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Tag: fish dishes

  • Fish dishes

    Fish dishes

    The Nativity Fast has started for orthodox Christians.
    While all meat is forbidden, fish is permitted on certain days. One of the most
    delicious ways of preparing fish is oven-baking. While it may have more bones
    than other types of fish, the flounder, which is similar to the carp or the
    golden fish, is suitable for baking in the oven. You will need one or two
    larger flounders of about one kilo each. Scale it, take out the gills and
    eviscerate them. Wash the fish and then make several cuts on the back, in order
    to remove the smaller bones. Add salt, oil and thyme and then place the fish in
    an oven tray. Finely cut several tomatoes and spread them over the fish. Also,
    finely chop several garlic cloves, as well as some chili pepper. You may use
    tomato juice instead of tomatoes; you may also add a glass of wine in the tray.
    Bake on low to medium heat for about three quarters of an hour until the fish
    is ready. This dish best goes with polenta.


    Carp is also
    delicious when baked in the oven. One way of cooking the carp is to put it in
    an oven tray, over a layer of potatoes cut into thick slices. Add tomato juice
    and a little bit of thyme and bake for around 45 minutes.


    Stuffed carp
    is another option, also baked. You will need a 2-kilo carp. Scale it, eviscerate and wash it, then salt the carp on
    the inside as well as on the outside. The stuffing, made of onion and fresh
    parsley, needs to be prepared separately. Finely cut the onion and the parsley,
    mix them with salt and pepper, then put them straight inside the carp.


    We have
    another option for the stuffing, made of mushrooms and rice. To prepare that,
    we need about half a kilo of mushrooms, half a kilo of tomatoes, a cup of rice,
    two onions, one head of garlic, fresh parsley and pepper. Cut the mushrooms in
    slices and then stir-fry them in oil for a little while, together with the
    sliced onion. Sautee everything with a bit of water, add the rice, the
    finely-cut parsley and a bit of salt, then pour tomato juice and white wine in
    the tray. Sprinkle the resulting juice over the carp. When it turns golden
    brown, it means it is ready to serve. Enjoy!





  • Fish dishes

    Fish dishes

    The Nativity Fast has started for orthodox Christians.
    While all meat is forbidden, fish is permitted on certain days. One of the most
    delicious ways of preparing fish is oven-baking. While it may have more bones
    than other types of fish, the flounder, which is similar to the carp or the
    golden fish, is suitable for baking in the oven. You will need one or two
    larger flounders of about one kilo each. Scale it, take out the gills and
    eviscerate them. Wash the fish and then make several cuts on the back, in order
    to remove the smaller bones. Add salt, oil and thyme and then place the fish in
    an oven tray. Finely cut several tomatoes and spread them over the fish. Also,
    finely chop several garlic cloves, as well as some chili pepper. You may use
    tomato juice instead of tomatoes; you may also add a glass of wine in the tray.
    Bake on low to medium heat for about three quarters of an hour until the fish
    is ready. This dish best goes with polenta.


    Carp is also
    delicious when baked in the oven. One way of cooking the carp is to put it in
    an oven tray, over a layer of potatoes cut into thick slices. Add tomato juice
    and a little bit of thyme and bake for around 45 minutes.


    Stuffed carp
    is another option, also baked. You will need a 2-kilo carp. Scale it, eviscerate and wash it, then salt the carp on
    the inside as well as on the outside. The stuffing, made of onion and fresh
    parsley, needs to be prepared separately. Finely cut the onion and the parsley,
    mix them with salt and pepper, then put them straight inside the carp.


    We have
    another option for the stuffing, made of mushrooms and rice. To prepare that,
    we need about half a kilo of mushrooms, half a kilo of tomatoes, a cup of rice,
    two onions, one head of garlic, fresh parsley and pepper. Cut the mushrooms in
    slices and then stir-fry them in oil for a little while, together with the
    sliced onion. Sautee everything with a bit of water, add the rice, the
    finely-cut parsley and a bit of salt, then pour tomato juice and white wine in
    the tray. Sprinkle the resulting juice over the carp. When it turns golden
    brown, it means it is ready to serve. Enjoy!





  • Palm Sunday Dishes

    Palm Sunday Dishes

    Although Palm Sunday is a Lent day, when people are generally fasting, fish dishes are permitted on this day. So here are some fish-based recipes for the special Palm Sunday dinner. We’ll start with a couple of recipes using carp, which is readily available in Romania.



    For the first one, carp with tomato sauce, you will need around 2 kilos of carp, 5-6 tomatoes, 2-3 peppers, two onions, a head of garlic, parsley, a lemon, oil, salt and pepper. After you have cleaned, scaled and eviscerated the fish, dice it and put the pieces in an oiled pan. Salt the meat, then arrange the sliced tomatoes, peppers and onions around it. Sprinkle the finely chopped parsley on top, add lemon slices and pour a glass of wine. Everything is now ready for the oven, where it should bake for about 45 minutes, on medium heat, until the fish pieces are golden brown.



    Another recipe is a little more spectacular: skewered carp. For this recipe you will need a large, 3-4 kilo carp, which you have washed, scaled and eviscerated. Oil both on the inside and outside, and place about half a meter over an open grill by means of a metal spit. Another rod needs to be placed inside the fish, to keep the sides apart and allow the heat in. It will take around 30-40 minutes for the fish to roast. Serve hot, with garlic sauce or lemon, and of course with a glass of white, dry, well-chilled wine.



    Another proposal for this occasion is minced fish balls. You obviously need a fish with large bones, easy to pick out, such as catfish. Take one kilo of boned fish meat, two or three onions, a few cloves of garlic, two eggs, some flour, salt and pepper to taste. Some people use mashed potatoes, others use soaked stale bread, about two slices worth. By all means do not forget a whole bunch of fresh dill. Mince the fish meat. Finely chop the onion and the dill, and knead it into the minced meat with the mashed potatoes or soggy bread, eggs, and the salt and pepper, then add the garlic, finely chopped or crushed to a paste. While kneading watch out for bones you may have missed. Shape the composition into balls, douse them in flour and fry them in oil.



    Another recipe worth mentioning has become something of a rarity, because it is difficult to make in its traditional form. It is Gefilte fish, which in Romanian is known simply as “stuffed fish”, and it is usually made with pike. The fish is skinned carefully to keep the skin intact, then the meat is boned and minced. It is mixed with a bit of rice and with finely chopped vegetables such as onion, carrot and green pepper. Egg yolk is added to bind the composition together. There are many variations on the ingredients, some recipes favoring sweet ingredients such as pine nuts, walnuts and raisins. Herbs such as thyme and basil are also used in many versions, and we highly recommend chopped fresh dill. After making the mix, carefully fill the skin of the fish with it, then sew it shut. Oil it and place it in an oven dish, with tomato juice and lots of garlic. Bake for about 45 minutes or until the fish is golden brown.