Smelt is a small fish with a strong scent of fresh cucumbers. In the spring in St. Petersburg every year they celebrate a holiday dedicated to smelt. The fish is fried directly in the fresh air, it is sold pickled and salted. Small smelt is eaten together with a soft ridge, in a large one - white tender meat easily lags behind the bone. Prepare a fish at home - arrange yourself a small holiday of the arrival of spring.
It is necessary
-
- fresh smelt (1 kg);
- flour;
- salt;
- Marinade recipe:
- vinegar 9% (1/2 cup);
- water (1 liter);
- granulated sugar (7 tablespoons);
- salt (1 tbsp. spoon without top);
- bay leaf (2 pieces);
- cloves (8 pieces);
- allspice (8 pieces);
- onions (1 piece).
Instructions
Step 1
After bringing fresh smelt home, pour it into a colander and rinse with cold water. In a large fish, cut off the head and tail, rip open the abdomen and remove the entrails. Inside the smelt, there can be very tasty caviar. If you love her, then fry the fish with caviar. Then, when cleaning, separating the fish head from the ridge, carefully pull out the insides without damaging the abdomen. Small things can only be washed and nothing removed.
Step 2
Spread a paper towel or linen napkin on the table, dump the fish on top and dry it thoroughly.
Step 3
Combine the flour and salt in a deep bowl. Put a large frying pan on the fire, pour a generous amount of vegetable oil on it.
Step 4
Place a plate of breading and a bowl of dried smelt next to the stove. Dip the fish in flour on both sides and place in heated oil. Try not to stack tightly to each other so that it is convenient to turn over.
Step 5
Fry the smelt on both sides. Make the crust you like. Small fish can be fried until crispy.
Step 6
At this stage, the fish can already be served. Serve the dish with fried potatoes or vegetable salad, or you can eat smelt without any side dishes. She is very self-sufficient. Decorate a plate with lemon wedges and stock up on napkins. Smelt is a fatty fish.
Step 7
If you have the patience or have cooked a lot of smelt, go for a marinade. Boil water in a saucepan. Put bay leaves, allspice, cloves, sugar, salt in it. Add vinegar just before boiling. Let everything simmer for a couple of minutes, then turn off the marinade and close the pan with a lid.
Step 8
Peel the onion. Cut it in half and then into thin sectors. Separate the onion wedges.
Step 9
Place a layer of fried smelt in a plastic container, sprinkle with onions, again a layer of fish and onions. The top should be onions. Use a container that is large enough to avoid crushing the fish.
Step 10
Pour the hot marinade over the smelt. Take a saucepan in one hand, a strainer in the other. Drain the liquid onto the fish, and all the thick will remain in the sieve. The marinade should completely cover the smelt and onions.
Step 11
Place the lid on the container and refrigerate. After a day, you can eat smelt.
