Sea bream: useful properties, recipes for cooking

Such a kind of fish as bream is considered to be the most popular among the representatives of the Carp. This fish is highly nutritious and has a delicate flavor. Many people are interested in what useful and harmful qualities have bream, in order to know in what cases you can use this product.

The bream: what kind of fish it is, what it looks like and where it lives

The bream is characterized by a specific shape of the carcass, thanks to which it can be easily distinguished from other inhabitants of water bodies. Thus, the body of the fish is tall, flattened on the sides, which have a brown or brown coloration. The fins are gray with dark-colored trim. It is also characterized by a small head, large eyes and a mouth that extends like a tube.

This fish is usually found in lakes, rivers and also in the sea. The main requirement for bream habitat is the presence of algae at the bottom of the reservoir. As food, it uses aquatic plants, worm larvae and mollusks.

What is the difference between bream and bream

Both of these fish are representatives of the same species, but of different ages. The bream has a rounded, slightly flattened shape. The scales are characterized by a silver color, while bream coloring is closer to bronze or brown. The head of the bream is small, with five pharyngeal teeth in its mouth. The body of the fish is covered with mucus, which is quite difficult to remove.

The bream, on the other hand, has a larger head, but the mouth of the fish is small. On the back of this species there is a hump.

In general, ichthyology does not distinguish such a subspecies as the bream. It was invented by fishermen for convenience, as it is supposed to use other methods to catch it. The bream is a young bream that has not yet fully matured and formed. The behavior of these species is different, so special fishing methods are required.

The bream can weigh up to 6 kg with a length of up to 70-80 cm, but the bream weighs a maximum of 1 kg, and its length is no more than 0.5 m.

The taste of fish meat also differs. In this case, bream is more meaty, fatty product, which can be fried, salted and stewed. The bream can only be used for salting.

Composition and calories

The useful qualities of bream are explained by its rich composition, which has a beneficial effect on the body and ensures the normal functioning of all organs and systems. Thus, in the composition of bream were found vitamins belonging to the group B, retinol, niacin, tocopherol, ascorbic acid and others. The mineral composition is represented by K, P, Ca, Na, Fe, Mg, S.

Due to the presence of vitamin PP and phosphorus in the product there is a regulation of water-salt balance in the body, bone tissue is mineralized, the condition of the skin is improved.

In addition, the product contains omega-3 and -6 fatty acids. Also, the fish is rich in amino acids and easily digestible protein.

The bream is very nutritious and nourishing. This is provided thanks to the protein, which is well assimilated by the body and low fat. The caloric value of fish varies depending on how it is cooked. So, the caloric value of fresh bream is 105 kcal per 100 g, boiled fish has 125 kcal in the same amount of product, dried - 220, fried - 128, smoked - 160-170.

How is the bream useful?

General benefits

Fish is a must in the human diet because it is perfectly digested and assimilated, regulates vital processes at the cellular level, reduces the risk of cardiovascular diseases, helps to solve problems with excess weight. In addition, this product is able to normalize blood sugar levels, a beneficial effect on the mucous epithelium, as well as the formation and repair of bone tissue.

For the fish to benefit the body, it is recommended to use only fresh products, excluding the use of frozen delicacy.

As already noted, bream has a high content of phosphorus in its composition, and this suggests that such a delicacy is necessary for the construction of the skeleton, as well as the synthesis of various enzymes. Also this substance has a positive effect on the mental activity of the brain, strengthens the memory function. Despite the presence of a large number of small bones, bream belongs to the valuable products that are quite popular in the food industry.

The meat of such fish is characterized by antibacterial and anti-inflammatory properties, cleanses blood vessels, strengthens bones and acts as a prevention of tooth decay.

For women

Thanks to the high concentration of iodine, bream should be included in the menu of people suffering from thyroid diseases. Vitamin E in the product improves the condition of the dermis and hair, provides rejuvenation and removal of toxic substances from the body.

White meat is enriched with light protein, which differs from animal protein. So, this product is very valuable in dietary nutrition, which allows it to be used by ladies who want to lose unwanted pounds. Unsaturated fatty acids in bream help to break down fats that are part of the blood. Regular consumption of this product helps to reduce the risk of blood clots, as well as reducing blood cholesterol levels.

For men

Fish meat contains omega-3 and -6 acids, which are the prevention of the development of atherosclerosis and other diseases related to the cardiovascular system. This helps to cleanse the body of "bad" cholesterol, which ultimately improves the overall health of the person, reduces the likelihood of hypertension, coronary artery disease, stroke and heart attack.

Due to the high content of light protein, the product is recommended for athletes and people who need to strengthen the body after injuries, illnesses and operations.

