Fried pike will help you easily plan a family lunch or dinner. Pike meat has a specific muddy smell, but this smell can be easily removed. The first way is to soak the fish in cold water. The second option is to marinate the pike in citrus juice, usually lemon or orange.

We will present some recipes, and you will have to choose. Usually dry thanks to marinades and sauces pike turns into a juicy dish

Fried pike in breadcrumbs

Ingredients

• Pike
• 1 large orange
• 1 egg
• 1 teaspoon of sour cream
• 2-3 tbsp. spoons of wheat flour
• 4-5 tbsp. spoons of breadcrumbs
• 2-3 pinches of salt
• Vegetable oil for frying
• 20 g of butter

Preparation

• Gut the pike: remove the scales, cut open the belly and take out the entrails, cut off the head, tail and fins. Rinse well under cold water, dry with paper towels.
• Cut into pieces.
• Squeeze the orange juice. Pour juice over the pike pieces, mix and leave to marinate for 15 minutes. After that, dry the fish with napkins.
• Sprinkle the fillet pieces with salt and rub into the meat with your fingers. You can add some ground spices, but do not overdo it so as not to overpower the taste of the fish.
• Beat the egg with sour cream until you get a smooth mass.
• Heat a pan with oil on medium heat. Meanwhile, prepare the flour and breadcrumbs on separate plates.
• Roll the fish fillet in flour on all sides, then dip in the egg and sour cream mixture, and finally roll in breadcrumbs.
• Place the fillets in a hot pan with oil. Cook for about 4-5 minutes until golden brown on the bottom, then flip. Reduce the heat a little and cook for another 5-6 minutes until the fish turns golden. Do not cover the pan with the lid pike would remain crispy.
• Place the cooked fish pieces on a paper towel to remove excess fat. After a minute, serve on a plate with a tiny piece of butter, which will melt and add even more flavor to the pike. Add lemon slices and parsley leaves on the side.

How to bake a pike with sour cream

We prepare a restaurant-level dish at home - fried pike in sour cream sauce. Provence herbs give a special taste. They should be used sparingly so as not to overwhelm the taste and aroma of the fish. For the sauce, it is recommended to use full-fat homemade sour cream, and if you want a lighter alternative, you can choose low-fat organic yogurt, cream or milk. This recipe perfect not only for pike, but also for other river or sea fish.

Ingredients

• Pike
• 3 tbsp. spoons of wheat flour
• 150 g sour cream
• 1 teaspoon of herbs de Provence
• 1-2 sprigs of dill
• Salt to taste
• Ground pepper to taste
• Vegetable oil for frying

Preparation

• Gut and clean the fish, remove the entrails, wash well.
• Cut the fish into 2-3 cm thick pieces.
• Pour cold water and leave for 15-17 minutes.
• Drain the water and dry the fish with paper towels.
• Roll each piece of fish in flour so that all sides are covered with flour.
• Add oil to a high-sided frying pan and heat it. Place the pieces of fish in the heated oil and fry on one side for 2-3 minutes on medium heat. Flip and cook again until the pieces are nicely browned.
• Mix the sour cream with herbs de Provence, salt and ground pepper. Add a quarter of a glass of hot water (about 80-120 ml).
• Pour the prepared sour cream sauce over the fish.
• Simmer over low heat until the sauce thickens. The water from the sauce should slowly evaporate. Cover the pan with a lid, but do not cover completely. If you want, you can replace stewing on the stove with baking in the oven. If the pan has a removable handle, remove it and place the pan in an oven preheated to 200°C for 15 minutes.
• Serve the stewed fish with fresh dill or rosemary.
• The hot dish can be sprinkled with grated cheese, which will melt and give an even more aromatic taste.

Fried pike in marinade with carrots and onions

Try the fried pike with onions, carrots and tomatoes. A dish will not have the characteristic smell of pike and will be very tasty. Garnish - vegetable sauce. You can add a clove of garlic, a little sweet pepper or a spoonful of tomato paste to the sauce instead of fresh tomato. Even a few fresh champignons will do. To maintain a bright orange or pink color, we recommend adding a couple of pinches of saffron or turmeric.

Ingredients

• 1 pike
• 2 tbsp. spoons of wheat flour
• 1 onion
• 1 small carrot
• 1 red tomato
• 50 ml of sunflower oil
• Salt to taste
• A mixture of ground pepper to taste

Preparation

• Prepare the vegetables: wash and peel the carrot and onion, remove the stem from the tomato. Cut the carrot into thin straws or grate it, if you want, you can use a Korean grater. Cut the onion into half rings, and puree the tomato or cut it into small pieces.
• Heat a couple of tablespoons of oil in a pan. Cook the onion and carrot until lightly browned. Then add the tomato puree and mix everything well.
• Place the prepared vegetable mixture on a plate.
• If pike has been frozen, thaw it beforehand at room temperature or in cold water. Clean it of scales, fins and entrails. Remove the dark film inside with a crumpled paper towel, then rinse the fish in cold water. Cut into large pieces.
• Roll the fish pieces in flour so that they are lightly coated on all sides. You can replace wheat flour with corn or rice flour.
• Heat a little more vegetable oil in the pan. Add the fish pieces to the oil and fry until lightly browned on both sides - about 2-3 minutes on each side.
• After the third flip, place the vegetable mixture on top of the fish. Sprinkle with salt, a mixture of ground pepper or special spices for fish, if you have them. Add half a glass of hot boiled water. Simmer on low heat until the water evaporates. Alternatively, you can bake in an oven heated to 200 °C for about 15 minutes.
• Place the cooked fish with vegetables on a plate and serve hot.