Portuguese crab

Let me tell you about my experience with this oven-baked carp, as my friends keep telling me I don't post enough fish recipes on my blog. I stumbled upon a recipe somewhere and decided to give it a try one Saturday evening, convinced that it wouldn’t turn out great, especially since my family isn’t exactly fond of fish (for them, if it’s not fried salmon, it might as well not exist). The first time, I forgot to squeeze the lemon at the end, and for some reason, it felt like it was missing something, so the second time I stuck to the recipe like glue. But honestly, after making it about four times, I can’t stop thinking about it. Now I’m writing to you from my kitchen, with polenta boiling on the stove and fish in the oven, giving it another go – I’m not crazy, but I like having good food when I come home in the evening, and it’s just as good the next day if you have the patience to reheat it properly.

It takes a while, I won’t lie – including frying, sautéing vegetables, making the sauce, and baking, it easily takes over an hour and a half, so don’t start it when you’re already hungry. You’ll get about 6-8 hearty portions if you use a 2 kg carp. It’s not rocket science, but you do need to enjoy cooking a bit and not keep your eyes glued to your phone while you’re at it, as it’s easy to mess up, especially with the sauce. I’d say the difficulty level... it’s not hard, but I wouldn’t recommend it for beginners; it’s somewhere in the middle, in my opinion. You need to pay attention to details, but don’t worry if it doesn’t look like the pictures.

Why do I make it so often? Because it has the taste of home-cooked food, not of hastily fried fish, not of fish with bones and a squeeze of lemon thrown on top. Plus, you can make it when you have guests and not spend all day in the kitchen; just pop it in the oven, add some sauce, and take care of the rest. Even Costel (you know him, picky about fish) ended up asking for a second serving, which is rare because I don’t get to praise him often.

INGREDIENTS (for a large tray, about 6-8 hungry people)
1 large carp, about 2 kg (I always get it with head and tail on, as it’s tastier, but if you don’t like it, you can remove the head)
4 onions (make sure they’re robust, as the sauce comes from here)
10 small carrots (or 3 large ones, sliced lengthwise; don’t skimp, the carrot adds sweetness to the sauce)
2 tablespoons white flour (whole grain works too if you’re health-conscious, but it changes the texture)
A jar of tomatoes in sauce (or about 400 g crushed tomatoes; it doesn’t matter if they’re canned or homemade, just make sure they’re a bit tangy)
150 ml dry white wine (don’t use sweet wine; it just doesn’t work; I tried it once and it turned out... so-so)
150 g flour and 100 g cornmeal for coating the fish pieces (I suggest mixing them for extra crispiness)
Oil for frying (about 500 ml, but you won’t use it all)
1-2 tablespoons salt (to taste)
Freshly ground black pepper, to your liking
1 bay leaf (if you have both dried and fresh, use the dried one; let’s not ruin the recipe)
A large bunch of fresh parsley (for garnish)
A few sprigs of fresh thyme (it makes a difference; I don’t know why, but I always feel something extra)
Juice of one lemon (don’t skip this, trust me!)
To serve, definitely polenta. Maybe some hot peppers if you’re feeling brave.

What does each ingredient do? The carp is obviously the star, while the onion and carrot thicken and sweeten the sauce, the tomatoes and wine provide acidity and flavor, and the parsley and thyme add freshness at the end. The flour and cornmeal create that crispy crust on the fish – without them, it turns out a bit soggy. The lemon, I don’t know, but without it, it lacks charm.

PREPARATION METHOD

1. Clean the carp thoroughly. I take my time, wash it well, scale it (yes, it’s a task no one escapes), and cut it into slices about 2 fingers thick. I also remove any large bones, so the kids don’t have a hard time. Season the fish on both sides with salt and let it rest for at least 20 minutes in the fridge to absorb the salt; otherwise, it won’t have any flavor. I’ve tried it without salt before, and it turned out bland. Don’t be fooled.

2. In the meantime, prepare the flour and cornmeal mixture. I usually use about 2-3 tablespoons of cornmeal for every 1 of flour, but you can switch it if you want it crunchier. Coat each piece in the mixture, shaking off the excess, as it will fly all over the kitchen when frying.

