Fish meat has a great taste, delicate texture. It is easily amenable to various culinary processing. The components are much more easily absorbed by the human body than the proteins and fats of meat. For cooking, it is important to choose quality fish. The frozen gills are paler, and their eyes are a little sunken. If the fish was sent fresh to the freeze, then after thawing its properties are restored. With repeated freezing, this trend is not observed. Insert a heated knife in the fillet: if an unpleasant odor appears, the product is stale.
Proper defrosting of fish
Fresh fish is better than frozen. But it is not always possible to use only it. Many people care about the question: “How to defrost a fish properly so that it retains its density and taste?” As a rule, this process is carried out illiterate. Since the product is simply put in a sink or plate. Often in such fish there is an excess of ice. When it melts, it absorbs it. This leads to loss of elasticity and deterioration of properties.
That is why at first it is important for the product to slowly melt in the refrigerator, preserving the taste and benefits. To prevent meat from absorbing melt water, fish should be put in a colander with a container below. The product must be covered with a film so that it does not dry. It is allowed to defrost in water. This is a faster way. Choosing this option, you should make sure that the water is at room temperature.
The product partially loses tissue juice, especially frozen fish fillets. To prevent this, you need to put it in a sealed bag, periodically changing the water. So the defrosting process will be faster. If the fish is small, frozen, then it is recommended to cut it without preliminary thawing. With the advent of microwave defrosting of fish is even faster. But using this method, the product must be prepared immediately. Therefore, you need to think in advance what to cook from frozen fish.
Preparing fish for cooking
Let's say our product has already thawed. How to properly defrost a fish has been described above. Now we will tell you how to correctly and competently organize the preparation stage.
Everything is really simple. First, the scales are cleaned. If required, the skin is removed, the insides are removed, and everything is washed. To make it easier to clean the scales, the fish should be wet. It must be put on a cutting board and held by the tail. With your other hand, using a knife or a special grater, remove the scales. When the fins are large and prickly, they are removed before cleaning with cuts on both sides. If they are soft, then just cut off with scissors.
When a fish does not have scales, but has very thick skin, some remove it. They also do this with old big fish. If necessary, you can use a knife to separate the skin from the meat. After cleaning, the fish is gutted. To do this, an incision is made on the abdomen. Then, with the tip of the knife, pull out the contents so as not to damage the gallbladder. If you cook it with your head, then gills are necessarily removed.
When all the stages of preparation have been completed, the question naturally arises, if the dish has not yet been selected: "What to cook from frozen fish?" Such a product can be cooked, stewed, fried or baked. In addition to the fish, you can separately make a side dish. Fresh, salted, pickled cucumbers and tomatoes, various salads are great for it. Red sauces are suitable for fresh fish, spicy for oily fish.
Recommendations
There are some useful tips from experienced chefs that will help make your dish as tasty and juicy as possible:
- Thawed fish has a fresh smell. If it is acidic or ammonia - the product is spoiled.
- After proper defrosting, elasticity is maintained.
- You need to purchase quality goods. Around it should be a thick layer of fresh ice. Then you will get delicious dishes of frozen fish.
- Do not defrost it in hot water.
- You can not freeze the product several times, since all its beneficial and nutritional properties are lost.
Cooking Recipe
Every housewife daily thinks about what to cook. You can make various delicious dishes from frozen fish. Including they can be made in a slow cooker. The advantage of using this technique is the absence of the need to monitor the process. Also included is a grill that allows you to cook food steamed. This method saves a lot of benefits in fish. Such nutrition is especially recommended for those who follow the figure and prefer healthy food.
How to cook steamed fish in a slow cooker? There are some great options. They are suitable for meeting guests as well as for family dinner. Dishes from frozen fish in a slow cooker are tasty and healthy. For example, red fish steamed. To prepare it you will need:
- 400 grams of carcasses of red fish;
- 50 grams of low-fat mayonnaise and sour cream;
- 150-200 grams of hard cheese;
- salt, pepper to taste;
- hops-suneli at will;
- 0.5 liters of water.
The carcass of the fish is washed, if necessary, cleaned of scales and cut into steaks. They should not be fat. With one piece of 400 grams should get 4-6 pieces. Each steak must be salt and pepper on both sides and, if desired, add seasonings of hops-suneli.
0.5 liters of water is poured into the main bowl of the multicooker. A grid for steaming is placed on top. Fish steaks are laid out on it, which are spread with mayonnaise and sour cream. Then the cheese is rubbed on a coarse grater and laid out on top of the fish. The slow cooker closes. Set to the desired mode for 25 minutes. During this time, you can cook a side dish.
