Thinking of a holiday menu? A fish steak can be a great solution for a gala dinner or a romantic dinner for two. Do not think that this dish is too trivial. Not at all, making steaks from fish is no easier than from meat. You will have to tinker with the choice of ingredients and the process. But what a result!
Fish selection
Too many types of fish are suitable for cooking steaks. But choosing the main product, you should remember some features. Give preference to those varieties that are distinguished by a dense stable structure and a small number of bones. To cook a fish steak in a pan, tuna, salmon, catfish, trout, pilengas and many other species are perfect. Steaks the size of a palm or a little smaller are considered optimal in size.
Beauty in simplicity: how to make steaks
Before starting work, grind a large flat knife without nicks. Can be useful and narrow thin for milling. Many chefs advise against opening the fish’s belly if you want to cut it for steaks. The abdominal muscles contain a large amount of fat, and if an incision is made, it will quickly melt during frying. It is easier to clean the contents of the belly after cutting into steaks.
Remove all scales, dry your skin with towels. Put the fish on a wooden cutting board and separate the head. Slice into portions. Fish steak is usually made with a thickness of about 1.5 cm and portions are prepared according to the number of guests.
Pre pickling
The task of the marinade is to fill the pulp with aromas of spices and speed up the cooking process. Before starting to grill fish steak, many culinary specialists pickle slices for a short time. Do not fill the fish with vinegar, its smell will clog its natural aroma. Better use lemon juice, soy sauce, spices.
Extra salt is also not the best option. She salts only the top layer of meat, and the middle remains unsalted. But sea coarse salt is the best solution when preparing steaks.
The following marinade recipe can be taken as a basis and supplemented with your favorite ingredients at your discretion. You will need:
- juice of half a lemon;
- 2 tbsp. l olive oil;
- a sprig of rosemary;
- a pinch of sea salt;
- seasoning for fish to taste.
Mix dry ingredients, rub them with steaks. Put the fish in a bowl in one layer, rub it with the rosemary needles. Pour lemon juice and olive oil, evenly distributing the liquid. After 15 minutes, turn the steaks over and leave for another 15 minutes. Pieces so marinated in this way can be baked over coals or in the oven, cooked in a slow cooker and a double boiler, and, of course, fried in a pan.
Cooking steak in a grill pan.
Most models of such pans imply the possibility of cooking products without the use of oil. But many experienced housewives are sure that a small amount of olive oil provides a beautiful crust. It not only tastes good, but also allows you to "seal" the juices and fats inside the piece, preventing it from flowing out. Add about a tablespoon of olive oil before you cook the fish steak in a grill pan.
A recipe with a photo makes it possible to understand how beautiful the surface of a piece baked in a ribbed pan looks. To get the same result, cover the container for the first 5-7 minutes and cook over low heat. During this time, the fish will be steamed. Then remove the lid and add gas - this will allow you to bake a beautiful crust. If the oil and the expiring fat begin to spray too much, cover the pan with a special net.
Grill-gas frying pan and its features
Such dishes appeared on the market relatively recently, but have already managed to acquire a lot of fans. If you have this wonderful dish at your disposal, be sure to cook a fish steak in a grill-gas pan.
Products in such a pan are laid out in a single layer or directly on the wire rack, or first wrapped in foil. In the second case, the steaks will be juicier and softer, in the first a more pronounced crust will be obtained.
You can put together with the fish on a wire rack and vegetables: eggplant, carrots, bell peppers, onions. You can serve them with the fish as a side dish. Cooking time will average 20-25 minutes.
Serving and Garnishing
Fish steak is a festive dish. It is worth choosing a worthy addition to it. If you don’t have the opportunity to be smart about the side dish, you can even serve ordinary mashed potatoes or boiled rice. Good pasta is also good.
A great addition can be baked white or green asparagus, broccoli puree or green peas, grilled vegetables. Serve the fish sauces: tartar, soy, bechamel or white cheese.
In the summer, you can completely do without the hot. Fish steak can be enjoyed with fresh seasonal vegetables and olives. Do not forget about delicious white or rye bread.