Smoked lamprey

To prepare this incredibly delicious delicacy, it is necessary that the fish is not just fresh, but alive. We transfer the lamprey to a large container and cover it with salt. Salt must be taken large and it is not necessary to feel sorry for it. After that, we leave the lamprey in salt for an hour. You don't need to put them in the refrigerator.

When the specified time has passed, lampreys will fall asleep and secrete a large amount of mucus. It must be removed before cooking. To do this, we wash the lampreys very thoroughly under running water. We do it this way: we take a lamprey, clamp it tightly at the tail and hold it all over the body, slightly pressing, towards the head. You can even use a new sponge for washing dishes, holding a lamprey in it.

The advantages of lampreys are that they lack a skeleton, that is, there will be no bones in the finished dish. Instead of them, soft cartilage. Lamprey meat is elastic, but at the same time quite tender and pleasant. It is not recommended to cut off the heads of lampreys before smoking, so that the fish remains as juicy as possible.

When all the mucus is removed, we spread the lampreys on paper towels and wipe them thoroughly with them.

Preparing the smokehouse. To do this, we put sawdust on the bottom of the smokehouse. It is better to choose sawdust from fruit trees, but alder or oak are also suitable. Preheat the smokehouse to medium temperature, place the lamprey entirely inside, close the shutters almost completely. We smoke lampreys for about half an hour - we check the degree of readiness and, if necessary, increase the time. Cook lamprey for 40-50 minutes.

Smoked lamprey can be served as an appetizer or a second course with a side dish of rice or potatoes.

Bon appetit!