3. Heat the oil well in a deep frying pan. Fry the fish over medium to high heat until it forms a golden crust, but don’t dry out the meat. No need to overcrowd the pan; fry in batches. Once done, place the pieces on a paper towel, not directly in the tray. Here’s the thing: don’t throw away that oil, as it’s packed with fish flavor.

4. Take 5 tablespoons of the oil you used to fry the fish and put them in a clean pan. Sauté the chopped onion (not in cubes; that doesn’t have the same charm) and the thinly sliced carrots over low heat, so they don’t burn. The onion should soften and turn a golden-yellow color, not brown.

5. When the vegetables are soft, add 2 tablespoons of flour (no more, or the sauce will thicken like concrete). Stir quickly to avoid lumps, and when everything is combined, pour in the tomatoes with sauce, already chopped or crushed by hand (I like it this way for texture). Immediately after, add the white wine.

6. Mix well, add salt, pepper, the bay leaf, and let it simmer slowly for about 10-15 minutes until it thickens a bit. Don’t let it turn into paste – the idea is to have a sauce that lightly coats the spoon, not a thick blob.

7. Grease a heat-resistant dish with about 5-6 tablespoons of this sauce. Arrange the fried fish pieces (I place them side by side, not stacked, otherwise they won’t cook evenly). Pour the remaining sauce over the top to cover the pieces as much as possible. If you feel like it, you can add a few slices of tomatoes or even chopped tomatoes for extra freshness.

8. Squeeze the lemon juice evenly over the top. At first, I thought it was too much juice, but it’s not. Don’t skip this step, seriously.

9. Sprinkle black pepper, chopped parsley, a few sprigs of thyme, cover the dish if you have a lid or foil (for the first 15 minutes, then leave it uncovered to form a crust).

10. Bake everything at 180-190°C for about 25-30 minutes. It depends on your oven; sometimes it takes up to 40 minutes, but don’t dry it out too much. The sauce should reduce and stick slightly to the fish without burning at the edges.

11. Remove the tray, let it rest for 5 minutes, then serve with warm polenta, perhaps some hot peppers, and extra greenery on top if you like.

TIPS, VARIATIONS, AND SERVING IDEAS

Useful tips:
- Don’t throw away the frying oil, even if it seems like a lot; that’s where all the flavor is.
- Don’t add too much flour to the sauce, or it will thicken too much, and you won’t enjoy it.
- Make sure the tomatoes are sweet and tangy; garden-fresh ones are ideal.
- Taste the sauce before pouring it over the fish to ensure it’s well-seasoned; if needed, add more salt or pepper.
- If you find the fish too greasy, you can pat it dry after frying, but don’t wash it; don’t skimp on the fat.

Ingredient substitutions and adaptations:
- For a lighter version, you can skip frying the fish and place it directly in the oven on parchment paper, just brushed with oil and salted, then make the sauce as usual.
- You can also use other types of fish, like catfish, large carp, perch, or even cod fillets (but it won’t be as tasty, to be honest).
- For a gluten-free option, replace the flour with rice or corn flour, as well as for coating the fish.
- If you don’t have wine, use a bit of diluted lemon juice with water (but it won’t have the same flavor).

Variations:
- You can add bell peppers if you want some extra color, sliced and sautéed with the other vegetables.
- If you want something spicier, add a small chopped hot pepper directly to the sauce, but be careful not to overdo it.
- For those who don’t love cornmeal, just replace it with flour, but I’ll tell you, you’ll miss that crunch that makes it appetizing.
- I’ve also occasionally added a bit of garlic, just because I felt like it, but it’s not mandatory.

Serving ideas:
- Serve with freshly made polenta and pickled cucumbers; it goes fantastically.
- It also pairs well with thick bread spread with sauce or even a fresh cabbage salad.
- For drinks, serve with dry white wine or lemon-mint water; I’m not saying beer doesn’t go, but it feels more sensible with wine.
- If you’re making a full menu: start with a clear vegetable soup and then serve this fish with polenta, and people will get up from the table satisfied and without complaints.

