Char fish is a worthy northern representative of the salmon family. Where is red char fish found, its benefits and harms Cook golodets fish

The human body needs a constant supply of a variety of nutrients. So in the daily diet of all of us, proteins, fats and carbohydrates, vitamins and minerals, as well as many other substances important for our body, should be present. One of the most common and highly useful food products is considered to be fish, both sea and river. Today we will talk about the unique qualities of one of the representatives of salmon, namely the char. Let's try to figure it out useful properties oh such fish and the methods of its preparation in a little more detail.

Why is charr fish valued? Benefit

Char, like other representatives of salmon, is valuable for its red meat. It contains a wide variety of useful substances- vitamin and mineral elements. So the consumption of char saturates our body with tocopherol, provitamin A, vitamins K, PP and group B. In addition, it is a source of a significant amount of copper and magnesium, it contains iron and phosphorus. The meat of this fish also contains zinc, sodium and potassium.

Char is a source of a number of omega-3 unsaturated fatty acids that can optimize blood cholesterol levels, as well as control the amount of calcium in the body. That is why the consumption of such a product will benefit the heart, blood vessels, as well as the entire skeletal system. Fatty acid have a positive effect on the activity of brain cells, protecting them from harmful effects, they also prevent the formation of blood clots inside the arteries. Consumption of char helps to improve the condition of the skin, reducing the likelihood of acne by an order of magnitude.

Omega-3, as you know, are not able to be synthesized inside the human body, respectively, products with their content must be in the diet of each of us.

One hundred grams of charr fish contains the daily intake of vitamin E, it is useful for our skin, as this substance maintains its youth. This element is also called tocopherol, it still effectively optimizes metabolic processes and.

B vitamins also improve metabolism, maintain the health of mucous membranes, participate in the formation of new tissues and have a positive effect on the activity of the nervous system.

Char is a source of provitamin A, which is needed for the production of enzymes, as well as hormonal particles. Besides given substance plays important role in support of normal activities visual system.

Such a food product provides our bones and teeth with health, has a positive effect on the work of the heart and blood vessels. It helps the body protect against cancer and strengthens the immune system. Also, the consumption of char effectively cleanses the body of heavy metals and toxins. This food product helps to ensure sufficient oxygen supply to the brain, as well as to optimize the water balance of our body.

To whom is the charr fish dangerous? Harm

Char is practically not capable of harming human health. However, it should be borne in mind that this product can provoke allergic reactions. In addition, fish can harm the body even if it is caught in an ecologically unfavorable area. So before buying such a product, it will not be superfluous to find out where the char fishing was carried out.

How is char fish prepared? Recipes

Baked fish

Prepare four carcasses of char, about a hundred milliliters of soy sauce, three to four medium onions, a couple of tablespoons of olive oil and a couple of limes. You will also need a little ground black pepper - to taste and spices for cooking fish.

First, gut and rinse the fish carcasses thoroughly, you can remove the head and tail, but this is not necessary. If the fish is left uncut, it will be juicier. Next, dry each carcass with a napkin.

Now make the marinade: combine soy sauce with olive oil and mix until smooth. Next, add pepper and juice obtained from one lime to this mixture.

Cut the onions into half rings and knead a little in your hands until the juice is released. Then send the onion to the fish and fill everything with marinade. Set aside the container with the future dish for twenty to thirty minutes for high-quality pickling.

Arrange the fish on a baking sheet or on a grill rack and drizzle with lime juice. Cook in a well-heated oven for half an hour.

Char with lemon in foil

To prepare such a dish, you will need about one and a half kilograms of fish, one large onion, half a lemon, two savory, a sprig of rosemary, as well as salt and pepper to taste.

Prepare a couple of carcasses of char, wash them and gut them. Make several cross cuts on the fish, then sprinkle it with the juice from half a lemon. This technique will give the char stiffness and hold it together. Salt, pepper and sprinkle the carcasses with rosemary. Insert the onion rings and the lemon already used for juice into the cuts. Next, place a layer of onion on the foil, and place the fish on such a pillow. Wrap the foil, making an impromptu plate. Bake the char for half an hour, then unwrap for ten minutes to golden.