Steamed Pollock
Fish is good for humans, so there are many recipes for its preparation. Alaska pollock will do. It remains only to learn how to cook fish. Steamed in a slow cooker, this product is tasty and healthy. To do this, you will need:
- 1-2 carcasses of pollock;
- one apple;
- onion - 1 piece;
- salt, pepper to taste;
- lemon juice - 1 tbsp. l .;
- steaming water;
- olive oil - 1 tbsp. l optional.
A piece of foil lies in the basket so that the fish languishes in its own juice. In a slow cooker, you can simultaneously boil a side dish - under the fish. If there is not enough time, then it is necessary to extend it, having previously removed the main product. It takes twenty minutes to cook the fish.
How to fry and salt?
What to cook from frozen fish? You can, for example, fry steaks. To preserve the juiciness and taste, you need to fry the fish for longer on the first side. On the next side of time it takes half as much. It is recommended to remove from the fire a few minutes before readiness, as in a hot pan the product will reach on its own, while maintaining tenderness.
Fish does not have to be fried in pieces. You can cook juicy meatballs from her meat. In doing so, remember that the product quickly loses fluid. To cutlets remained nutritious, meat is passed through a meat grinder with breadcrumbs. They absorb and retain juice. Simple bread is not suitable for this - dried pieces. So the cutlets come out very juicy, tasty and healthy.
As for salting, there is also nothing complicated. Typically, the product is salted before cooking. To this end, the fillets are wiped from all sides. The disadvantage of this method is that only the top layer is salted out, especially in large pieces. At the same time, you can not use a large amount of salt - it is so easy to overdo it. Fish meat absorbs liquid well. Therefore, to salt, you can put pieces of it in salted water for several minutes.
Soup recipe
A rich soup of frozen fish has a delicious taste and aroma. We offer you a recipe using salmon. It is best to buy fish whole so that you can boil a rich broth from the head, tail and fins. Frozen fish is also suitable for its preparation. Required:
- whole salmon - 1 kg (frozen);
- pearl barley - 80 grams;
- one onion head;
- carrots and parsnips - 1 each;
- bay leaf, peppercorns.
Before cooking, you need to defrost the product in accordance with the rules written at the beginning of the article. The fish is washed well, the gills are removed, and again the fillet is thoroughly rinsed. After that, you need to cut off the head, tail and fins. Then the frozen fish fillet is separated from the bones and removed to the side. Everything except meat is put in a pan and poured with two liters of water. After boiling, the contents should be cooked for 40 minutes over low heat.
The broth is filtered and set to boil again. Now you should add the salmon fillet there, bring to a boil and reduce the heat. Soaked previously groats are added to the pan. Then the carrots, parsnips and onions are washed, coarsely chopped and follow it. The contents should boil again. Next, over low heat, everything is cooked for 20 minutes. At the end is put a bay leaf, pepper. Salmon soup is ready! Before serving, he should insist a little. Salmon should be divided into portions. If desired, add a sprig of parsley or dill to the soup plates, as well as a spoonful of vegetable oil.
Baked chum salmon in a oven with vegetables
Very popular recipe. You will need:
- frozen chum salmon fillet - 300 grams;
- zucchini - 1 piece;
- red and yellow peppers - one each;
- onions - one head;
- celery - 1 stalk;
- garlic - 2 cloves;
- salt, pepper to taste;
- vegetable oil.
Vegetables and celery are cut into small cubes, garlic - sliced. Onion and garlic are laid out on a heated pan. They are fried until transparent. Next, add the vegetables and fry another two minutes, no more. Now salt, pepper and your favorite herbs should be added to the vegetables.
After thawing, the fillet is cut into portioned pieces and laid out on a foil greased with vegetable oil. Steaks need to be salt and pepper. On top of each fish piece, carefully place the vegetables, wrap it in an envelope and put it in the oven to bake. Cook at 200 degrees for 25 minutes.
Fried capelin
For this tasty dish you need the following ingredients:
- capelin - 1 kg;
- lemon - 1 piece;
- salt, pepper, vegetable oil to taste;
- flour - 100-150 grams.
When the fish is small, frozen, it is recommended to cook it in a pan. To do this, it should be washed, dried a little, seasoned with lemon juice. Then the flour is mixed with spices and seasoning, the fish is crumbling in it. After it is laid out on a greased baking sheet and sent to the preheated oven. Prepares the dish for 20 minutes.
This is only a small part of what can be prepared from frozen fish. If you properly observe the technology of defrosting and cooking, you will get delicious dishes with a pleasant aroma and excellent taste.