Baked Boneless Carp in Its Own Juice with Spices and Lemon

⏳ Time

1 hour 30 minutes

🥕 Ingredients

🍽️ Servings

Description

It is believed that carp is one of the most bony freshwater fish in the world, and despite its delicious and tender meat, it must be eaten very carefully. The danger comes from the small bones, which are more numerous the closer you get to the tail. Because of this, even carp fillets are not recommended for small children, and many adults sometimes struggle with the bony inconvenience of this fish. Nevertheless, the Chinese, for example, have taught the whole world to cook carp with almost no bones at all. The trick is to first remove all the large bones — the spine and, if possible, the ribs. So, what is the secret to boneless carp? It's quite simple — you need patience, fresh ingredients, and a bit of effort. The preparation of this dish is purely creative because you never know in advance exactly how many ingredients you will need, and you must be ready for any improvisation. In general, fish dishes are great because you can easily experiment without fear of ruining anything. The main thing is to follow a few simple rules: 1 — do not use butter or margarine, only sunflower oil, or at most olive or corn oil; 2 — if you plan to cook the fish whole, it’s better to prepare it without the head. In some cases, this will spare your future masterpiece from a bitter taste and a specific muddy smell. Even freshwater fish such as carp, pike, catfish, burbot, and navaga can have such a strong smell that it can overpower even garlic; 3 — for gutting fish and removing the insides, it’s better and more convenient to use scissors instead of a knife. If the fish is bought from a store or market, it’s best to ask them to clean and gut it on the spot. This will significantly simplify your cooking process and spare you from extra cleaning of scales in the kitchen; 4 — the insides of the carp must be thoroughly cleaned, including the removal of the white membrane. Then rinse the carcass thoroughly under running water. In Chinese cuisine, the fish spine and ribs are often removed to get rid of as many bones as possible. For this, the carcass is cut along the spine on both sides with a thin, sharp knife, and the spine and other visible bones are removed piece by piece. The carcass retains its integrity due to the dense fillet part. The final touch in preparing the carp is to make cross cuts approximately 0.5 cm apart from head to tail with a sharp knife. Try to make the cuts on both sides, slicing from one side through the spine to the other continuously. This is necessary so that the small bones are cooked through, and our carp transforms from the most bony fish into tender fish fillet. Even if you can't bring yourself to remove the large bones, the cooked carp will not cause you any discomfort while eating. Yes, I almost forgot, do not throw away the head of the carp, just like the trimmed fins and tail. They will make excellent fish soup! But that’s another story).

Ingredients

Carp - 1 piece
Mushroom seasoning - 2 tablespoons
Wheat Flour - 2 cups
Ground Black Pepper - ½ tablespoon
Onion - 2 heads
Lemon - 2 pieces
Vegetable Oil - 1½ cups
20% Sour Cream - 7.1 oz
Cheese Spread - 3.5 oz
Salad Potatoes - 4 pieces

Step by Step guide

Step 1

While the future masterpiece is soaking in lemon juice, we will prepare the necessary spices and the baking dish. First, slice the onions into rings and grate 100 grams of not very hard cheese on a coarse grater. For baking, it is best to use a baking tray or a large cast-iron pot. In both cases, generously grease the bottom with vegetable oil.

Step 2

In a separate bowl, pour approximately 200 grams of wheat flour and slowly mix it while simultaneously adding sunflower oil, vegetable seasoning, and dried dill until the mixture turns into a medium-density paste. Do not add salt — the seasoning is salty enough.

Step 3

Divide the resulting mixture into two equal parts, and spread one part in a thin, even layer (2–3 mm) on the bottom of the baking tray or cast-iron pot so that the sunflower oil covers its entire surface. On this base, generously lay the rings of sliced onions so that the flour mixture is completely hidden. To give the fish a fragrant flavor, cut the remaining lonely lemon into even wedges and place them on top of the onion bed. Now you can be sure that the meat of the carp will be richly infused with the aroma of onion and lemon.

Step 4

It's time to remember the carp itself, especially since it has already soaked in lemon juice and even slightly changed color. To finalize the preparation, rub the carp on both sides with 20% sour cream mixed with vegetable oil in a ratio of 1:3, and place it in the prepared baking dish on the aromatic bed. Cover the top of the masterpiece with the second part of the remaining flour paste and... that’s it. If you do not want to spend time preparing an additional side dish for the fish, you can slice and lay potato wedges no thicker than 3 mm on top of the carp. Later, about 20 minutes before the dish is fully cooked, do not forget to sprinkle the potatoes with grated cheese. If you are baking the carp on a tray in the oven, you can add the cheese 10 minutes before turning it off. So, 30–40 minutes of magic from the moment the oil starts to boil, and the dish is ready. Once again, I remind you about the cheese, and do not hesitate to open the lid and pour the carp with the bubbling sauce.

Step 5

Do not rush to serve the finished dish on plates, even if your family has already rushed in at the delicious, appetizing smell and are clinking their spoons — let the dish cool a bit. Do not open the lid of the cast-iron pot or oven until you hear that the divine, bubbling sounds have quieted down. But do not delay with the tasting either; do not let the dish cool down, confidently serve it on plates when everyone is already at the table. Start with the men — they are less patient and are already on the verge of fainting from hunger, drooling, so save them first.

Step 6

After the prepared carp is ready, rinse it once more under running water and set it aside on a porcelain dish, cut one lemon in half, and generously squeeze the juice over the prepared carcass in the places of the cuts.