Features of cooking fish. TOP 6 gilthead recipes. How to choose it correctly?
Dorada is a sea fish, which is also called golden spar or sea carp. It lives, as a rule, in the Mediterranean and Black Sea. The gilthead is rather large in size, the fish can reach 70 cm in length, and 12 kg in weight. The fish has an oval flattened body, which is covered with gray scales. It is quite simple to distinguish it from other species. On her forehead, between her eyes, there is a golden stripe.
Features of cooking gilthead fish
Dorada is the hallmark of Mediterranean cuisine. It can be found on the menus of many establishments. One of the most popular cooking options is baking in a salt shell. In this case, the fish is completely covered with salt and baked. This is definitely a win-win. First, it visually looks very nice. This presentation will definitely please the guests. And secondly, it is also very practical. In this case, the gilthead does not need to be pickled beforehand. Thanks to the salt crust, the fish meat acquires a peculiar taste and becomes more tender.
Dorada is not only tasty, but also very healthy. In its composition, it contains vitamins A, D and E. In addition, it contains a large amount of iodine, manganese and zinc, which has a positive effect on the digestion processes. Dorada is rich in protein. Doctors recommend using it to normalize cholesterol and blood sugar levels.
Do not forget that this fish belongs to dietary products. The calorie content of gilthead per 100 g is only 96 kcal. This means that it can be consumed even on the strictest diets.
There are practically no contraindications to the use of gilthead. However, like any other sea fish, it can cause allergies.
There are a lot of options for how to cook gilthead fish. It is perfect for baking in the oven, steaming or grilling, as well as for frying and even smoking. It all depends on your taste preferences and the availability of time to prepare it. Therefore, there can really be many recipes for dorada.
As for sauces, tartare or sour cream sauce is perfect for sea fish. Dorada goes well with fresh vegetables or grilled vegetables. As a side dish, you can also use various types of rice, including risotto with vegetables.
Dorada itself has a rather rich taste, which should not be interrupted by strong alcohol. It is customary to serve white dry or semi-dry wine with sea fish.
Unscrupulous sellers have learned to mask well already spoiled fish. In order not to harm your own health and not buy a rotten fish, you need to know a few secrets:
- When choosing a gilthead, first of all, you need to pay attention to its smell. Fresh fish should not have a pronounced fishy aroma. Near the gills, it should smell like iodine or the sea. The smell of ammonia indicates that the fish is already spoiled.
- It is also worth looking at the color of the gills. They should be of a fairly rich color. When the gills darken or turn grayish yellow, this is the first sign that the fish is already spoiled. You should not buy it if the gills stick together or there is mucus on them - such fish should not be eaten.
- A dry tail is another sign of stale fish.
- The quality of the gilthead can also be determined by its eyes. In fresh fish, they will be convex and not cloudy.
- Better to overpay, but buy a whole fish, head first. Unscrupulous sellers often cut their heads in order to hide the freshness of the fish.
- The meat should not have a bright color that signals artificial colors. They are added to give the fish a more marketable appearance.
- You can check the quality and freshness of the gilthead by clicking on its body. There should be no dents on it.
- When choosing fresh fish from the aquarium, pay attention to the water. It must be clean. Do not choose the sluggish gilthead that floats above. Better to take the one that floats at the bottom of the aquarium and is mobile enough.
- If you choose frozen gilthead, look at ice. The ice layer on the fish should be thin. If there are many cracks on its surface, this indicates that the fish has been frozen repeatedly. And as you know, it can be frozen only once, otherwise it loses both taste and useful properties.
- Refrain from buying dorado fillets. It is extremely rare to remove bones from fish with your own hands. Typically, it is filled with a special chemical solution that dissolves the bones.
TOP-6 gilthead recipes
On our counters, dorada has recently been found more and more often. Therefore, it will not be superfluous to learn how to cook it deliciously. We bring to your attention the TOP-6 recipes for gilthead fish.
