Muksun is a delicious gourmet fish that can be used to prepare many dishes: simple, multicomponent, everyday or festive. The fish is absolutely universal, it is suitable for baking, salting, frying, steaming. Delicate, melting in the mouth muksun meat is eaten even raw - in the form of stroganin popular among northern peoples.
Muksun: advantages and features of cooking
The muksun fish belongs to the salmon family. Large specimens reach a weight of 8-10, but smaller specimens weighing up to 2 kg are often sold. This fish can be cut into steaks or cooked whole by stuffing and placing in the oven.
Like other salmon, muksun is very healthy. Fish is rich in vitamins E, B and D, phosphorus, potassium, magnesium and iodine. Meat contains a lot of proteins, polyunsaturated fatty acids, suitable for dietary and baby food. To provide the body with the necessary micro and macro elements, it is enough to include 2 fish dishes per week in the menu. The calorie content is moderate, the fish is well absorbed and does not provoke allergic reactions. The exact amount of calories depends on the specific recipe. Add vegetables and herbs, bake, grill or steam to make the dish lighter. More satisfying options are cooked in a pan, supplementing muksun with cream, cheese, sour cream and other high-calorie ingredients.
Sugudai: a classic northern dish
An unusual option that does not imply heat treatment. It is safer to use shock-frozen fish. Repeatedly frozen carcasses will not work, their meat will be dry and tasteless.
Ingredients:
- large carcass of muksun (weighing about 2 kg);
- 3 large onions;
- 70 ml of refined vegetable oil;
- 1 small lemon;
- seasonings to taste (garlic, ground red pepper, salt, various herbs).
Defrost the fish, cut into large pieces about 1 cm thick. Place them in a large saucepan, alternating with onion rings. Season with salt, sprinkle with freshly ground black pepper, add oil and freshly squeezed lemon juice.
Peel and coarsely chop the garlic, chop fresh herbs. Put the food in a saucepan, close the lid tightly. Shake the container vigorously several times so that the fish pieces are well saturated with the marinade. Put the fish in the refrigerator for at least 3 hours, or it is better to double the holding time. Serve as a cold snack, garnished with lemon slices.
Muksun ear: a step by step recipe
A healthy and dietary dish - rich ear. It turns out to be very fragrant, and it is quite simple to prepare. In addition to fillets, you can use those parts of the fish that are usually thrown away, for example, the head.
Ingredients:
- 500 g of muksun;
- 3 potatoes;
- 1 juicy sweet carrot;
- a few peas of black pepper;
- salt and ground black pepper to taste;
- fresh herbs.
Gut the fish, wash, cut off the head, tail and fins, divide the carcass into small pieces. Put everything in a saucepan, cover with cold water, put on the stove and bring to a boil. Remove foam, reduce heat, add salt, black peppercorns, whole onions and herbs: parsley, cilantro, celery.
After 5 minutes, remove the greens and onions from the fish soup. Peel the potatoes and carrots, cut into cubes, add to the pan. Continue cooking over moderate heat, skimming off the foam from time to time. Cook the fish soup until the potatoes are tender. Cover the pot with a lid, turn off the stove and leave the soup for 5 minutes. Pour the fish soup into bowls, sprinkle each portion with freshly ground black pepper. Serve hot, accompanied by rye or cereal bread. An excellent addition is a freshly baked pie stuffed with muksun.
Fish pie: step-by-step cooking
It is easy to make a fragrant hearty pie on yeast dough from muksun. It looks very impressive in the photo and is quite suitable for a festive table. A little trick: for baking, it is better to choose a rich, slightly sweet dough, it will pleasantly contrast with the fish filling.
Ingredients:
- 2 kg of ready-made yeast dough;
- 1 kg of muksun (boneless gutted carcass);
- 5 large onions;
- 2 bay leaves;
- salt and ground black pepper to taste;
- allspice peas;
- vegetable oil for frying.
Peel the fish, cut lengthwise, select large bones. Rinse and dry the processed carcass, cut into large pieces, rub with pepper and salt. Set aside muksun for half an hour. Peel the onion, chop into thin half rings, fry in heated vegetable oil until transparent.
Divide the yeast dough into 2 parts, roll each into a layer. Place one cake on a lightly oiled baking sheet. Spread half of the fried onion on top. Spread the pieces of muksun evenly, place bay leaves and allspice peas on top. Cover the fish with the remaining onion. The final layer is dough. Gently pinch the edges of the cake, make a hole in the center for steam to escape.
Leave the pie for proofing for half an hour, grease the surface with a beaten egg and place the baking sheet in the oven preheated to 200 degrees. Bake for about 40 minutes until golden brown. Before removing the baking sheet, check the readiness of the dough with a toothpick.
Put the finished cake immediately on a wooden board. Brush the crust with butter, cover the baked goods with a linen or cotton towel and leave to cool. Cut the pie into neat pieces before serving.
Fried muksun in egg batter: quick and tasty
The easiest cooking option is to fry pieces of fish in a pan. Flour, egg and bread crumbs form a delicious crust, tender juicy meat lurks inside. You can serve fish with any sauce, tomato or creamy.
Ingredients:
- 1 kg of muksun (carcass or steaks);
- 2 eggs;
- 0.75 cups wheat flour;
- a handful of bread crumbs;
- refined vegetable oil for frying;
- salt;
- freshly ground black pepper.
Rinse the fish, dry with a paper towel. Gut whole carcasses and cut into small steaks. Rub chunks of muksun with salt and black pepper. Pour flour and breadcrumbs into saucers, beat eggs in a separate container.
Dip each piece in flour, dip in an egg and sprinkle with breadcrumbs so that the batter completely covers the fish. Fry muksun in hot vegetable oil on both sides until crisp and golden brown. Place the fish on a plate lined with a paper towel to absorb the excess oil. Serve with a side dish of stewed vegetables, french fries or rice.
Muksun in the oven: dietary option
Delicate fatty fish goes well with sour fruits, for example, juicy aromatic apples of late varieties.
Ingredients:
- 1.5 kg fresh muksun (preferably fillet);
- 2 large sour or sweet and sour apples;
- 1 onion;
- salt;
- spices to taste.
Peel and core the apples. Puree the fruit with a blender. If not, the apples can be grated on a fine grater. Chop the onion into thin half rings.
Rinse muksun, dry with a towel. Cut the whole gutted carcass into steaks, the fillet does not need additional processing. Rub the pieces of fish with salt, sprinkle with spices. Ground black pepper, ready-made fish seasoning, dried parsley, and celery work well. Those who prefer more spicy dishes should try ground hot peppers in small quantities.
Put pieces of foil on a baking sheet according to the number of prepared steaks. Put the fish on the foil, cover it with a layer of onions and applesauce. Wrap in the form of an envelope, tightly joining the edges so that the tasty juice does not flow out. Place the baking sheet in an oven preheated to 180 degrees. Bake the fish for half an hour, let it stand for another 5 minutes, then carefully unfold the foil, being careful not to burn yourself with the steam. Place pieces of muksun on preheated plates. Serve with French fries or fresh green salad.
