see, cooking juicy fish is not as difficult as it seemed. It is enough to know some tricks. Of course, any dish will turn out to be delicious if it is prepared with quality ingredients.
See more ideas about:
- fish soup;
- stewed fish;
