Shkara from capelin is a traditional dish of Black Sea fishermen, who thus prepared small fish for themselves on the open sea on a ship.
Gradually, the recipe became widespread and is quite often found on the menu of fish restaurants. The photo of the finished dish looks very attractive and appetizing. But it can be successfully prepared at home, spending a minimum of effort and a small set of products. What side dish do you prefer with seafood?
- Potatoes 30%, 343 votes
343 votes 30%343 votes - 30% of all votes
- Without garnish 25%, 292 votes
292 votes 25%
292 votes - 25% of all votes
- Fresh vegetables 22%, 250 votes
250 votes 22%
250 votes - 22% of all votes
- Stewed vegetables 14%, 165 votes
165 votes 14%
165 votes - 14% of all votes
- Cereals 9%, 103 votes
103 votes 9%
103 votes - 9% of all votes
Total votes: 1153
18.04.2020
- Potatoes 30%, 343 votes
343 votes 30%343 votes - 30% of all votes
- Without garnish 25%, 292 votes
292 votes 25%
292 votes - 25% of all votes
- Fresh vegetables 22%, 250 votes
250 votes 22%
250 votes - 22% of all votes
- Stewed vegetables 14%, 165 votes
165 votes 14%
165 votes - 14% of all votes
- Cereals 9%, 103 votes
103 votes 9%
103 votes - 9% of all votes
Total votes: 1153
18.04.2020
×
You or from your IP have already voted.
A few facts and recommendations
- Shkara is also mentioned in literature. For example, the writer Kuprin richly and vividly describes this dish among the Balaklava people (the “Listrigons” cycle). However, it mentions a similar dish made from mackerel - very tasty, simple, which our great-grandfathers still remember. True, Kuprin’s characters prepare shkara somewhat differently.
- It is best to choose fattier fish for this dish, and a real culinary delicacy is obtained when capelin is served with caviar.
- By the way, when choosing the main product, grandmother’s advice can be useful: fresh fish should be taken in months where the name contains the letter “r”. For example, January with February, March, April, September or October, November with December - at this time the fish is the fattest and tastiest. And in May, June, July and August, on the contrary, there are thin little things.
- In principle, freshly frozen capelin will go into shkara, and some other varieties of small fish are also good. For example, in modern fish restaurants you can often see a similar dish of sultana, sprat, and herring on the menu.
- It is allowed, as a variation, to alternate layers of capelin with layers of very thinly sliced potatoes. Only this root vegetable must certainly be of the boiled variety, and not strong, since this is dictated by the very profile of the dish. Some home cooks also add Korean carrots. But still, it’s best not to do this, but serve a side dish (carrots and potatoes separately), pouring broth from under the skin.
This dish rightfully deserves attention. It has a wonderful taste and also combines the aromas of spices and a tea aftertaste. It can be used not only as an everyday dish, but also offered to guests with a glass of beer.
Recipe
Fishermen knew the ancient method of preparing small fatty fish. Capelin shkara is rightfully considered the favorite dish of Black Sea sailors. This recipe is very simple and delicious. Severe men cook it in the galley with fresh, just caught, small fish. Capelin is perfect for this dish: fatty, juicy, small, with soft bones.
To prepare shkara you will need the following ingredients:
- capelin – 0.5 kg;
- salt and ground black pepper - 1 teaspoon each;
- onion – 1 head;
- bay leaf - to taste;
- vegetable oil – 2 tablespoons;
- black tea (loose or in bags) without flavoring - 2 tablespoons;
- half a lemon.
Capelin is chosen in the store
Pay attention to the date the fish was packed. Evaluate its appearance, freshness, smell
It is advisable to purchase larger copies. Perhaps they will come with caviar.
The dish is prepared step by step.
- Prepare the fish. There is no need to completely defrost the capelin. Only if possible separate the fish for further processing. Rinse with cold running water. At your discretion, you can either clean the capelin or leave it with the entrails (there may be caviar there).
- Loose tea or tea bags are poured with 1 cup of boiling water. If the choice is made in favor of loose leaf tea, then after brewing it must be strained through a strainer.
- Salt and pepper are poured into a separate bowl and mixed.
- Add tea and a little vegetable oil. Stir until the salt dissolves.
- Squeeze the juice from half a lemon. If desired, you can add a pinch of sugar and cinnamon on the tip of a knife. Black Sea sailors did without additional ingredients and prepared shkara without cinnamon.
- Onions are cut into rings or half rings. Chop or cut into large pieces - this is at your personal discretion. This will not affect the taste at all.
- Lay out the first layer of capelin, put onion rings on top. Layers can be repeated several times. Pour over the prepared marinade.
- Add bay leaf, peppercorns, sprigs of dill and parsley. There is no need to cut the greens. Adding sprigs of herbs is only necessary for flavor.
- Place on high heat. You should put a weight on the fish, for example an inverted plate, otherwise the fish will jump.
