Striped mullet - a fish that was paid for in silver

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The Black Sea mullet is a favorite delicacy of tourists spending their holidays at the resorts of the Black and Azov Seas. According to modern classification, it belongs to the red mullet family. Literally translated from Italian, the name of the species of this fish is translated as “beard”. This name is justified by the peculiarities of the appearance of the fish - its characteristic feature, thanks to which the red mullet cannot be confused with any other fish, is the presence of two long mustaches. In Turkey, this fish is usually called sultana, because it was traditionally delivered to the court of rulers as their favorite delicacy.

Origin of the species and description

Photo: Barabulka

In addition to two long mustaches, a characteristic feature of this species is its specific color. The belly of the red mullet is painted in light yellow tones, but the scales covering the sides and back have a pink tint. Another characteristic feature of the species is the acquisition of a bright red color on all sides immediately after catching. Blanching occurs only after 4-5 hours, so this fish is smoked, as they say, “without leaving the cash register” in order to preserve its “marketable appearance.” Red mullet that is put out for sale and has a pale color is considered unfit for consumption (because it was cooked stale).

Video: Red mullet

Interesting fact: Some enthusiastic divers (not spearfishing) spend a lot of time trying to attract fish. They can detect this fish only by whisker marks on the bottom - the original color provides it with excellent camouflage. At the same time, the fish is not particularly timid, so even when detected, it does not swim away from scuba divers. Many of them manage to attract the sultana by offering her a treat in the form of pieces of a worm. She will never object to such a delicacy!

But not only oceanographers are interested in red mullet - this fish is also respected for its gastronomic qualities, it has an amazing taste. This type of fish is loved for its excellent taste. At the same time, red mullet is considered a very useful product. Its meat contains about 20 grams of protein - calculated per 100 grams of weight. But the content of healthy fat in it is low (we mean polyunsaturated fatty acids). Per 100 g of product - no more than 4 g of fat. Important information for those who want to lose weight: red mullet is distinguished by its low calorie content, so it makes sense for those who want to lose weight to pay attention to the seafood delicacy.

Red mullet is the best option as the first fish included in the diet of babies - it can be safely given at 9-10 months. There is information that consumption of this fish has a positive effect on the skin of children. It is also recommended to consume mullet for athletes and people suffering from heart disease - it allows you to quickly restore strength after intense physical activity. But this fish is strongly not recommended for allergy sufferers.

How to cook delicious red mullet

Red mullet meat is distinguished by its tenderness and incredible taste. Since there is no bile in the fish, you don’t even have to gut the “sultana” before cooking.

This fish is delicious in any form. Even poor processing cannot spoil the taste of meat.

Very often red mullet is dried and dried. Cooks prepare fish soup from red mullet, and it always turns out satisfying and exudes an appetizing aroma.

But it is advisable to cook fish soup from fresh fish, not frozen. Fish turns out delicious after frying in a frying pan or grill. The product can be baked in the oven, smoked and even canned.

In Greece, red mullet is cooked in olive oil. In this case, the carcass is eaten with the head. For this reason, the Greeks joke that the “sultana” is the only fish of which nothing remains.

This fish has been used in cooking since ancient times. For dishes, not only the “sultanka” meat itself is taken, but also the liver. It is also tasty and healthy.

In Mediterranean cuisine, small fish carcasses are most often used, which are considered a delicacy. In this region, almost every restaurant offers an abundance of red mullet dishes.

“Sultanka” baked in white wine is especially tasty. To prepare this dish, the fish must be baked whole. Only initially it should be fried in breadcrumbs. A small amount of fish oil makes your food taste amazing.

Fish goes well with spices, vegetables, cereals, sauces and even fruits. But many gourmets love grilled red mullet and served with a glass of wine.

On a note! Red mullet is a small fish, so it is customary to eat it with your hands, even in restaurants.