When pregnant

During the period of carrying a baby, a woman must include fish products in her diet. Bream meat provides the correct development of cell membranes, improve metabolism. Also bream protects the body of a pregnant woman from blood clotting and the development of hypertension. In addition, the product affects the intellectual and psychomotor development of the child, strengthens the immune system of the woman, and helps to cope with postpartum depression.

Scientists have proven that regular consumption of fish products by pregnant women contributes to maintaining a good mood in future moms, as well as helping to eventually give birth to more active, mentally developed and intelligent children.

Breastfeeding

During breastfeeding, it is important for a woman to monitor her diet so as not to harm the baby. Some doctors strongly recommend to refuse to eat fish during lactation, explaining it by the high allergenicity of the product. At the same time, a number of other experts believe that young mothers should include this product in their diet, because it is rich in vitamins and minerals.

During this period, a woman should cook bream only on steam. The use of raw fish is prohibited. The first fish dishes should be prepared according to the simplest recipes. You should not use a lot of different ingredients and spices, so as not to harm the baby.

If you follow the instructions of the correct choice and preparation of bream, you can introduce such a delicacy into the diet from the first month after birth.

For children

Fish for a child at any age is a very useful dish. Like meat, it is a source of animal protein, which is also endowed with amino acids that are not synthesized by the body. But these substances are necessary for the growing body, as they protect the child from viruses and bacteria, take part in the formation of cells, the development of various antibodies.

It is possible to give such a delicacy to children from the first months of life. The product is especially useful for babies who are fed artificially. All babies need vitamins and useful trace elements, which are endowed with bream. Thus, fluoride ensures the formation of tooth enamel, phosphorus is responsible for the normal development of the skeleton and brain, iron is the prevention of anemia.

For weight loss.

The bream meat refers to valuable dietary delicacies, because it has a high content of easily digestible fat, which are very useful for the human body. Probably few people have heard about the existence of a special diet based on the use of this product. More precisely, it is not even a diet, but rather a discharge day, which is recommended once a week.

In this case, you should eat 250 grams of steamed bream for breakfast and drink a glass of tomato juice. For lunch, you can eat 0.5 kg of fish baked in the oven, a salad of cabbage and carrots. For an afternoon snack, two apples are enough. Dinner should consist of 300 grams of boiled bream and vegetable salad. At the same time during the day it is necessary to drink a lot of liquid, it can be green tea or simple mineral water without gas.

Is bream caviar useful?

The bream caviar contains a lot of iodine and fatty acids. The benefits of these components extend to the circulatory system, which helps protect the body from atherosclerosis, the CNS, resulting in a reduced risk of stress, as well as the GI tract, which helps to restore metabolism.

The caviar of this type of fish has a balanced composition and is characterized by the presence of healthy proteins. All this makes it possible to use the product for weight loss, although its caloric content is quite high. Children under the age of three should not be given bream caviar.

Benefits of dried and smoked bream

Dried bream helps strengthen blood vessels, reduces the risk of coronary heart disease, stabilizes metabolic processes, acts as a bactericidal agent, has a positive effect on the skin and mucous membranes.

The harm of this product lies in its excessive salt content, so abusing it is contraindicated. Improperly cooked delicacy can cause disorder or poisoning.

As for smoked bream, at such processing the fish retains the ability to speed up the metabolism, eliminate collapse of strength, restore the urinary system and have a beneficial effect on the dermis.

The danger of a smoked product is the presence of carcinogens, the amount of which is directly related to the method of smoking. And this suggests that in such a case there is a possibility of developing cancer cells.

How to smoke

To begin with, you should select bream of approximately the same size, carefully rinse them and remove the gills. If the individuals are large, it is necessary to clean them from the insides, but if the fish are small, it is not necessary to do this. Then on the back along the ridge make a small incision so the fish gets better salted. It is not necessary to remove scales and skin because they will serve as a protective coating, and the dish will be juicier.

So, you need 200 grams of salt for 5 small fish carcasses. At first, you should prepare a brine and place the bream in it for several days. After that, wash the carcasses and hang them to dry for an hour. Then open the bellies and fix them with toothpicks. Afterwards, cure the bream in a ventilated place for a while, and then place it in a special device for smoking, in the upper compartment. Put sawdust in the lower compartment. The smoke from the kindled splinters and sawdust will rise to the fish. In this form, the product should smoke for about two days.

How to dry

For this method of processing, individuals no longer than 35 cm in length will be suitable. The fish should be washed, cleaned of the insides and gills, the heads should not be cut off.

