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Baked Pike Stuffed With Mushrooms, Anchovies And Bread Crumbs
(Toltott Csuka)
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| What You Need: |
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THE STUFING
2 tablespoons finely chopped bacon
¼ cup finely chopped onions
½ cup chopped fresh mushrooms (about 1/8 pound)
¾ cup dry bread crumbs
¼ cup milk
4 anchovies, mashed
1 tablespoon finely chopped parsley
THE FISH
A 3- to 4-pound yellow pike, cleaned and scaled, with backbone removed but head and tail left on
5 tablespoons butter, melted
½ cup finely chopped onions
1 clove garlic, finely chopped
Salt
THE SAUCE
½ cup sour cream
½ teaspoon salt
Freshly ground black pepper
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
1 teaspoon sweet Hungarian paprika
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| How To Cook: |
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THE STUFING:
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1. In a heavy 6- to 8-inch skillet, cook the bacon over moderate heat until it has rendered enough fat to coat the bottom of the skillet. Add the onions and cook for 2 or 3 minutes, then stir in the mushrooms.
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2. Cook for 3 to 4 minutes more, or until most of the mushroom liquid has evaporated. Transfer the contents of the pan to a large mixing bowl.
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3. Soak the bread crumbs in the milk until they have absorbed it, and add them and the anchovies and parsley to the bowl. Stir and mash the mixture with a wooden spoon until it is smooth and pasty.
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BAKING THE FISH:
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1. Preheat the oven to 450°F. Wash the fish under cold running water and dry it inside and out with paper towels. Fill the fish with the stuffing, close the opening with small skewers, and crisscross with kitchen string as you would lace a turkey, or sew the openings with white thread.
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2. Brush some of the melted butter on the bottom of a serving-and baking dish large enough to hold the fish. (If you prefer to serve the fish from another dish, line the dish with a long piece of foil.)
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3. Place the fish in the dish and sprinkle the onions and garlic around it. Pour the rest of the melted butter over the fish, and bake it uncovered in the middle of the oven, basting it every 5 to 7 minutes with the pan juices.
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4. In 40 to 45 minutes, the fish should be just firm when pressed lightly with a finger. Remove it from the oven and, if the fish is to be served from the baking dish, use a bulb baster to transfer the juices to a pan.
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5. If it is to be served from a platter, use the ends of the foil to lift it, and slide it onto the platter. Then pour the juices into a pan.
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THE SAUCE:
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1. In a bowl, whisk the sour cream, salt, pepper, lemon juice and paprika together.
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2. Set the pan containing the juices on low heat and stir in the sour-cream mixture. Stir constantly while it heats. It should not boil.
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3. Taste for seasoning, then pour the sauce over the fish and serve.
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