How to cook fish soup from a pike head?

Fish soup is the most delicious dish cooked in nature, over a fire. It retains all the beneficial substances inherent in fish. Even if you cook soup from it using only the heads. Pike head soup is rightfully considered one of the most delicious, healthy and dietary first courses.

Therefore, when cutting pike, you should not throw away this part. It will serve as the main ingredient for a rich and quickly prepared broth.

How to choose pike for fish soup?

Before preparing pike fish soup, it is important to know a few rules for choosing fish. Four useful tips:

The main thing is to always buy only live fish. But if this is not possible, then it is important to immediately inspect the gills. If they are red, this indicates the freshness of the fish.
The eyes should not be cloudy. If there are spots, yellowness or different shades on the scales, the fish was defrosted and vice versa.
Before buying, you need to remember that fresh fish has a subtle marine smell. But the pungent aroma indicates that the pike is stale.
Tip: Press the fish with your fingers. If the hole does not fall into place, the carcass is stale. The meat should be elastic.

Pike balyk

Pike meat is a bit dry, but in properly cooked balyk it becomes juicy and tender.

more plump pike – 2 kg minimum;
bay leaf – 2 leaves;
salt – 6 tablespoons;
black pepper – 5 pcs.

Disassemble the pike as follows:

do not clean the scales;
make a cut along the belly and gut it;
cut off the head and all fins;
rinse the fish with cool water;
cut into portions.

The following is the process of salting fish:

chop the bay leaf, crush the pepper and sprinkle with salt, mix;
Pour a third of the resulting mixture into an enamel pan and place the steaks;
sprinkle the remaining salt on top and place under moderate pressure;
After 12 hours, turn the steaks over and wait 12 hours again.

After salting, you need to soak the steaks in cool water for a couple of hours.
Then lay it out on paper to dry, preferably with a slight draft present. During the drying process, the pieces must be turned over several times. After three days, the pike will become golden in color with a unique aroma. Served with chilled beer.

How to prepare a pike head for soup?

The predator's head must be washed thoroughly. The gills should be cut out of it, otherwise the taste of the fish soup will be bitter. The eyes also need to be removed.

You need to cut out the gills more carefully, otherwise you can get hurt. After all, this predator has teeth on them too.

To safely remove the gills, you need to turn the pike on its back, holding its head in your hand. With the other hand, using a sharp, short knife, you need to cut the frenulum.

Let's celebrate! Then run the knife inside the head from below and on both sides. Thus, both the gills and the rather sharp teeth can be easily removed. The pike head is then considered prepared.

Pike pie

Since ancient times in Russia, every feast was accompanied by the preparation of a large fish pie, which rightfully occupied a place in the center of the table. And all the guests tasted it with pleasure.

large pike;
rice – 1 glass;
onion – 3 pcs;
butter;
dough;
salt, spices;
chicken egg – 1 pc.

Preparing the right dough is a task of particular importance. You will need:

fresh milk – 0.8 l;
yeast – 25 g;
flour – 1 kg;
egg – 2 pcs;
sour cream – 100 g;
salt – ¼ teaspoon;
sugar – 1 tbsp. spoon.

Heat the milk to 40 degrees. Pour yeast into it.
Beaten eggs, sugar and salt are added to the milk.
Add flour and start kneading the dough.
At the end, add sour cream and knead further. The dough should not be sticky.
Cover the prepared dough and place in a warm place. Make sure it doesn't run away. Then knead it and set it to rise again. You can start baking.

It's time to start filling the future pie.

Clean and gut the pike. Head, tail, fins are not needed. By the way, you can cook usha from them.
Cut the fish into pieces and cook for 30 minutes.
Remove all seeds if possible.
The onion is fried until golden brown.
Cook the rice until tender (about 20 minutes).
Mix pike, rice, onion. Salt and pepper to taste.
Place parchment paper the size of the pie on a baking sheet. Roll out two thin layers of dough with a rolling pin and place one of them on parchment.
The filling is laid out and covered with a second layer of dough. All that remains is to pinch the sides of the pie.
The oven should be preheated to 190 degrees. Meanwhile, after breaking the egg, the yolk is separated. Whipped to subsequently grease the top of the cake.
Place the pie in the oven for 45 minutes.
Remove and brush the pie with butter.

Secrets of making fish soup from a pike head

There are many secrets in preparing different dishes. This also affected pike fish soup.

Namely:

To achieve transparency of the broth and get a rich fish soup, it is recommended to take live or completely fresh fish. Frozen pike ukha will not be as tasty and aromatic. And the profit won’t be the same;
During the cooking process, the broth will have to be strained. You should take gauze. It may not be possible to strain thoroughly through a strainer;
to obtain a more noticeable sensation of fishy taste, it is better to simmer the broth in a cast iron cauldron;
some advise adding a little vodka (50 - 100 ml) and a pinch of sugar just before turning off;
the ear of their pike heads is served with white soft bread and fresh herbs, which should be finely chopped;
It is better not to choose fish that are too large. A few small ones will do instead. The ideal option is to throw in some small change along with the pike heads for fat.