I recommend trying:

Red mullet - 13 most delicious recipes

Appearance and features

Photo: What a red mullet looks like

The length of an adult red mullet ranges from 20 to 30 cm. Some particularly lucky fishermen were lucky enough to catch red mullet specimens whose length was as much as 45 cm! But these were rather episodic cases; recently, such successes have been recorded less and less often, although amateur fishermen value this fish very much.

The mullet's body is oblong and somewhat flattened, laterally compressed. The caudal fin is long, but the anal and dorsal fins, on the contrary, are very short. Individual red mullet (both female and male) have a fairly large head with very high-set eyes. Seated with many small bristle teeth, the mouth is located in the lower part of the head, which has a steeply descending, almost vertical snout. Many fishermen identify red mullet even before they fish it ashore - by the presence of two long whiskers (these organs are the most important adaptive organ, because the fish uses them to stir up sand or silt).

Despite all its gastronomic values, red mullet is not particularly interested in commercial fishermen due to its small size. Therefore, the fish remains (mostly) a valuable object of amateur fishing and a delicacy for tourists. Red mullet is not exported and is practically not sent even to other regions, so only tourists who arrive at the resorts of the Black and Azov Seas can feast on it. At the same time, one cannot fail to note the benefits of red mullet - it is explained by the beneficial substances it contains in large quantities. Moreover, doctors strongly recommend this particular fish because of its high content of fat-soluble vitamins A, B and E.

In addition, red mullet meat contains pantothenic acid and minerals. It has been scientifically proven that Black Sea red mullet is an important source of micro and macroelements.

Interesting fact: People suffering from osteoporosis are recommended to eat pre-dried and ground red mullet bones (they contain the most calcium).

Where does the red mullet live?

Photo: Black Sea red mullet

The species inhabits the seas belonging to the Atlantic, Pacific and Indian Oceans. In Russia, it is widespread in the Black and Azov Seas. The Turks are actively fishing for red mullet in the Mediterranean Sea. Schools of fish prefer depths ranging from 15 to 30 meters. They most often choose muddy or sandy areas of the bottom - it is easiest for mullet to get food there. In some cases (very rarely), fish can also be found on rocks.

However, the question regarding the prevalence of this fish needs to be clarified. The thing is that the mullets we know are good - this is not one species, but a whole genus of fish of the mullet family, also popularly known as sultanas. In turn, this genus includes 4 species that differ little in external (so-called morphometric characteristics).

But the species range varies significantly:

• mullet or common mullet (in Latin - Mullus barbatus). It is this that serves as a favorite delicacy for tourists. Distributed (mainly) in the Azov, Black and Mediterranean Seas, as well as near the eastern coast of the Atlantic Ocean;
• Mediterranean plume, also known as striped mullet (in Latin - Mullus surmuletus). Found (most often) in the Mediterranean, Black and Baltic Seas, as well as the Northeast Atlantic;
• golden mullet (Mullus auratus). Found exclusively in the Western Atlantic;
• Mullus argentinae (Argentine, South American mullet). The fish can be caught off the coasts of Brazil, Uruguay and Argentina;
• Amateur fishermen confirm that in the vast majority of cases they meet and fish out red mullet at a depth of about 15-30 meters, but they remember cases when flocks of red mullet were discovered using an echo sounder 300 meters from the water surface.

Most often, the fish goes to such a significant depth with the onset of cold weather. She prefers to spend most of her time at the bottom. This is explained by the need to search for food - its food is found mainly in the bottom layer, so the red mullet very rarely rises from its favorite bottom. Here it is convenient for her to both get food and hide from predators - this is facilitated by the shape of the body and color. Invisible on the sandy bottom, it becomes easy prey in the water column and on the surface.

Now you know where the red mullet fish is found. Let's see what she eats.

