In Russian restaurants, these three types of fish - dorado, sea bass and salmon - are the most popular. To distinguish the latter in this small list (belonging to the class of red fish) is not difficult.
It is much more difficult to answer the question of how dorado and sea bass differ. The difference between the two fish species is not so obvious as to completely eliminate confusion. Sometimes they are considered the same fish with different names. But experts assure that this opinion is erroneous. What are sea bass and dorado? We will talk about the differences between them in our article.
These are two different fish.
Experts ask not to doubt it. To gourmets who are at a loss about what to choose - sea bass or dorado, and who make mistakes when ordering at a restaurant or when buying at a supermarket, ichthyologists explain: although these species are similar in taste and characteristics, they belong to completely different families of white fish. The dorada belongs to the sparas, and the sea bass to the morons. Which one do you prefer - sea bass or dorado? Let's try to figure it out.
Oh dorado
Dorado (dorado) is also called golden spar. It is one of the most common fish species in the Mediterranean. Most often you can find artificially grown dorada. It is most successfully grown in Turkey, Greece, Spain and Italy. The weight of one individual varies from 300 g to 1 kg. The main distinguishing feature of this fish is the presence of a golden strip on its convex forehead. Hence its second name is golden spar. Dorada is especially appreciated because of its small number of bones and versatility - it is suitable for food both raw and cooked in a variety of ways.
About sea bass
Sea bass or dorado? What to prefer? Those who have to think about this issue should also find out that sea bass, or Laurack, as this fish is also called, is more popular than dorada. It occurs, in addition to the Mediterranean, also in the Black and Atlantic Seas. Gourmets of Russia call it sea bass (in English, "sea bass"). This name was fixed due to the development of the restaurant business. In England, it is known as Lauraq, in North America - as Branzino. Like sea bream, sea bass is also grown mainly artificially. In many countries, catching wild laurel is limited, or even completely prohibited.
How to distinguish them?
It is not at all difficult for anyone who buys or orders whole fish in a restaurant to determine that he is facing sea bass or dorado. Dorada is distinguished by an oval flattened carcass and the presence of a golden strip on its forehead, while in the sea bass the carcass is elongated, with a pointed head. It is more difficult to understand the difference between these types of fish when buying fillets.
In this case, to determine the differences, as the chefs assure, is almost completely impossible. Both experts and amateurs find it difficult to answer the question: sea bass or dorado - which is tastier? Both fish have white and delicate meat, almost completely boneless. Therefore, they are interchangeable in many recipes. Calorie content of dorada and sea bass: per 100 g of product - about 100 kcal. Protein in such a volume contains about 18 g.
Those wishing to distinguish between these two types of fish should take into account that in the sea bass the bones are stronger. Therefore, when cutting his carcass, the cook has to use tweezers, while it will not be difficult to extract bones from the dorado. In addition, the dorada has meat more textured both raw and ready-made.
How to determine the freshness of fish?
As with the purchase of any other fish, choosing a sea bream or sea bass in the store, you should give preference to a carcass, in which the head is not separated from the body. It is by the presence of the head that one can more correctly judge the degree of freshness of the product. It is also necessary, as experienced housewives assure, to pay attention to the carcass as a whole, to the gills and eyes. The eyes should be completely clean, without film, the gills should be bright red, and the skin should be resilient to the touch.
About taste
Experts consider the dorada and sea bass to be universal fish, they can be eaten both raw (or rather, half-baked), and fried. This fish is also eaten baked in whole or in part, in the form of cutlets or the ingredients of various soups. Due to their taste similarities, sea bass and dorada are interchangeable in many recipes. It is very difficult to answer the question which of the fish is tastier. To emphasize the similarity of products, in some countries dorada and sea bass are laid side by side on one dish. Their taste is almost exactly the same, many gourmets call it unique. Moreover, protein, vitamins, iodine and phosphorus are equally present in both fish.
How to cook?
Seabass and Dorado meat is considered dietary - it is lean and rich in protein. Fish is cooked in a variety of ways - an unusually delicate and completely unique taste is perfectly preserved in it. Both types - sea bass and sea bream - are excellent grilled and baked in salt in the oven. On the stove, fish is recommended to cook in sauce, so it turns out much juicier. A classic mixture of oil (olive), wine (dry white), garlic and peperonchino white fish can give a truly wonderful taste. You can also add tomatoes, olives, capers and artichokes, and in the abdomen put grass: rosemary, sage and basil.
Which species should I prefer?
Despite the fact that both sea bass and dorado are diet foods, experts believe that dorado still wins in this regard. Nutritionists recommend introducing it into the diet, even for people with some serious health problems. It is known about sea bass that its use is also insignificant.