- As soon as the dish boils, reduce the heat and cover with a lid. Cook over low heat for about half an hour. The readiness of the dish can be determined by the color of the capelin - it becomes almost white. The onion, which has become soft, also signals that the dish is ready.
- Remove the dish from the heat and remove the load. Throw out the sprigs of greenery (it has already given up its aroma and taste).
You can serve the dish without any special frills, lightly sprinkled with herbs. It is not always possible to cook it successfully the first time. But don’t be upset—next time you’ll definitely succeed. Households and guests will be delighted with this unusual dish.
To learn how to prepare capelin shkara, watch the video below.
Pink salmon
The cheapest red fish. However, it is also the least red, since its meat is mostly gray. It contains a lot of useful substances, for example, vitamins C, E, group B. Pink salmon contains phosphoric acid, healthy fats and a lot of high-quality protein.
Pink salmon baked with mayonnaise
Photo: Shutterstock.com
- 1 pink salmon
- Salt
- ½ lemon
- Black pepper
- Grated hard cheese
- 100 g mayonnaise
Step 1. Clean the pink salmon, remove the fillets from the bones, leave the skin on.
Step 2. Zest half a lemon and squeeze out the juice.
Article on the topic
Lamb, fatty fish and baked vegetables. What to eat in autumn
Step 3. Mix the zest and juice with mayonnaise, chopped dill and cheese.
Step 4. Place half of the fillet, skin side down, on the foil. Grease with a third of the resulting mixture.
Step 5. Remove the skin from the second half of the fillet, place the fish on the first half with the outer side down. Spread with the rest of the mayonnaise-lemon sauce.
Step 6. Close the edges of the foil over the fish and close it tightly, but so that the foil does not touch the mayonnaise.
Step 7. Bake at 200 degrees for 20 minutes.
Horse mackerel skin, or how to deliciously cook Black Sea horse mackerel
Shkara is perhaps the most favorite dish of Black Sea sailors. This is an old dish, easy to prepare and quite nutritious; it has long been prepared by fishermen on the Black Sea coast. And it is still prepared to this day from small fish caught. The fish turns out tender and juicy, in a fragrant and rich onion broth. They cook shkara every day and on holidays with vodka. The broth is especially good when served hot, and the fish with onions is simply incomparable when served cold.
And, of course, the gastronomic dish called “shkara” takes pride of place in many restaurants and cafes. It is prepared on the shore from freshly caught fish, with fatty and tender meat. Any fish will do: Black Sea horse mackerel, red mullet, perch, Azov anchovy and even capelin. And despite the fact that fishermen prepare absolutely any small-sized sea fish, I would advise using fish without scales. Horse mackerel is an ideal option for preparing shkara; it is easy to clean and convenient to eat.
The secret to preparing the right shkara is the freshest fish you can find on store shelves. But if it is not possible to purchase fresh fish, then frozen will do, and it will also turn out very tasty.
In several regions of the Black Sea region, shkara is a fish dish that is cooked over an open fire and placed on a grill. The Russian writer A. Kuprin also mentions this wonderful dish in his work “Listrigons”. He described the preparation of the dish in Balaklava: “By evening, the whole of Balaklava smells unbearably of fish. In every home, mackerel is fried or marinated. The wide mouths of the bakery ovens are lined with clay tiles, on which the fish is fried in its own juices. This is called: mackerel on a fishnet - the most exquisite dish of local gastronomes. And all the coffee shops and taverns are filled with smoke and the smell of fried fish.”
From Kuprin’s words we can conclude that the shkara dish is prepared from fresh sea fish, which is stewed in a saucepan (or in any container convenient for you), and also, as an alternative, fried (stewed). This dish goes well with boiled potatoes, and when cold it is suitable as an appetizer for beer or other alcoholic drinks.
Ingredients:
- 0.5 kg of Black Sea horse mackerel;
- 2 large onions;
- 3 bay leaves;
- black peppercorns;
- a little vegetable oil to grease the pan.
Black Sea mackerel shkara recipe
1. So, let's start cooking. We will need fresh mackerel (or other small fish without scales), a couple of onions, bay leaves and salt with black peppercorns. Grease the bottom of the pan with vegetable oil and lay out the first layer of fish.
2. Add bay leaf and black peppercorns.
3. Peel the onion and cut it into half rings. Divide into 2 parts.
4. Place some of the onion on top of the fish.
5.Now the next layer of fish, and again bay leaf and black peppercorns.
6.Next layer of onion. Add water so that it completely covers the fish and onions and place on medium heat.
7. When the water boils, reduce the heat, cover with a lid and simmer the fish for about 20-30 minutes. The onion should become completely soft.
8.Remove from heat and let the dish brew a little. We serve and serve hot or cold, to your taste. Bon appetit!
We recommend:
You may like:
How to taste?