Top 3: the most interesting facts about the Sultan

1. The tender meat of this fish is considered a delicacy for its exceptional taste. And red mullet is valued for its soft, special fat. It has an inimitable taste and pleasant aroma. It contains a large amount of useful vitamins, minerals and acids. This wonderful creation is completely harmless even for small children.
2. In spring and autumn, the sultana fish is carried out. The main catch comes from the waters near the Kerch Strait and the Crimean Peninsula. Fishermen also hunt for it. They use different tackles, spinning rods and ordinary fishing rods. Even a novice angler can cope with catching red mullet. And if desired, you can catch it from the shore.
3. You can cook mullet in different ways and in any case it will be delicious. It is not necessary to gut it, since the fish does not have bile. Nutritionists recommend eating it at least twice a week. Then it will help replenish energy and restore strength. However, in addition to the spinal and rib bones, there are also smaller bones. And they prevent you from fully enjoying your meal.

What does red mullet eat?

Photo: Red mullet in the Black Sea

Adult red mullet feed on small invertebrates - as mentioned above, all these organisms live on the bottom. Very rarely (almost never) red mullet consumes caviar or fry of other fish. Even if an adult red mullet discovers someone else’s clutch (let it be the eggs of a predator, the adults of which love to feast on the red mullet and her fry), the fish will still not touch it.

Why this is so is unknown, because the caviar and young individuals of the red mullet themselves often and thickly become prey for predatory marine inhabitants. But the mullet still does not stop “playing nobility”, satisfying its appetite with lower forms of life. Regarding the species diversity of the menu, when they grow up, red mullets begin to eat amphipods, mollusks, sea worms and crabs. Moreover, the red mullet also respects the ordinary red worm (the favorite bait of amateur fishermen), demonstrating a good bite.

The red mullet does not have any problems obtaining food - its antennae are ideal for agitating the soil and getting food. The main difficulty in searching for food is camouflage from predators and identification of fishing baits. And if the red mullet is even more or less successful with the first, then it clearly does not have the cunning of the chub and other freshwater fish, and systematically gets hooked.

Story

The nutritional value of sultana was appreciated even by the ancient Romans. Large specimens were especially held in high esteem, for which the rich were willing to pay a tidy sum. In those days, fish were called “mulls,” and they were paid in silver according to the weight of the fish. The Roman poet Horace wrote about such unjustified extravagance: “You praise, crazy, mullah for only one thing, that he weighs exactly three pounds...”.

But the patricians spared no expense and bought fish for fabulous sums at that time. Why was fish so expensive? The point is this: the Romans were among the first in Europe to learn how to keep red mullet in special pools - “piscina”. Maintaining such large aquariums was very expensive and troublesome, because the sea water in them quickly stagnated and spoiled, so it was necessary to ensure that the water in the pools was constantly changed. And water was brought from the sea. Keeping fish in piscinas was considered a sign of prestige and wealth, but many did not approve of such entertainment. For example, the famous orator Cicero wrote: “Romans, what a useless activity you are addicted to! It’s a shame to say, but some imagine themselves to be gods if they manage to train the mullah to swim at their call and feed from their hands.” However, this did not stop the guests from admiring the piscinas, praising their owner, and then eating the inhabitants of the aquariums with gusto. Convenient, because live and fresh fish is always at hand!

The red mullet was not just eaten. There was a whole ritual. The fish were killed right in the yard in front of the numerous eyes of the guests. This is due to the fact that at the moment before death, the fish is covered with bright, carmine-colored spots, and as life leaves it, its color becomes pale again. After this, the cooks fried the red mullet and served it to the table.

Nowadays, such fun has long been outdated, and many people even consider it cruel. But what was the death of some small fish for the ancient Romans compared to the bloody battles in the Colosseum?

Features of character and lifestyle

Photo: Red mullet fish

This fish spends the winter at a depth of about 60 - 90 m. With the arrival of spring, the red mullet migrates in schools. The directions of migration (most often) are as follows - along the coastal regions of the Caucasus and Crimea in the direction of Kerch. After the sea water temperature reaches 14-16°, the fish begin to swim en masse to the coast - such an intense influx is explained by the red mullet’s desire to return to its usual habitat conditions, which exist only on the coast, as soon as possible.