Pike cutlets

In terms of popularity, they confidently occupy second place after fish soup. Some housewives believe that pike meat is a little dry for cutlets. However, you can prepare juicy and tender cutlets if you follow the following recommendations:

Only fresh minced meat is used. It is unacceptable to leave it open for a long time. Keep refrigerated.
Pork lard, cut into small cubes, is added to the minced meat. If you don't have it, you can take butter.
Season the minced meat with squeezed white bread soaked in milk.
Small greens. Pepper in moderation so as not to kill the fishy spirit.

pike fillet – 600 g;
lard – 100 g;
onion – 1 piece;
chicken egg – 1 piece;
fresh milk - half a glass;
white bread – 100 g;
salt pepper;
green cilantro;
vegetable oil;
breadcrumbs for breading.

The white crumb is filled with milk.
Grind the pike fillet in a meat grinder. Cut the onion and lard into smaller pieces and add it to the minced meat along with the squeezed bread. Scroll again.
Salt and pepper the minced meat. Add finely chopped cilantro and beat in the egg. Mix all this well.
Form small patties and roll in breadcrumbs.
Heat vegetable oil in a frying pan. Fry the cutlets for no more than two minutes on each side.

Pike head soup - recipes

Many dishes can be prepared from pike, or rather its head. The most famous and often prepared is fish soup in a pot. Of course, it is prepared outdoors after a successful fishing trip.

The classic recipe is used by many housewives in the kitchen. This soup is prepared quickly, without any tricks.

“Opekanaya” is a delicious fish soup that requires a lot of work to prepare. But both the fish soup and the meat itself will have an exquisite, unusual taste. You can add millet if you wish, then the broth will be more reminiscent of a classic soup. And, of course, it will be thicker and more satisfying.

Note! Fish soup “royally” is rightfully considered an expensive festive dish that requires patience, expense and time. But such fish soup can be placed on the table for dear guests.

Classic recipe

Before cooking fish soup, the pike head must be washed and the gills and eyes removed. The soup should be cooked over low heat.

Ingredients:

pike heads – 0.5 kg;
onion – 2 pcs. (small size);
potatoes – 3 pcs.;
water – 2 l.;
lemon – 1 small;
breadcrumbs - 1 tbsp;
sunflower oil – 1 tbsp;
a bunch of parsley, green onions;
laurel – 1 pc.;
salt, pepper, nutmeg (grated).

Preparation:

Dip the prepared heads into a container of water. After the water has boiled, skim off the foam. Then you need to cook for half an hour over low heat, adding a bay leaf, a whole onion and a tied bunch of parsley. Take everything out after half an hour, including the greens and onions. Remove meat from pike heads.

You will need vegetables: finely chopped onions, carrots - into rings or slices, potatoes - into strips. Saute the carrots and onions, place the sauté with breadcrumbs and potatoes in the fish soup. Add salt and cook for 15-20 minutes. Add meat and turn off heat. Squeeze a little lemon juice and add spices. Serve in a plate with a wedge of lemon.

Ear of pike heads – “Wardened”

By lightly frying the fish, you can give the fish soup an original taste.

Ingredients:

medium pike – 1 pc. (400 grams);
potatoes – 80 g;
carrots – 1 pc.;
onion – 1 pc.;
egg – 1 pc.;
flour – 1 tbsp;
butter – 25 g;
spices, salt to taste;
parsley – 2 stalks with leaves.

Preparation:

Cut the fish, removing the tail, fins, and eyes. Cut the meat 4 cm wide. After peeling, cut the vegetables into small cubes. Finely chop the greens. Place the vegetables, as well as the head of the pike, along with its fins and tail, in boiling water.

Add some salt. Turn down the heat and cook for 20 minutes. Cover the container with a lid. Afterwards, strain the broth. Then add spices, add salt to taste and lower the fish pieces along with the head. Boil over low heat for 5 minutes.

Mix the egg with a spoonful of flour and roll the pieces of cooked fish in the resulting batter. Then fry in oil, that is, bake. Because of this process, the dish received its name. Place the fried pieces in the ear for 5 minutes. and add greens. Turn off the heat and let it brew.

Pike head soup with millet

Cereals, such as semolina or millet, are often added to the soup. With millet, pike head fish soup will be more homemade and good for children.

Ingredients:

pike head – 1 pc.;
potatoes – 2 pcs. average;
carrots – 1 pc. small size;
millet – 200 g;
salt to taste;
bay leaf – 1 pc.;
water – 1.5 l.

Preparation:

Wash the potatoes, peel and cut into small cubes. Pour the prepared millet into a pan of boiling water. While the millet is boiling, grate the carrots on a coarse grater. Salt boiling water with millet, add vegetables.

