Pike or Trout in Sauce for WHB # 326

la ricetta in italiano qui

We are a family of fishermen and we do all  love fish (except a boy, I suppose he has a different DNA in his body as snow, cold and ice are his natural habitat :-).
I used to go fishing with a dear uncle when I was a child, he also took me along the sides of rivers and canals to search for worms in the mud, they would be a valuable bait! Then I used to fish a very primitive fishing rod, handmade with simple kitchen string (or resistant sewing thread) with a hook and a couple of sinkers. I used to spent hours lying on the dock with my precious rod into the water,  and it was so much euphoria when I felt the fish pulling that often I let go the rope and lost everything! But my uncle was pretty experienced to get some mullets for dinner :-).

 Then I got married to a man with two great passions: skiing and fishing (spearfishing), and all our boys inherited the same passions. Our long winter and summer vacations have also helped them to bring a natural progression. So it is surprising and satisfying to enjoy delicious fresh fish and octopus salad, sure of the authenticity of the product! :-). Tito, a great lover of all types of fishing, sometimes goes to the lake with a friend, and then enjoys his captured fish for dinner.
This recipe, from Lilli of Trattoria agli Olivi, can be done either with a pike or a trout, and it's named in sauce, due to the funny sauce you spread over.
It is a very popular appetizer in the Garda lake district, easy and quick to prepare, but it's very important to have some good fresh fish. This time I did the trout, could not not find the pike (perhaps it's not fishing time yet).

The pike has a slightly firm white flesh. It 's carnivorous and considered a predator, their bite is terrible and may cut your fingers. The mouth is similar to a duck beak, the teeth are strong and sharp. It can reach one meter and a half in length and exceed 20 kg in weight.

Serving 4:

a trout or a pike about 500/600 g, gutted
extra virgin olive oil
half a small glass of white wine vinegar
3 or 4 anchovies in oil
pickled capers
a pinch of cinnamon
a piece of carrot, onion, celery for the court-bouillon
a few juniper berries

 

- Boil the fish in water (starting with cold water) with vegetables and juniper berries. I put the celery and carrot cut in half lengthwise on the bottom of the pan and place the fish over, ad water enough to reach to the fish. For a 500 g fish cooking time is about 8/10 minutes.
- Gently remove the fish, place on a grid cool, then remove skin and bones, trying to keep the meat into large pieces and placing them in a baking dish.
- Drain 3 or 4 anchovies from their storage oil, cut into small pieces and put in a pan with extravirgin olive oil at medium/low heat until they melt well, be careful they won't burn! When almost melted sprinkle with vinegar and let it evaporate for a few minutes. Add capers (lightly chopped  with a knife if they are too big).
- Sprinkle a pinch of cinnamon onto the fish, a drizzle of extravirgin olive oil and then pour the sauce. Cover tightly with plastic wrap and let stand in the refrigerator for at least half a day, all flavors will amalgamate better. Usually it's not necessary to add salt because the anchovies are very tasty, but then take a try and season if required.
- Serve at room temperature with fresh or toasted polenta. For a buffet you can cut the polenta into little squares as finger food.

 This recipe is my personal entry to WHB # 326
hosted by Max from Il blog di Max for Italian edition,
Haalo from Cook almost Anything for English version.
Thanks again to Haalo who manages greatfully all events,
to Bri for Italian edition.
Thanks again to Kalyn for her successfull idea!
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