You can use wet pickling. To do this, prepare a bucket of water in a salt solution so that the raw chicken egg does not sink to the bottom of the dish. After that, thread the carcasses on a thick rope and drop them into a container with liquid. Cover the bucket with a lid and put it in a dark, cool place for three days.

Or you can use dry pickling. In this case, 1 kg of fish needs 250 grams of salt. Pour salt on the bottom of an enamel bowl and put the fish in it one by one. The last layer of bream should be covered with salt so that the fish is not visible. The container should also be sealed tightly and put a burden. Such weight is necessary so that an air layer is not formed, where microorganisms will multiply. In this form, the fish should lie for a few days.

Regardless of the chosen method, the next step is soaking. To do this, the fish carcasses should be put into fresh water for the same amount of time as it takes to pickle them. It is recommended to change the water 3-4 times. If wet salting was used, it's enough to rinse bream under running water for an hour. Next, dry the fish a little. To do this, you should leave it for several hours in a ventilated room.

Special devices are used for drying, in which bream are suspended. At home, you can hang the fish on the balcony or near the stove. The air temperature in this case should not exceed 20 degrees. This usually takes 2 to 4 weeks, depending on the size of the fish and the chosen method of salting.

Harms and contraindications

There are no special contraindications that can harm the human body. However, in some cases, individual intolerance can be observed. Only parasites on the bream body, as well as many small bones can be dangerous. Detect parasites is very easy when cleaning the fish. If this happens, it is better to refuse to eat such a product. Moreover, after cutting such fish, it is necessary to boil the knife and other instruments that were used during the work. The bream is very bony, so you need to be very careful. To make the bones softer, it is recommended to marinade the bream before cooking.

If the fish lived in a polluted body of water, it can be harmful to your health. Before buying, make sure that the fish was caught in an environmentally safe place.

How to choose and store

For bream to benefit the body, it is important that it is not only fresh, but also natural, without various hazardous substances in its composition, which can cause harm to human health. Nowadays, fish food includes various dyes, antibiotics and growth stimulants. A natural product is characterized by meat with a pale hue, fins that are well developed, a faint marine aroma of iodine, shiny and elastic scales, bright and convex eyes. Gills in individuals should not have yellowing, they retain elasticity when pressed on them. They should be sold in a container with ice.

It is best to store such a product at 0 degrees, but if it is supposed to be stored in a refrigerator, where the temperature is usually about 5 degrees, then you need a separate container with ice. If there are a lot of fish, it is advisable to freeze some of them, but also before sending them to the freezer, the carcasses should be stripped, thoroughly washed and dried.

How to clean bream quickly

To quickly remove scales from the surface of the bream, it is recommended to send the carcasses to the freezer for a few minutes. After that, the bream should be put immediately on a cutting board and quickly remove the scales. In doing so, one should make movements against the growth of scales. After one side is done, you can turn the bream over and continue cleaning the other side. The cleaned carcasses should be rinsed thoroughly under running water.

To clean the fish, it is not necessary to use a knife. Nowadays there are many special tools designed for this purpose. You can even peel the fish from the scales along with the skin. In this case, you need to make a shallow incision in the head area all around the bream, and then pull off the skin.

How to cook bream well: Recipes

There are many known options for cooking bream, but the most common are frying and baking in the oven. Recently, marinating fish has been gaining popularity. For those who like healthy eating will be appropriate to prepare bream on steam. Nutritionists also assure that the greatest benefit is retained in dried and dried bream.

In the oven

For baking in foil will need 2 fish, 1 onion, 1 bell pepper, 1 carrot, salt, pepper and spices to taste. So, first cut and clean the bream, treat them with salt and spices on the inside and outside. Next, mix the chopped vegetables. Place first a layer of foil on the baking tray, then carefully spread the fish, and vegetables scattered on all sides. After that, wrap the resulting billet in foil and send it to the oven heated to 100 degrees. The dish will be ready in 40-45 minutes.

In the pan

To prepare a quick and tasty dinner in a pan, you will need fresh bream, a few onions, 5 tbsp of flour, 60 ml of vegetable oil, salt and pepper to taste. First, you have to clean the fish carefully, remove scales, remove gills and innards. Then wash it well, cut off the head and divide the body into four pieces. Put the pieces in a bowl and season with salt and pepper.

Afterwards, roll the fish in flour. Next, pour oil into a frying pan and heat it. Prepared bream lay out in a dish and fry over low heat for about 10 minutes on both sides. Then add the onion, then continue frying for another 10 minutes. Fried bream with onions is ready.

