From time immemorial, pike have been considered in Russia not just fish. Human rumor endowed her with reason and a good heart, fairy tales and proverbs were composed about her. From ancient times, pike was also respected by those who were involved in cooking. Moreover, this fish has never been the food of the poor. It was served to the table by the boyars and wealthy merchants, and a pike stuffed whole and baked in the oven was considered a dish worthy of the king himself. To do this, whole fish from the northern regions of Russia were delivered to the capital.
International Food - Stuffed Pike
The recipe for a whole baked fish with delicate pulp inside and a fragrant crust would be wrong to call a dish of Russian cuisine. This dish is known and loved in other countries of Europe and America, because unpretentious fish is found in many reservoirs. The recipe for stuffed pike takes a special place in Jewish cuisine.
Cooking technology
The main feature of the recipe is that the fish looks whole, but there are no bones inside it. Therefore, it is necessary to remove the skin very carefully so as not to damage it. The flesh of the pike must also be carefully separated from the bones and ground. To make dry meat more tender, onion and a muffin soaked in milk are added to the minced meat. Then stuffed pike, the recipe of which can be supplemented with greens, stewed carrots, fried mushrooms, baked in the oven. But the fish is tender and fragrant.
Trying to cook?
It is not surprising that there are no strict proportions for such an international recipe. Therefore, we will take everything "by eye".
Products
Larger pike, a piece of white bread or a bun, some warm milk, an egg, onion and carrot. Additionally, you can use a few mushrooms, a half-bunch of dill, a few feathers of green onions, a slice of cheese. In addition, lettuce and mayonnaise are useful for decorating, to get a beautiful and festive stuffed pike.
Recipe
Carefully make an incision around the head. The skin of the pike is removed easily, like a stocking. If you can’t remove it entirely, then the head can be cut off completely, and an additional cut can be made along the abdomen.
Cut the flesh from the spine, grind through a meat grinder.
Do not worry about small bones - they will all remain on the screw. It is advisable to scroll the minced meat twice, adding a soaked bun to the fish meat. Cut onions and carrots medium-sized, fry in oil, also pass through a meat grinder.
If you decide to add mushrooms, they just need to be fried and mixed with minced meat, no need to scroll. Salt and black pepper can be added at this point. Next, carefully fill the "stocking" of skin with minced meat. You should not push it all - most likely, it will not fit, and the skin will burst. Put the prepared pike on a baking sheet, place the head and bake in the oven.
Serving
Stuffed pike, the recipe of which is not so complicated, is perfect for a festive table. Therefore, it is worth taking care of the appearance of the dish. Mayonnaise will come in handy: if you draw a net on an almost finished fish and return it to the oven for a couple of minutes, it will turn out very beautifully. Well suited to baked fish and lettuce, spinach, lettuce. Red berries, for example, cranberries, viburnum, also “go” to her. You can use halves of lemon slices.