From leftovers to luxury: Transform your festive fried fish
Reheating fried fish is an art that requires finesse, as it often ends up dry and lacking in crispness. I have had an alternative method for repurposing leftover carp, cod, or pikeperch from the Christmas Eve dinner for years. Some believe this method makes them taste even better than freshly fried.
For Christmas Eve dinner, we often prepare fried fish. It's a quick and simple way to cook carp, trout, or cod. Season the fish to taste, then dip them in a light batter made purely of flour or with the addition of breadcrumbs, and they are ready to fry.
Better than cold
With fish, just like any other Christmas Eve dish, it's easy to prepare too much. We tend to ensure enough for everyone, with possible second servings. Sometimes, we feel that one type of fish isn't sufficient. As a result, a few pieces always remain. It happens to me, too, despite my efforts to carefully calculate the portions per person. Cold battered fish is not very appetising, and reheating it perfectly is challenging. So, what to do? Cover it with a vinegar marinade.
Task made easier
An aromatic marinade preserves the fish, extending its shelf life and imparting a unique flavour. Different types of fish can be used for the vinegar marinade, but cod, bream, or pike are particularly recommended. Carp, trout, and pollock, commonly found on Christmas tables, will also suffice. The first step in preparing this dish is to cut the fish into small portions, coat them in batter, and fry them. This has already been done for fish left over from the holiday dinner. The next step is to prepare the marinade.
Ready in a few days
To make the marinade, you need only a few ingredients: 10% vinegar, sugar, salt, onion, bay leaves, allspice, and pepper. Place the fried fish pieces in jars and pour the cooled marinade over them. Fish prepared this way must be stored in a cool place or in the refrigerator to allow the flavours to blend. They will be ready in just a few days.
Fish in vinegar marinade
Ingredients:
- about 450 grams of fried fish pieces
Marinade:
- 700 ml of water,
- 120 ml of 10% vinegar,
- 3 tablespoons of sugar,
- 1 tablespoon of salt,
- 1 onion,
- 1-2 bay leaves,
- several black peppercorns,
- several allspice berries.
Instructions:
- Peel the onion and cut it into thin slices.
- Add sugar, salt, and spices to pour water and vinegar into a pot. Lastly, add the onion.
- Bring the marinade to a boil and simmer on low heat for several minutes until the onion is soft. Then, let it cool.
- Place the fish pieces in a large jar or jars and pour the marinade over them, ensuring it covers the fish. Seal the jar or jars and store them in a cool place for two days.