So, char is able to become for you a real find. This fish is very easy to prepare and brings great benefits to the body. Include it in your diet and delight your family with delicious dishes.

Fish from the salmon category is very successful in cooking and usually occupies one of the main places on the festive and everyday menu. Practical Tips, subtleties and trifles of good cuisine will help you learn how best to cook char. Any hostess, having familiarized herself with recipes fish dishes, will receive a pleasant praise: "Tasty!".

Many dishes are prepared from char, it can be fried, boiled, salted, baked. It can be cooked whole or filleted. The cutting technology is very simple and does not depend on the size of the fish. The first thing to do is well, wash it under running water, then remove the entrails, gills and fins. The tail and head are optional.

The main advantage of the product, which will not spoil the mood of the hostesses, is that the Kamchatsky Loach does not have large scales, so it is not necessary to clean its upper cover. By cutting the carcass into two halves, removing the vertebral bone, you get 2 fillets with skin from one pulp, which can be prepared in the most elementary way.

The fish will turn out delicious, tender and retain useful vitamins, if you follow the simple rules of cooking, these are:

  • fry fish in in large numbers oil no more than 5 minutes, in a moderately heated frying pan;
  • bake only in foil or parchment paper, preserving its juice and aroma;
  • do not use spices when salting;
  • boil in large chunks, dropping them into boiling water salt water with the addition of dill or parsley;
  • use only enamel and earthenware, cast iron pan.

At home, if you want to learn how to cook fish different ways under the power of everyone. Using different ingredients, you can give it a unique taste and aroma. The main thing is to know the three basic rules that are suitable for cooking any fish. Before eating a product, it must be in water, oil and wine.

Frying Char in a pan is delicious and satisfying

For normal salting per 1 kg of carcass, you will need:

  • sugar ─ 2 tbsp. spoons;
  • salt - 1 tbsp. l.;
  • a pinch of lemon zest;
  • sunflower oil, odorless.

Lightly salted char can be obtained by soaking it in salt for 8 hours. To make the fish softer and tastier, it is rubbed with sunflower oil before salting. For a spicy taste, you can add pepper, Bay leaf, garlic.

Char stuffing options

So that for any hostess a fish dish would not be ordinary and known to everyone, there are recipes that can become a source of her pride. Satisfying, healthy dish fish can be cooked quickly and at a lower cost if you use one of the most delicious way cooking.

With ham and vegetables

The most affordable and simple recipe for novice housewives. Clean the fish of medium size, remove the head, rinse the fins under running water. After drying the carcass with a napkin, salt, pepper, sprinkle with lemon juice, leave to marinate.

Required Ingredients:

  • char ─ 1 kg;
  • Bell pepper─ 5 pieces;
  • ham - 250 g;
  • lemon ─ 1 pc.;
  • pepper, salt, dill, oil.

Finely chop the ham, sweet pepper, onion, dill and mix. Then grease the fish with sunflower oil, fill with the resulting mixture. Make slits on top to place lemon slices. Fish on a baking sheet, greased with butter, bake in the oven at t 180 ° C for 20 minutes.

Kamchatka char stuffed with shrimps

Clean, wash, salt 1 kg of fish. Make oblique cuts on the top and put lemon slices in them. For the filling, finely chopped onion and mushrooms, fry until tender on butter, 150 g shrimp, boiled in salted water, peeled and divided into fibers.

Mix all products and place in the prepared carcass. Put the fish on a greased baking sheet, sprinkle with pepper, pour with olive or sunflower oil, sprinkle with breadcrumbs. Bake in a moderately hot oven for 30 minutes.

Char with cheese and almonds

The recipe for char baked with cheese and almonds will not leave indifferent even an avid gourmet. To begin with, the fish must be carefully gutted, cut off the fins, remove the gills, rinse thoroughly under running cold water. Then salt, pepper, pour lemon juice and leave to marinate for a couple of hours.

For the filling, peel and chop the almonds, grate hard cheese, finely crumble the bread crumb and dill, add 2 tbsp. l. sour cream, salt and mix. Put the stuffed product in a baking dish, pour olive oil and white wine on top. Bake in a moderately preheated oven for 30 minutes.

