Lampreys belong to the lowest vertebrate marine inhabitants. There are also lacustrine or river species of lampreys. Unlike their marine “brothers”, they are smaller. Lampreys are a true gourmet delicacy. They are fried, smoked and pickled. Pickled lampreys are especially tasty.
Who are lampreys
Lampreys are a parasitic species of marine animals. Outwardly, they resemble eels, which is why they are sometimes called "lamprey-eel". Their body is very long and narrow on the sides. Their name literally translates as "licking stone". This is because they are able to stick to hard surfaces. However, there are also other types of lampreys that parasitize on the body of fish. Be that as it may, lampreys are an established delicacy that can be easily prepared at home.
How to cook lamprey at home
Lampreys are covered with poisonous mucus, which must be removed before cooking. To do this, rub their carcasses with coarse salt and put in a bowl of cold water, let them lie down for 5-10 minutes. Then you should thoroughly rinse the coarse salt together with mucus under running water. This procedure must be repeated several times until all mucus is washed off.
If time permits, after the first washing of the lampreys and soaking in cold water, rub the carcasses with salt, put them in a plastic bag and place them in the refrigerator for an hour. Then remove the lamprey and rinse well under running water.
Lampreys will turn out to be especially piquant if they are marinated in red wine before heat treatment and kept in a cool place for 24 hours.
Then decapitate the lamprey, for this you need to arm yourself with a sharp knife and cut off its head with a dexterous movement. The insides of the lamprey must be gutted without cutting the sides. Then cut the lamprey into small pieces, about 5-7 centimeters each. Dip them well in the flour and salt mixture and fry on both sides in a well-heated skillet in vegetable oil. Fry for 4 minutes on each side.
You can prepare lampreys for pickling in another way. To do this, line a baking sheet with baking paper and place the prepared lamprey pieces on it. It is recommended to sprinkle them with lemon juice and lightly brew them in flour mixed with salt. Then place the baking sheet in an oven preheated to 180 degrees and bake for 30-35 minutes.
Delicious pickled lamprey recipe
To make the lampreys tasty, you need to know how to make a marinade. For 1 kilogram of fresh lampreys you will need:
- 1 carrot;
- 1 head of onion;
- 2 tbsp. l. granulated sugar;
- 1 tbsp. l. salt;
- spices (bay leaves, black and allspice, cloves);
- 3-4 tbsp. l. table vinegar (9%);
- vegetable oil.
Chop the peeled onions and carrots and fry in vegetable oil. Then add to baked or sautéed lampreys. You can add only onions, without carrots, and if you wish, do not fry them, but put them fresh. Place prepared lampreys with vegetables in a clean, dry jar, which is recommended to be sterilized first.
When serving, it is recommended to put lampreys on a plate along with jelly. You can decorate the dish with lemon slices or olives.
Prepare the marinade. To do this, add salt, sugar, bay leaf, peppercorns (allspice and black), cloves to a liter of cold water, bring everything to a boil and boil for 5 minutes. Then pour in the vinegar and boil for another minute. Then remove the pan from the heat and pour the hot marinade over the lamprey. Cool and refrigerate. After 1-2 days, the marinade will thicken and become jelly-like. Lampreys will be ready to eat 3 days after pickling. Bon Appetit!
