How to make smelt

Smelt is an oblong fish of small size, which is found in the Gulf of Finland and the Neva, where it is caught, and in large quantities. You can buy it in dried, dried, chilled or frozen. Most often, it is found to be dried or dried, since it is considered among our compatriots of one of the best snacks for beer. However, it will bring much more benefit if you make it for lunch or dinner. If it seems to you that such a small fish, like smelt, requires a lot of fuss and does not represent anything special, and besides, it is too expensive, then you are deeply mistaken. People who know how to cook smelt often prefer it. It is quite tender and oily so that it can be cooked in any way, but not so high-calorie as to spoil your body shape (100 g of smelt contain about 100 kcal). It has a unique and very pleasant taste, and the specific aroma it possesses only contributes to the appearance of appetite. If you add here a lot of nutrients, such as vitamins B, A, D, which are contained in smelt in large quantities, it becomes clear that this fish is worth the money.

Cooking Features

You can cook smelt by any means: boil for a couple, fry, bake, use for cooking soup. At the same time, the process of cooking smelt does not contain any particular difficulties, but knowing several of its features does not hurt.

Smelt have scales. It is removed quite easily, but this does not mean that it is possible to treat the cleaning of fish from scales scornfully. A small scale, taken in food, spoil all the pleasure of lunch or dinner. To the scales do not scatter, to clean the fish better in water with a special grater. Then it is required to rinse thoroughly and only then proceed to the gutting.
We are used to the fact that small fish can be cooked with the head, without removing the insides from it. However, the smelt gut is necessary. Her head is cut off and the entrails are pulled out through the opening. To facilitate the work, you can make a cut along the abdomen. If caviar was found in the smelt, it is advisable to leave it in order to cook it with the fish, as the smelt caviar is especially healthy and tasty.
When frying smelt it is recommended to brend it. Spread the fish on a hot skillet and fry in a large amount of boiling oil. In this case the smelt will be well browned and will not burn. Excess oil is easy to remove by spreading fried fish on paper napkins, which quickly absorb excess fat.
The cooking time for smelt depends on its size, because there are specimens weighing 100 g and specimens weighing three times more. Recipes most often indicate the time required to bring medium smelt to readiness. To all the fish prepared at the same time, you must choose similar in size.

The technology of smelt preparation depends on the method of cooking and the specific recipe.

How to cook smelt in a pan

Composition:

smelt - 1 kg;
chicken egg - 2 pcs .;
wheat flour - how much will leave;
salt, pepper - to taste;
vegetable oil - how much will leave.

Method of preparation:

Clean, gut and rinse smelt well. Drain fish with a towel.
Sift flour, add salt and pepper to it and mix.
In a separate container, beat the eggs.
Pour oil into the pan, put it on fire.
After a few minutes, when the pan warms up sufficiently, roll the smelt in flour, then dip it in the egg and bread it in the flour.
Put smelt in boiling oil. Fry on both sides until golden brown. On average, roasting will take 8-10 minutes.
Put the smelt on a paper napkin. When it absorbs the excess oil, arrange the smelt on plates and serve to the table.

You can smelt fry without using eggs - it is fat enough to stay juicy, even if the breading consists of only one flour.

How to cook smelt in the oven

Composition:

smelt - 0, 7 kg;
lemon - 1/4 pcs .;
olive oil - 60 ml;
bay leaf - 4 pcs .;
allspice peas - 5 pcs .;
salt, spices for fish - to taste.

Method of preparation:

Peel the smelt scales, remove the head and entrails, rinse well and pat dry with paper napkins.
Rub the fish with spices and salt.
Fold a large sheet of foil in half and lubricate its center with vegetable oil.
Put smelt in the center of the foil.
Mix remaining oil with squeezed juice from lemon quarters, pour smelt with this sauce.
From above spread the leaves of laurel and pea allspice.
Lift the edges of the foil and secure on top.
Place the foil with smelt on a baking sheet and send it to an oven warmed to 200 degrees.
20 minutes after the start of baking, unfold the foil and continue baking for another 10 minutes.

Smelt baked in foil can be served as a beer snack or as a main dish for lunch or dinner. It can be supplemented with a side dish of rice or potatoes, but can be left without a side dish.