Fish char with potatoes in mustard sauce

Small fish, gut, rinse, salt and pepper. For the filling, boil the potatoes and cut into strips, lightly fry the chopped onion in sunflower oil. Mix everything. At the bottom of a saucepan, greased with oil, put the fish stuffed with potatoes and pour over the mustard sauce.

Products for the sauce for 1 kg of fish:

  • vegetable oil ─ 200 g;
  • ready mustard, Apple vinegar- 1 teaspoon;
  • two egg yolks;
  • salt, pepper to taste.

Mix the yolk, mustard and salt well. With continuous beating, pour in small portions of slightly warmed sunflower oil. Vinegar is added to the resulting mixture and mixed thoroughly. The dish is baked in the oven for 30 minutes at t 180°C.

Before you cook charr fish, you need to check it for freshness. A clean sea or river product has a pleasant, sweet smell of algae. The gills and fins of the fish are red, its upper cover is even and shiny, it is dense and elastic to the touch.

In the absence of characteristic indicators, the char is considered stale and it is unlikely that something will be cooked from it. It is important to know that when cleaning and cutting fish, it is convenient to use only a sharp knife. middle length or special stainless steel kitchen scissors.

Every product, like a coin, has two sides. It is important to find the most useful one. Today we will look for it in one of the most beautiful representatives of the salmon family - char.

Own interesting name the fish got thanks to the rare and soft scales that cover its body. BUT freshwater species char and do not have scales at all. That is why char is a favorite of housewives who do not get excited about cleaning fish.

It is also interesting that the char is found in exceptionally clean and cold water bodies, so it can be considered an environmentally friendly product.

Charr can be found on the shelves in frozen, chilled or fresh form. Also comes across ready-made fish - salted or smoked. You can find whole or gutted carcasses, individual steaks and fillet pieces. Char meat has a pleasant pink color, so it looks good on the table and is in no way inferior to your favorite salmon and salmon.

Char fish: composition and benefits

To understand how valuable the use of char is for a person, it is necessary to conduct a small analysis of all nutrients contained in the product.

According to nutritionists, char has the richest composition of biologically important and useful substances. Let's consider separately each group of components.

vitamins

Charr pleases us with the presence

Pantothenic acid (vitamin B5). It plays an important role in the formation of antibodies, assists in the absorption of other vitamins, activates the adrenal glands,

Nicotinic acid (vitamin PP), which is involved in metabolism, effectively lowers cholesterol levels, has a sedative effect and is useful in the treatment mental disorders.

Folic acid (vitamin B9). It takes an active part in the functions of hematopoiesis, promotes the division of erythrocytes, and is significant for the processes of growth and development.

It also contains:

· Phyloquinone (vitamin K), which monitors blood clotting.

Thiamine (vitamin B1), which plays a significant role in the smooth functioning of the organs of the central nervous system and the digestive system.

Retinol (vitamin A), involved in the formation of visual purple in the retina, thereby improving vision.

Cobalamins (vitamin B12), which have a beneficial effect on the hematopoietic function of the body.

· Riboflavin (vitamin B2), which promotes energy production in the body.

· Calciferol (vitamin D) is directly involved in the formation of bone tissue, enhance its growth and strength.

· Tocopherol (vitamin E), which is also called the "elixir of youth and fertility", because it slows down the aging process and improves the functioning of sex hormones in both women and men.

Minerals

Iron takes an active part in the processes of regeneration of blood cells, has a beneficial effect on the condition of the skin, hair and nails

· Sodium, regulates water and electrolyte balance.

Potassium provides the brain with oxygen, while improving mental performance

Zinc has an immunostimulating effect, as it vigorously fights against viral infections.

Copper helps the body absorb iron.

Magnesium has a beneficial effect on the cardiovascular system, helps muscle function and strengthens bones.

· Selenium contributes to the protection of cells from damage.

· Calcium along with phosphorus - assistants for the growth and strength of bones.

Fatty acid

Charr fish contains fatty acids such as cis-9-hexadecenoic, linoleic, myristic, hexadecanoic, lauric, oleic, linolenic, eicosanoic and octadecanoic acids. Their main and most important function in the human body - activation and regulation of metabolic processes.