The capelin skin is ready for use. Serve hot, sprinkled with fresh herbs (dill, for example), and garnished with a slice of lemon. As a side dish, you can confidently use boiled potatoes (even in their uniforms), rice and vegetable salad. And if there is any leftover, you can use capelin shkara (recipe with photo attached) cold. This fish is suitable as an excellent snack with cool beer. There is no shame in serving this dish to guests. Although it’s cheap, it’s incredibly delicious – you’ll just lick your fingers.
Capelin skin recipe with photos step by step
We wash the fish in running water. If a freshly frozen product is used, then initially defrost it naturally, and not under hot water or in the microwave. There is no need to gut the capelin.
Pour salt and sugar into a bowl, add cinnamon (just a little). Previously, fishermen got along just fine without this spice, but it is worth noting that it gives the dish a special taste. Then squeeze the juice from half a lemon.
At the same time, brew black tea – stronger. Strain it from the tea leaves and pour it into a bowl with spices and lemon
A couple of tablespoons is enough, but pay attention: the brew must be strong!
When it cools down, add vegetable oil to the dressing (also a few spoons - by eye).
Peel the onion and cut into half rings.
Place the prepared capelin or any other small fish in a layer on the bottom of a deep frying pan. And on top is a layer of onion, cut into half rings and a couple of laurel leaves. Then again a layer of fish - a layer of onions with laurel.
Fill all this with the previously prepared filling. And on top we place a plate the size of the frying pan, pressing the top layer (you can also use a lid from a smaller frying pan). This is done to prevent the fish from “jumping” as it cooks.
Place on low heat and cook for about half an hour or forty minutes. In principle, the dish will be ready in 20 minutes, but we need to ensure that the bones become soft, and the capelin can be eaten whole without removing the ridge.
Ingredients
The products needed for cooking are not particularly complicated or expensive. The main things we need:
- half a kilo of capelin (fresh or frozen);
- a pair of large onions;
- spices (bay leaf, allspice and black peppercorns, a little cinnamon);
- salt and sugar;
- lemon juice;
- vegetable oil
Oh, and don’t forget the highlight: brewed black tea in the amount of one or two large spoons. Now let's proceed directly to preparing the dish.
Preparation
When purchasing, you should pay attention to the appearance of the fish. if it has been defrosted repeatedly, the structure of the meat becomes loose and after thawing the capelin “creeps” in your hands
Quality fish has a shiny surface. The carcasses are easily separated from each other and do not release large amounts of liquid. From such a fish you can quickly and easily separate the unnecessary things: the head, the entrails.
Capelin, which was stored correctly, does not have an unpleasant, pronounced odor. If it is present, it is better not to use such fish for food. It can become a source of intestinal infection.
Capelin has small scales that do not need to be peeled, and very small, thin bones. After cooking they become soft. Therefore, capelin is not cleaned before cooking, but only washed with clean running water. Whether to clean capelin is something everyone decides for themselves. If cooking fish with entrails causes a feeling of internal protest, then cleaning will not take much time.
You need to cut off the head and tail. Without cutting the head all the way through, press the skin against the table with a knife and pull out the insides. You can prepare capelin in any way: boiling, baking, salting and even canning.
Capelin shkara is a favorite dish of Black Sea sailors
This dish is made according to the classic recipe of sailors from the Black Sea Fleet; it has a bright aroma and leaves behind a pleasant tea aftertaste. You can offer this kind of treat to children and adults; it goes well with bread and potatoes, or with a glass of foamy beer.
Used for cooking:
- - 500-600 grams of fresh (mandatory) capelin.
- - 2-4 bay leaves.
- — Allspice in peas – 5-6 pcs.
- - Glass of water.
- - A teaspoon of salt.
- — Two bags of any tea, but only black tea.
- - Two onions.
- — Lemon juice from one small clove, about a tablespoon will be needed.
- - 80-100 ml. (adjust to your liking) vegetable oil.
- - A teaspoon of sugar.
- - ½ teaspoon of cinnamon.
Cooking process:
- • Wash the fish without cutting off the heads or gutting, place on a plate, sprinkle with a little salt, turn over with your hands so that the salt is well distributed throughout all the carcasses.
- • Cut into half rings or slightly smaller onions.
- • Mix cinnamon, sugar, pepper and a little more salt with lemon juice; do not overdo it here, since you have already salted the capelin.
- • Brew two bags of prepared tea in a glass of boiling water; the drink should be strong and dark in color. If you wish, you can use regular loose tea leaves, but then do not forget to strain; only liquid is required for preparation.
- • Pour tea (don’t wait for it to cool, pour it hot) over your mixture of lemon juice and spices, stir.
- • Place half of the capelin in the first layer in the frying pan, then add bay leaves and part of the chopped onion. Repeat these layers again.
- • Pour the prepared filling over your masterpiece, add oil, cover, set the heat to medium and from the moment it boils, cook the dish for 40 minutes. The capelin shkara is ready, let it sit for a while under the lid, and then put it on, sprinkle with fresh dill if desired, and you can eat it.
Ask the chef!
Didn't manage to cook the dish? Don't be shy, ask me personally.