Dorada baked in a salt shell
If you want to please and pleasantly surprise your guests, cook baked dorado in a salt shell. She will certainly decorate your festive table. Do not worry that this way the fish will turn out to be insanely salty. Dorada will take only as much salt as she needs. And thanks to the salt shell, the fish meat will turn out to be incredibly tender and aromatic. One of the advantages of this recipe is that in this case the fish does not need to be pre-marinated and peeled. You can bake it whole. Scales are also optional. When cooked, the scales and skin will be removed along with the top ball of the salt shell, leaving clean meat.
- Caloric content per 100 g - 96 kcal.
- Servings - 2
- Cooking time - 40 minutes
Ingredients:
- Dorada - 1-2 pcs.
- Rock salt - 1.2 kg
- Egg white - 3 pcs.
- Lemon juice to taste
- Parsley - 1 bunch
- Lime - 1 pc.
- Fresh rosemary - 1-2 pcs.
- Garlic - 3 cloves
Step-by-step preparation of gilthead baked in a salt shell:
- Rinse and dry the fish. Scales need not be cleaned. Make an incision on the stomach, clean the dorada inside.
- In a deep bowl, beat the egg whites until frothy. Pour in the protein mixture and knead well with your hands. If the mixture is dry, you can add a little water.
- Cut the lime into small slices. Grate the garlic on a fine grater or put it whole inside the fish. Put pieces of lime and sprigs of rosemary and parsley in the same place.
- Cover the baking sheet with parchment, put some of the salt mass on top, level it. Put the fish on top. Fill it with the remaining salt mass.
- Bake the fish for 30 minutes in a preheated oven to 200-220 degrees. During this time, the salt crust will acquire a brownish tint. After the time has passed, remove from the oven and serve. The salt shell will not be very durable. It can be smashed with a spoon or the opposite side of a knife.
It's important to know! In much the same way, you can bake gilthead fish in puff pastry. First, it must be cleaned of scales and wrapped in dough. Such a fish will turn out to be no less tasty.
Stuffed gilthead
Quite a bold combination of products that at first glance seem completely incompatible to you. But you only have to try it once to see how delicious it is. Dorada is stuffed with minced meat, wrapped in pieces of bacon and served with grilled vegetables. This version of the dish is perfect for dinner and will certainly please your loved ones.
Ingredients:
- Dorada - 2 pcs.
- Bacon - 20 stripes
- Thyme - 2 sprigs
- Sage - 2 branches
- Olive oil - 2 tablespoons
- Garlic - 4 cloves
- Lemon - 1 pc.
- Olives - 15 pcs.
- Minced meat - 250 g
Step by step preparation of stuffed gilthead:
- First you need to prepare the fish. Rinse well and gut. Then put it on a napkin.
- Stuff the gilthead fish with minced meat and wrap in bacon.
- Grease a baking sheet with olive oil and put the fish on it. Decorate the sides with olives, garlic, thyme and sage. For decoration, you can also cut lemon into thin rings. Drizzle with olive oil.
- Bake in an oven preheated to 200 degrees for 40 minutes. Turn the fish over after 20 minutes.
- After the time has passed, serve directly on the baking sheet. Serve grilled vegetables as a side dish.
Dorada in coconut milk
The main secret of this dish lies precisely in the addition of coconut milk. Do not replace it with any other or cream. It is coconut milk that will make the fish more juicy and incredibly fragrant. Another secret of this dish is the ready-made garnish inside, which is also well saturated with milk and acquires a peculiar taste.
Ingredients:
- Dorada - 1 pc.
- Rice - 50 g
- Lemon - 1 pc.
- Thyme - 3 sprigs
- Black olives - 10 pcs.
- Coconut milk - 400 ml
- Salt - 1 tsp
- Black pepper - 1 pinch
Step by step preparation of gilthead in coconut milk:
- Rice must first be boiled until half cooked.
- Rinse the fish, peel and gut well. Then wipe with a dry cloth to remove excess moisture.
- Add lemon zest and thyme leaves to rice and salt a little. Stuff the fish with rice.
- Grease a deep baking dish with a couple of drops of olive oil. Lay out the fish.