Amino acids

Of the amino acids, char contains glutamine, hydroxyproline, arginine, tryptophan, proline, phenylalanine, leucine, serine, lysine, methionine, isoleucine, glycine, cystine, valine, threonine, alanine.

The benefits of amino acids contained in char, first of all, are expressed in the fact that they contribute to the correct, normal development of the body, support its functioning.

Having become acquainted with such a rich list of the char vitamin and mineral complex, it is even difficult to imagine that this fish can bring the slightest harm to a person. After all, the entire rich harvest is biologically active substances contained in this fish is definitely useful for humans. Thus, char can be considered really correct and useful product.

But is it really so?

Application in dietetics and medicine

The component composition of char, rare in its nutritional value, predetermined its medicinal properties. So, due to the significant content of vitamins and minerals, as well as fatty acids, such a product normalizes the level of cholesterol in the body, improves the condition of the cardiovascular, musculoskeletal systems, guarantees a healthy and flourishing appearance person. In addition, char fish perfectly strengthens the immune system, improves visual function, and helps to normalize water balance. Not a product - but a true panacea!

Harm of char fish

Nevertheless, it is worth noting that char can be very harmful to the body. In particular, due to violations of storage conditions or was treated with special dyes. In this case, without careful cooking, char can become a serious cause of food poisoning. Therefore, when buying char, you need to be very careful not to fall for the bait of the fish. In addition, it is not worth storing char for a long time even when frozen, since the level of nutrients in it decreases significantly under the influence of cold temperatures.

At the same time, it is worth paying attention that the char will not bring really great harm to health. In addition to possible poisoning if storage conditions are violated, another unpleasant side effect may be allergic to seafood or individual components contained in the char. But, it is worth noting that such an effect will manifest itself not only when eating char, but also any other fish. This is due to the fact that some people have individual intolerance to certain components.

By and large, it must be recognized that the quality fresh fish and properly prepared dishes from it will bring not only invaluable benefits for the whole body, but also taste satisfaction for the most picky gourmets. You just need to learn a couple unusual recipes Don't include them in your daily or holiday diets.

Results

The rich vitamin and mineral complex contained in the char allows us to fully appreciate all the benefits that can bring human body this fish. Just enough to learn how to cook it and monitor the quality of the purchased product. It is in this way that you can protect yourself from potentially harmful influences. After all, charr fish is able to provide tremendous support to the body in the fight against a host of unpleasant diseases and at the lowest cost to preserve youth, beauty and health of the whole body.

The red fish char belongs to the salmon family, in which it forms many freshwater and anadromous (migratory) species, united by the generic name - Salvelinus. Regardless of lifestyle and biological features all types are characterized by increased nutritional value, are a source of red caviar and meat, have a characteristic outer cover of the smallest scales.

Thanks to small size and the absence of contrast edging, the bone plates merge against the general background and become invisible to the eye. Such a visually deceptive effect was the reason for the emergence of the original nickname "char", literally meaning - naked. Consonant with him are the alternative names of the fish - "scarred", "starved", which indicate a mischievous character and the ability to feel comfortable in a very cold water. This genus has a circumpolar range (covers the entire Arctic Circle) and officially has the status of the northernmost salmon.

More than 30 species forms are represented in the generic taxon, which differ in many physiological and exterior nuances. However, it is possible to organize General characteristics to identify fish among salmon species and other ichthyofauna of a reservoir:

  • a large number of small densely set scales (up to 150 pieces in the lateral line);
  • torpedo-shaped purlin body;
  • large head with high bulging eyes;
  • truncated caudal and pronounced adipose fins;
  • large predatory mouth with an elongated lower jaw;
  • a small amount of dark, many light, pink or white spots scattered along the entire length of the body.

The main color when the fish is in salt water is a whitish belly, olive-green back, silvery sides. In rivers and lakes, the palette changes dramatically towards blue, blue, aquamarine hues, which better match the conditions of camouflage in clear running water.