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

1. What kind of fish can I use if I can’t find carp?
You can also use large bream, catfish, perch, or even trout or catfish fillets, but it will have a different taste and texture. Cod or pike-perch fillets will be more tender, but not as flavorful as fatty fish.

2. Do I have to fry the fish, or can I just put it directly in the oven?
If you don’t want to fry (either for dietary reasons or because you can’t stand the smell), you can put it directly in the oven brushed with oil, but it won’t be as crispy on the outside. My advice is to fry it at least halfway for the crust and flavor.

3. What can I do if I don’t have white wine or don’t want to use alcohol?
You can use a bit of water with lemon juice or even vegetable broth. The taste will be different, but still good. Don’t stress too much; it’s not a competition recipe.

4. I forgot to squeeze the lemon. Can I add it at the end?
Yes, you can add it right before serving, directly on the plate, but the flavor won’t be as evenly absorbed. Just don’t forget next time, I’d say.

5. Can I make it with more vegetables or different ones?
Sure, add bell peppers, celery, zucchini if you like. Just don’t overdo it with the quantity, or you’ll lose the balance with the sauce. The carrot and onion should remain the base; add the rest to your liking.

6. What can I do if the sauce is too thick?
Dilute it with a bit of hot water or tomato juice, but be careful not to make it too watery. Learn along the way what texture you prefer.

NUTRITIONAL VALUES (per serving, based on a 2 kg fish tray with 8 servings)
Carp is a fattier fish, but if you drain it well after frying, it won’t overload your plate with oil. One serving has about 400-450 kcal (with polenta included), 30-35 g protein, 18-20 g fat, and about 20-25 g carbohydrates (depending on how much sauce and polenta you use). Without polenta, you’ll cut about 70 kcal. It’s not a meal for strict diets, but it’s not a calorie bomb either, unless you pour a liter of oil. It’s filling, has fiber from the vegetables, vitamins from the carrots and tomatoes, and omega-3 from the fish. If you make it without frying, it’ll be even lower in fat.

HOW TO STORE AND REHEAT

If there are leftovers, which rarely happens with me, I put it in a container with a lid in the fridge. It keeps well for 2-3 days, just don’t leave it uncovered, or it’ll absorb fridge odors. To reheat, the best way is in the oven, not the microwave, as the sauce will turn mushy in the microwave. Heat at 150°C, covered, for about 10-15 minutes, so it doesn’t dry out. If you want, you can add a bit of tomato sauce or water to prevent it from sticking. It’s also good cold, honestly, as a “terrine” with bread if you don’t feel like reheating, but it’s not as good as fresh. If you made extra polenta, heat that up too with a bit of milk or water to revive it.

That’s how I do it, and with each round, I discover a little difference, but I believe it gets tastier with every batch. It’s a sort of adopted family recipe, with all its flaws and necessary improvisations.

The carp is cleaned, washed, and sliced into rounds, which are seasoned with salt, dipped in a mixture of cornmeal and flour, and then fried in hot oil. We remove the fried fish onto a paper towel. From the oil in which we fried the fish, we take 5 tablespoons and put them in a clean pan, where we will sauté the onion cut into scales and the carrot sliced lengthwise. When the onion turns golden, we add 2 tablespoons of flour, mixing well until all the fat is absorbed, after which we extinguish with crushed tomatoes in juice mixed with 150 ml of white wine. We add salt, pepper, and a bay leaf, mixing everything well until the sauce thickens and turn off the heat. We grease a heat-resistant dish with 5-6 tablespoons of the prepared sauce, place the pieces of fish, over which we will pour the remaining sauce. On each piece of fish, we place slices of tomatoes (I used canned tomatoes). We squeeze a lemon and pour all the juice evenly into the dish. We decorate with ground pepper, parsley leaves, and thyme. We put the tray in the oven for about 25-30 minutes, then serve hot, with polenta.

 Ingredients: 1 carp (mine weighed 2 kg) 4 onions 10 small carrots 2 tablespoons of flour 1 jar of tomatoes in broth (winter vegetables) 150 ml of white wine salt pepper 1 bay leaf fresh parsley a few sprigs of fresh thyme juice of 1 lemon

 Tags:  crap fish recipes fish with vegetables over to the oven