Prepare the pike head - remove gills and eyes. Afterwards, put it in your ear. Cook for 15 minutes, remembering to stir. Add bay leaf and after 5 minutes turn off the heat.

Ukha "royally"

Preparing such a dish is not difficult, but it will take several hours. But all the time spent will more than pay off with an exquisite and special taste.

Ingredients:

domestic rooster (you can take a chicken) - up to 1.5 kg;
pike – 1 kg;
pike perch – 1 kg;
onion – 2 pcs.;
wheat onion - a bunch;
carrots – 2 pcs.;
garlic – 4 cloves;
vodka – 50 ml;
black pepper – 3 pcs.

Preparation:

Place the prepared rooster or chicken in a large container with cool water. Boil. After 5 minutes of cooking, the broth must be drained. Place the carcass in clean water and cook for at least three hours.

While the bird is cooking, you need to clean the fish. Separate the fins, head, and tail. All parts will be needed. Only the cut gills should be discarded. Rinse. Remove the cooked bird from the pan and put in the fins, head and tail of the pike.

Boil for half an hour. Pull it out. Add chopped pike. After 20 minutes of cooking, you also need to remove it. Then add pike perch and chopped vegetables with spices. Cook for up to 20 minutes. Remove the greens, add salt and add vodka. Cover with a lid and let sit for 15 minutes. Ukha “royally” is served with fresh finely chopped herbs.

Pike soup on fire

Many dishes can be prepared from pike. But especially fishermen consider fish soup cooked over a fire to be the most delicious.

Ingredients:

pike – 1.5 kg;
onion – 2 pcs. (average);
carrots – 1 pc. large size;
potatoes – 4 pcs.;
birch chips;
salt, pepper to taste;
bay leaf – 2-3 pcs.;
greens, lemon.

Preparation:

The fish needs to be prepared: remove the tail and also the head. Don't forget to separate the inner film from the meat. Place the whole onion and bay leaf into a pot of boiling water. Add black peppercorns.

After boiling for 5 minutes, remove all ingredients. They won't be needed anymore. Dip the cut potatoes into the fish soup. Boil for 15 minutes. Then put the rest of the chopped vegetables and pieces of pike into the pot.

Salt and pepper to taste. The fish meat should be cooked for 10 minutes. Then remove the pot, cover with a lid and place in a secluded place. Let the ear simmer for 7-8 minutes.

To give the dish something unusual, take birch chips, set it on fire and put it in a pot. This will make the soup “smoky”. A few drops of squeezed lemon will add some piquancy. It is better to choose pikes that are not too large. This will make the meat more tender.

Let's celebrate! Pike fish soup can be cooked in different ways.
But for a truly tasty and healthy dish you will need live or very fresh fish. When preparing any fish soup, you must remember to turn down the heat. It is better for the broth to simmer than to boil. It is important to serve the fish soup with herbs and bread. And remember - the most important thing in the ear is the broth, not the meat. Therefore, even fish heads can also make a decent dish.

With millet

Housewives believe that recipes for fish soup with millet are the most correct. One way or another, in most cases, millet cereal is actually included in the recipe for traditional Russian fish soup. Yushka with boiled millet turns out more aromatic, satisfying and rich. In addition, pike meat and millet go well together.

Pike soup with millet and bell pepper

Required Products:

fresh or chilled pike – 0.5-0.8 kg;
potatoes - 5 tubers;
millet cereal – 120 g;
sweet bell pepper – 1-2 pcs.;
carrots - 1 root vegetable;
onion – 2 pcs.;
cherry laurel leaf – 2-3 pcs.;
sunflower oil – 30 g;
water – 1.5-2 l;
salt, black allspice - to taste;
fresh herbs (for serving) - to taste.

Technological preparation map:

Clean the pike from scales, gut it and wash it. Separate the head and tail, trim the fins. Cut into pieces or fillets convenient for cooking (remove the backbone).
Place all the pike pieces in a saucepan, add water and put on fire. The broth should be cooked over medium heat for 30-40 minutes.
While the pike is cooking, you should prepare the vegetables and cereals. Peel the potatoes and onions, cut into cubes. Grate the carrots on the coarsest grater or cut into cubes. Remove the bell pepper from the stem and seeds and cut into cubes. Sort the millet thoroughly and rinse in running water several times.
When the pike has cooked for the required time, remove the pan from the heat and carefully remove all the fish pieces. Strain the broth and put it back on the fire.
Place potatoes and millet into a boiling bowl. In 10 minutes. Return the fish to the fish soup and add salt to the broth.
In a heated frying pan with oil, fry carrots, onions and bell peppers. Place lightly fried vegetables in a saucepan.
In 5 min. Until the soup is ready, add allspice, bay leaf and any spices (to taste). Then remove the pan from the heat, close the lid and let it brew for a while.
While the soup is brewing, wash the parsley and dill and chop very finely.
Serve the fish soup hot, sprinkle with herbs on top.