The maximum size of char depends on the method and habitat. The passage form, which feeds the bulk of the sea, is able to grow in length 90-100 cm with a weight of up to 16 kg. Lake-river taxa are outwardly similar in many respects to trout, especially to trout, and often grow up to 35-50 cm with a weight of 1.3-1.5 kg. But among the freshwater representatives there are real giants that can break through the mark of 25-30 kg.

Anadromous char - range and lifestyle

The genus-forming taxon of the family is Salvelinus alpinus, which determines the size standards of this salmon group and serves as the basis for the formation of most lacustrine, river, stream, and mixed forms. The fish is officially called arctic salmon. voracious predator and leads a migratory lifestyle, forming spring and winter races. The first carry out continuous migration, come in the autumn to the river with already ripe sexual products and immediately go to spawning grounds. The second - interrupt the migration. Fish enter the mouth before freezing and hibernate at depth in a state of rest, waiting for the final maturation of caviar and milt. Only in spring they resume their movement upstream to spawning grounds.

In the water bodies of Europe, the Caucasus, Siberia and Central Asia dwells predatory fish with an almost naked body - char. The color of the fish depends on its habitat. In most individuals, the body is brownish or yellowish-gray in color, with many irregularly shaped spots. In reservoirs with running water, chars have a body color of light, and in silted ones - brown tones. An interesting fact is that light-colored fish that lived in a well-lit aquarium, after moving to a darkened container, become dark in color already during the first day.

The exact number of fish species is difficult to describe. Sometimes several forms of individuals can live in the same reservoir, which differ in color, size and feeding habits. However, it is well known that the ancestor of all charrs is arctic charr, which forms many forms.

This large fish can weigh up to sixteen kilograms and be up to eighty-eight centimeters long. Anadromous char has a silvery body, light-spotted flanks, and a dark blue back.

Habitat:

  • in the rivers of Novaya Zemlya, Svalbard, Iceland, Norway, Murmansk;
  • in the Baikal basin, Alpine lakes and in the lakes of the Kola Peninsula;
  • along the coast of Siberia in the Yenisei, Ob;
  • in the rivers of Greenland, Alaska, Canada;
  • in the Pacific basin along the American and Asian coasts from California to Korea;
  • in the rivers flowing into Peter the Great Bay.

After entering the rivers for spawning, anadromous char changes its color. Its back becomes greenish-brown, and numerous orange and red spots appear on its silvery flanks. The predator starts spawning at the age of five to seven years. Spawning takes place in autumn and early winter. In the rivers, juveniles live up to two to four years, and then goes to sea, where it keeps in the mouth spaces.

Predator feeds small fish and juveniles of other fish. Juveniles in the river feed on insect larvae, crustaceans, molluscs, and small fish. In lakes, adult char eats smelt, vendace, and in the sea - capelin, gerbil, small cod.

lake char

This is the only type of char that was not imported into Europe. In the arctic latitudes predator is a migratory fish, and in Europe leads sedentary life and lives mainly in lakes.

Lake char usually stays at a depth of more than forty meters, is afraid of light and hides in caves and under tree trunks. The fish are accustomed to oxygen-rich cold water, therefore, lives exclusively in alpine lakes. This well-breeding hardy fish has dwarf specimens in its offspring.

The growth of a predator can be different, as it depends on the conditions for obtaining food. Most often, by the age of six, the fish reaches a size of forty centimeters.

Lake char is similar to trout and brook char. It has a slender body and a color that depends on its habitat:

  • the back of the fish is dark olive or green;
  • gray-blue sides may have light dots of white or light yellow;
  • the jaws of the char are pink, with a white border.

Today, in lakes where loaches were not found, they plant special kind lake char from Lake Geneva.

Of all the species of charr in behavior and habitat, the brook trout is most similar to the local brook trout. Just like a trout, on the brown back of a char there is a white pattern and white and black borders on the ventral, dorsal and anal fins.

Initially, brook char was found only in the northeastern part of America. To date, several populations have been established in small streams in Europe. In many streams, loaches have already completely replaced trout.