In multicooker

Cooking bream in the multicooker with vegetables is very easy. For this you need 1 kg of bream, 15 g of butter, 5 potatoes, 4 onions, 4 tablespoons of flour, salt and pepper at your discretion. First, clean the fish, rub it with spices on all sides, roll in flour and put it in a bowl. Here, pour 100 ml of water, add chopped potatoes and onion rings. Next, select the function "Bake" and turn it on for 40 minutes.

What can be cooked from bream: Recipes

Properly cooked bream is excellent for both everyday and festive tables. It should be noted that this fish goes well with rice, potatoes and other vegetables.

Cutlets

Ingredients: 0.5 kg of fish fillet, 1 medium carrot, 1 onion, 100 g of white bread, a small bunch of greens, 1 egg, 100 ml of sunflower oil, 50 g of breadcrumbs, as well as salt and other spices - to taste. First, chop the onion and carrot. Put the bread in water for a couple of minutes. Next, add chopped vegetables to the fish, and chop it all in a meat grinder. After that, add salt, spices and egg. From the resulting mince form cutlets, which wrap in breadcrumbs. Fry the cutlets until golden brown. It is recommended to fry the dish in plenty of oil. To get rid of excess oil, after cooking the cutlets should be placed on paper towel. Garnish with greens before serving.

Fish soup

To prepare fish soup, the bream itself, 3 potatoes, 1 carrot, 1 onion, 2 tablespoons of vegetable mask, parsley root and celery, herbs, 2 bay leaves, as well as salt and other spices are needed.

The first thing to do is to boil the bream. This usually takes no more than 20 minutes. After that, take all the meat out of the broth and strain the liquid. This will remove all bones. Next, place the sliced potatoes in the resulting broth. In a pan with heated oil, fry the remaining vegetables, chopped in a convenient way. The ready vegetable dressing put into the bream broth, and then continue cooking for another 15 minutes. At this time, you can add pieces of boiled fish. At the very end add a bay leaf and herbs. The dish turns out very tasty and fragrant.

Canned .

If the fish is large, you will need to remove the skeleton. The bream must be washed properly. Smaller fish are usually processed without cutting. In this case, they are placed in jars in an upright position. If the carcass is large, you have to cut it into pieces.

You can preserve bream with ketchup. In this case you will need 1 kg of bream, 4-5 onions, 1 package of spicy ketchup, 200 ml of vegetable oil, carrots, tomatoes, sweet bell pepper, bay leaf and other spices.

Cut carrots and onions into very thin rings, peppers into strips, and tomatoes into small pieces. Next, lay out the vegetables and fish in layers. Remember that almost a third of the entire vegetable mass should be placed on top. Also sprinkle the billet with black pepper in the form of peas, paprika and other seasonings. At the same stage, add the bay pipe and a small amount of ketchup. After laying all the ingredients, bring the mixture to a boil. Cook for about an hour on low heat, and then paste into sterilized containers. Jars seal tightly and send for further storage in the refrigerator. To reduce the time for disinfecting containers, you can use a multicooker, turned on the mode "Baking". The temperature in this case should be 100 degrees.

How to salt bream at home

To salt bream with your own hands, you must first prepare the fish. To do this, it is necessary to wash it well, gut it and be sure to get rid of the gills. If there is caviar inside, the fish is salted as a whole, with the insides, but the gills must be removed in any case, otherwise the finished product will acquire a bitter taste. After that, dry the bream with a paper towel.

Salted bream, the recipe for obtaining which is very simple, is prepared in a large, but shallow dish. To prepare such a delicacy, you need to fill the bottom of the container with a layer of coarse salt. Also rub a small amount of salt component on the inside and outside of the carcass, paying special attention to the head of the fish. Treat bream lay at the bottom of the dish and sprinkle a layer of salt on top. Cover the salted products with a lid and put something heavy on it. In this form bream should lie 5 days at a temperature of 7-10 degrees. The readiness of the product can be judged by a slight stiffness on the back of the fish. Then you should soak the carcasses in cold water for several hours. This procedure is recommended to be carried out twice.

After that, hang the fish on a rope and dry it in a well-ventilated room. This process usually takes no more than a week. Do not be alarmed if during the first days of drying an unpleasant smell comes from the suspended bream. On the second or third day the smell will disappear. If you salt the fish by the above method, the result is a very tasty and fatty fish. And the cooking process is not difficult. You only need to follow the sequence of technology.

Interesting facts

1. The largest bream was caught in England in 2014. Its weight was more than 7 kg.
2. This fish got this name because during spawning, individuals jump out of the water and fall back sideways in such a way that there is a noise resembling clawing. This is what led to the fish being called bream.
3. There is such a species as the black Amur bream. The number of this species is declining, so it is listed in the Red Book.

Photo of a bream