Asp balyk
Description
The recipe won’t take much time. This dish is not one of those that can be served at a festive table, but you shouldn’t deny yourself the pleasure of trying it. It is very tasty to serve balyk as a snack with beer, instead of croutons, chips, and store-bought fish snacks, especially since you can be confident in the quality and freshness of the finished product. Serve the appetizer to the table.
Instructions
- 1
Step 1
1. Wash the fish thoroughly, but do not scale it. With a sharp knife, cut it not along the belly but along the backbone; do not remove the head and tail, just split them. Carefully remove the exposed innards and clean out the gills thoroughly, otherwise the fish will taste bitter and will not be properly salted.
- 2
Step 2
2. Rinse the cleaned fish very thoroughly so that no blood clots remain. If there is time, it is better to soak it for an hour in cold water, then rinse it under running water and pat it dry with a paper towel.
- 3
Step 3
3. Place the fish carcass scale-side down, make shallow cuts, and generously cover with salt; leave for 30 minutes, then rub the salt in thoroughly.
- 4
Step 4
4. In a suitable container, pour salt onto the bottom, place the fish with the scales facing up, and generously cover it with salt again. Put a small weight on top. Place the fish in the refrigerator for up to 12 hours.
- 5
Step 5
5. Then we take out the carcass and rinse it under running water, place it in a bowl and cover it with water; after some time we drain it and repeat the procedure several times. After soaking, we hang the fish so the excess moisture drains off. We brush the finished fish with sunflower oil and fold it in half, as if it had not been cut, wrap it tightly in paper (parchment), place it in a bowl, and put it in the refrigerator. Place a small weight on top of the fish so that the meat looks beautiful.
- 6
Step 6
6. Serve the finished fish balyk with beer (or you can use it instead of herring with boiled potatoes).