Lifestyle, nutrition, reproduction

The predator leads a solitary sedentary lifestyle, prefers places with a rocky or sandy bottom and clean water bodies with fast current. During the day, the char is inactive. He buries himself in sand or mud, hides among algae, between stones or under rapids. At night, the predator, moving along the surfaces of snags and stones, actively begins to hunt and get food for itself.

In summer, if the water gets very warm, the fish starts to get restless and rises to the surface. Here she becomes the prey of predators. big fish and fish-eating birds.

In winter, in non-freezing rivers and streams, char spends in places of its habitual habitat. In ponds and lakes the fish goes to the most deep places where it burrows into silt and emerges only in spring.

Adults feed on larvae of stoneflies, caddisflies, mayflies, and chironomids. They exterminate the caviar not only of other fish species, but also their own. They also love algae, which they suck up while moving on the surface of various objects.

The char becomes sexually mature at a length of six centimeters, in the second year of life. In April or May, the fish lay their eggs on aquatic vegetation, sand or pebbles. The female lays from two to six thousand eggs.

After the larvae hatch, they are carried by the current to the sandbanks. There they lie, leaning on large pectoral fins and eat microscopic organisms living in the sand. For some time, the grown juveniles stay together, and then disperse.

Char fishing and dishes from it
















Features of fishing

Since the char is a predator, then baubles are mainly used to catch it, which the fish usually greedily grabs. Sometimes, instead of spinning to hunt a predator, you can take an ordinary float rod and a piece of fish fillet as bait.

From spring to late autumn, fish bite well on a worm, fly, lure. It should be caught during sunset and sunrise. At this time, the char begins to forage for itself and preys on insects falling into the water. In the cold season, a predator should be looked for at the depth of the reservoir, where it lives in search of larvae.

Pick up gear for catching this fish should be depending on the features of the reservoir. Knowing its habits, finding loach habitats is not difficult. Then both spinners, and lovers of float gear, and those who love winter fishing will have enough chances to catch their trophy.

Char: useful properties and cooking recipes

Due to the absolute absence of scales, the fish is very popular with chefs. Besides she has amazing taste and has many nutritional and beneficial properties. It contains minerals:

  • selenium;
  • copper;
  • potassium;
  • calcium;
  • sodium;
  • manganese;
  • iron;
  • zinc;
  • magnesium.

Fish meat contains vitamins A, E, K, PP and B vitamins. Omega-3 fatty acids, which are also part of its meat, can provide protection against various inflammatory diseases, prevent heart attacks and blood clots.

In stores, copies are most often sold weighing about one kilogram. This is very convenient for cooking, as the fish can fit in almost any pan and oven.

Oven baked char with lemon

With a minimum of effort, fish cooked according to this recipe turns out to be amazingly tasty.

Ingredients:

  • char weighing half a kilogram;
  • half a lemon;
  • small bulb;
  • salt;
  • spices to taste.

Before starting cooking, the fish needs to be scraped a little, remove the fins and head, and gut.

Recipe.

  1. Salt the prepared carcass and add spices.
  2. Cut the lemon into thick slices, and the onion into rings.
  3. Place a third of the onion and lemon inside the fish.
  4. Put a part of the onion on a sheet of foil, on top of which put the carcass of the fish.
  5. Sprinkle the remaining lemon and onion on top of the fish and wrap everything in foil.
  6. The dish is baked at a temperature of 200 degrees for twenty to thirty minutes.

It is the simplest and at the same time delicious recipe cooking fish.

  1. The char must be washed, scraped and gutted.
  2. carcass rubbed with salt, various spices and marinated within twenty minutes.
  3. Pickled pieces are rolled in flour and fried in vegetable oil.

Such a dish, when served, can be decorated with lemon slices and fresh herbs. Any vegetable will do as a side dish.

Fish prepared according to all the rules will take its rightful place on any table, including a festive one. Its beautiful and tender meat is suitable as a filling for pies. From it you can cook a delicious and fragrant fish soup. And smoked and lightly salted char are considered true delicacies. Tasty and healthy fish in any form.

Unfortunately, due to their small size and relatively low population, commercial value loaches do not have. fishing lovers sometimes they use this fish as bait when catching perch, burbot, trout. Because of her tasty meat, in some parts of Europe, at one time, fish were specially bred in key holes.



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