- Put olives and lemon sliced into rings to it. Pour in coconut milk and bake for 25 minutes at 200 degrees.
- Serve in the form. Dinner is 3 in 1: fish, side dish and sauce.
Dorada in wine sauce
Making a restaurant meal at home is much easier than you might think. Delicate white gilthead fillet in aromatic wine sauce with caramelized orange slices is another great option for dinner. The side dish in this case will be clearly superfluous.
Ingredients:
- Dorado fillet - 500 g
- Dry white wine - 100 ml
- Water - 50 ml
- Orange - 2-3 pcs.
- Olives - 8 pcs.
- Sugar - 400 g
- Fresh herbs - for decoration
Step by step preparation of gilthead in wine sauce:
- First you need to prepare the oranges. To do this, rinse them well and cut them into rings. Dip the slices in boiling water for 5 minutes. This will help remove the bitterness from the oranges. Then we take out the pieces and put them on a paper towel.
- Pour some of the sugar into the bottom of a deep saucepan, then lay out the orange slices. We lay them out in layers, sprinkle each with sugar. Then we fill everything with water. The oranges must be completely submerged in the water. Bring to a boil, reduce the heat a little and continue to cook for another hour and a half. The peel in oranges should be soft.
- In the meantime, let's move on to cooking fish. In a deep saucepan, mix wine, water and a little orange juice. Bring to a boil. Put the fish fillets in the pan and fry for a few minutes, then turn over and pour over the wine sauce and leave in the pan for another 5-7 minutes. Then remove from the stove.
- Place the fish fillets on a flat plate. Sprinkle with fresh herbs on top. Place the caramelized oranges on a side plate and serve.
Baked dorada on a vegetable pillow
If you do not know what to cook for dinner so that the dish is as dietary and quick as possible, the recipe for gilthead baked on a vegetable pillow is just for you. Your dinner will be very light, but at the same time filling and incredibly tasty.
Ingredients:
- Dorada fillet - 400 g
- Zucchini - 2 pcs.
- Mushrooms (champignons) - 150 g
- Carrots - 2 pcs.
- Tomatoes - 2 pcs.
- Sweet pepper - 2 pcs.
- Olive oil - 1/2 tsp
- Salt to taste
- Ground black pepper - to taste
- Arugula - for decoration
Step by step preparation of gilthead baked on a vegetable pillow:
- First you need to prepare the vegetables. Cut the zucchini, carrots and bell peppers into strips. Cut the champignons in half. Fry vegetables and mushrooms for a couple of minutes until half cooked in olive oil. Add salt and pepper.
- Cover the baking sheet with parchment, put the vegetables on it. Put fillets on top. Salt and pepper again. No additional spices are needed. Thanks to vegetables, the fish will be quite aromatic.
- We bake in the oven for 25 minutes at 180 degrees.
- After the time has elapsed, we take it out of the oven, transfer the fish and vegetables to a plate. Decorate with fresh arugula on top and serve. You can also sprinkle with grated Parmesan cheese.
Dorada marinated in lemon-mint sauce
Dorada itself is quite tasty fish and does not require any special marinade. In order for it not to be dry, it must first be sprinkled with lemon juice. And if you pour the fish with lemon-mint sauce before frying, this will make it not only soft and juicy, but also insanely fragrant.
Ingredients:
- Dorada - 1 pc.
- Mint - 20 g
- Parsley - 20 g
- Lemon juice - 2 tablespoons
- Olive oil - 1 tablespoon
- Rosemary - 1 sprig
Step by step preparation of gilthead marinated in lemon-mint sauce:
- In a blender bowl, mix together the olive oil and lemon juice. Add mint and parsley leaves. Beat for a couple of minutes until smooth.
- Rinse the fish well, remove scales. Cut open the belly and rinse well.
- Put the dorada in a deep bowl and pour over the prepared sauce. Cover with cling film and refrigerate for a couple of hours.
- After the time has elapsed, remove from the refrigerator and grill until tender. Then garnish with rosemary and serve.