Stuffed smelt

Composition:

large smelt - 1 kg;
crushed crackers - 0, 3 kg;
vegetable oil - how much will leave;
lemon - 1 pc .;
chicken egg - 2 pcs .;
tomato paste - 50 ml;
fresh parsley - 50 g;
champignons - 100 g;
salt, spices - to taste.

Method of preparation:

Finely chop the parsley with a knife.
Wash champignons, blot with napkins and cut into thin plates.
In a small container, mix tomato paste with a spoonful of vegetable oil, greens and champignons. Clean for 20 minutes in the fridge.
Squeeze juice out of lemon. Add salt and spices to lemon juice.
Clean and wash the fish, remove large bones from it. Cover with lemon juice and spices and leave for 10-30 minutes.
Stuff the fish with tomato paste and sew it up.
Beat the eggs in a bowl, dip the fish in them.
Dip smelt in breadcrumbs.
Fry fish in deep fat for 15 minutes.
Take out, put on a napkin.
When the fish has cooled slightly and the napkin absorbs excess fat, remove the threads from the fish and gently move it to the dish.

Smelt cooked according to this recipe can even be served on a festive table. For an ordinary family dinner, it will suit all the more.

Smelt in sauce

Composition:

smelt - 0, 5 kg;
onions - 100 g;
butter - 50 g;
water - 0, 2 l;
dry white wine - 50 ml;
cream - 50 ml;
wheat flour - 20 g;
salt, herbs, spices - to taste.

Method of preparation:

Having cleaned, gutted and washed the smelt, dry it with paper napkins. Grate with spices. Salt lightly.
Peel the onion and cut it into small pieces.
Melt the butter in a frying pan and fry the onion in it.
Remove onions from the pan, put smelt on it.
Sprinkle flour over the fish, top with onions.
Pour fish with wine, then cream.
Pour in water.
Simmer the fish for 15 minutes after the sauce has begun to boil.

As a side dish for smelt stewed in white sauce, you can serve rice or mashed potatoes. It is permissible to serve it separately, with only the sauce in which it was quenched.

Marinated smelt

Composition:

smelt - 0, 5 kg;
lemon - 2 pcs .;
garlic - 5 cloves;
salt - 10 g;
olive oil - 100 ml;
fresh dill - 50 g;
green onions - 20 g.

Method of preparation:

Cut the garlic into plates.
Dill and green onions finely chop with a knife.
Heat olive oil slightly, dissolving salt in it. Mix it with dill and green onions.
Squeeze juice out of lemons.
Clean, gut smelt, not forgetting to remove her head. Fold the fish in a rectangular container belly up. Lay the garlic on top. Drizzle with lemon juice and refrigerate for an hour.
After a specified time, remove the garlic from the fish. Put the fish on the cling film.
Pour over oil with greens, wrap in a film well. Put in the fridge.

Medium smelt pickled in this recipe needs at least 24 hours; if you have a large fish, double this time.

Smelt Ear

Composition:

smelt - 1 kg;
water - 2-2, 5 l;
potatoes - 0, 3 kg;
onions - 100 g;
celery root - 100 g;
carrots - 150 g;
salt, pepper - to taste;
bay leaf - 2 pcs .;
allspice peas - 5 pcs .;
nutmeg - a pinch;
fresh greens - 100 g.

Method of preparation

Wash the smelt by cleaning and gutting it. If the fish is large, it can be cut into pieces.
Peel the potatoes and cut them into small cubes.
Cut the peeled celery root into small cubes.
Grind the peeled onions and carrots in the same way.
Put water into the pan and put vegetables in it.
Set on fire and bring to a boil. When the water in the pan boils, add salt and spices, cook for 15 minutes.
Put the smelt, boil the soup with it for 10 minutes.
5 minutes before the soup is ready, add half of the chopped greens. Use the remaining herbs to decorate the dish when it is served at the table.

If you put the smelt right along with the vegetables, then to their readiness it will boil over too much. Some add to the ear of smelt sweet pepper. One piece for the specified number of ingredients will be enough. It is better to cut it into small squares.

Smelt - very tasty, nourishing and healthy fish. If you know how to cook it, you will greatly enrich your daily diet, especially since there are many ways to cook this fish.

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