It spawns at the bottom - logical, because that is where its favorite habitat is. For each female red mullet there are on average 1.5-2 million fry. Young red mullet consume zooplankton, and to give themselves greater confidence, they swim only in small flocks, never alone. At the time of spawning, the red mullet fish has a clearly visible appearance and becomes suitable for reproduction after approximately 1-2 years.

The average lifespan of a red mullet does not exceed 12 years, although only a few survive to such a respectable age. This fish has too many enemies, and the population size is ensured only by fertility. In addition, the deterioration of the ecological situation does not have the best effect on the red mullet’s habitat.

Social structure and reproduction

Photo: Sea mullet

Black mullet is one of the most prolific marine fish. The process of their reproduction can be characterized as follows. Individuals acquire sexual maturity by the age of 2 and immediately begin procreation. Spawning time lasts from the second or third decade of March to June. Typically, the sultana chooses sandy areas of the bottom for reproduction and laying eggs, located at a depth of about 10-40 meters.

A female can easily lay more than 10,000 eggs during spawning. Males rush to process the entire deposited supply of eggs with seminal fluid as early as possible. After this procedure, the eggs rise to the water surface. The larvae begin to emerge 2-3 days after fertilization.

After 2-2.5 months, the body length of red mullet fry averages 4-5 cm. The fry often swim closer to the shore to find food for themselves at the bottom. Their color matches that of adults. Another six months will pass, and the small fish that are born will become practically indistinguishable from adult individuals (in terms of morphometric characteristics). Only a few will survive to this point - and very few will be able to survive the winter at all.

This fish has a lot of enemies and weak protection against numerous predators who consider red mullet meat a real delicacy. It just so happens that those two long antennae with which the fish loosens the sand in search of food are a sign that reveals the camouflage - predatory fish know very well that their “dinner” has such antennae.

red mullet recipes

deep-fried mullet

Ingredients:

• kilogram of red mullet
• vegetable oil for deep frying
• bunch of parsley
• 2 lemons
• 100 g flour
• salt pepper

cooking

If the mullet is small, then you don’t have to gut it. Rinse with cold water and dry with a towel. Pour vegetable oil into a deep fryer or deep frying pan and heat to approximately 180 degrees. Salt and pepper the fish and roll in flour. Immerse the red mullet in hot oil for 2-3 minutes until golden brown. Remove and place on a napkin to remove excess oil.

Briefly dip coarsely chopped parsley into the deep fryer and remove with a slotted spoon. Place the fish on a dish, sprinkle with fried parsley, garnish with lemons, cut into 4 parts.

Spanish fried red mullet

For 6 servings you will need:

• 6 red mullet 200 – 250 gr.
• 100 ml olive oil
• 1 onion
• clove of garlic
• 400 g tomato
• bunch of parsley
• flour for dredging red mullet
• salt
• ground black pepper
• thyme
• Bay leaf

Natural enemies of red mullet

Photo: What a red mullet looks like

The massive extermination of this fish by natural enemies (not even humans) is one of the main reasons for the gradual decline in its population. Problems (and the main ones) begin from a very young age. Caviar and small, newly born and poorly adapted to the harsh reality of the red mullet are an exquisite delicacy for marine/ocean inhabitants. Why, there’s always a “whole line” of people waiting for this delicacy. Even herbivorous fish are not averse to eating mullet caviar.

But adult red mullet are of interest mainly for medium- and small-sized predatory fish. Taking into account the specifics of the red mullet’s lifestyle (it always actively seeks food during the daytime, raking the sand with its antennae, which give it away), this fish is hunted exclusively by marine diurnal predators.

That is, its main enemies are sea rooster, katran, horse mackerel, ruff and flounder. Separately, it is necessary to concentrate attention on the latter - being a bottom dweller, it is the flounder that destroys the bulk of the eggs of the red mullet and its young. After all, it is easiest for her to detect bottom-dwelling fish like herself - especially if the prey openly “gives itself away” with its careless behavior.