The most inexperienced housewives know how to fry fish, but I will still take the liberty of writing a review on this topic. I am writing because we are talking about a fish called a chimera. In the English version it is called Rabbit Fish, we sell it under the name hare fish, I also heard the name rabbit fish. There is a lot of information on the Internet about this fish, extremely controversial. Since I have cooked this fish more than once, I can say that this fish is worth trying. Not everyone likes it to their taste. My daughter and I like her, the cat is wildly delighted, but her husband did not like her. Since the chimera fish is sold in frozen form, first of all, you need to defrost it, pour it cold water and leave her alone for about a couple of hours.
Chimera fish have large fins and some sort of fins on the back, from head to tail. There are no scales on the fish, and I like that, all you need to do is wash the abdomen well.
I cut off the fins completely and discard them.
I cut the fish into portioned pieces, while cutting the peel.
I roll salt and each piece in flour on all sides.
I'm frying on sunflower oil on both sides over low heat for about 7 minutes on each side. I did not hear a clear fishy smell when frying, it smells nice.
Fish in finished form does not have a presentable appearance. Festive table it will not decorate, there is no bright crust inherent in any fried fish.
The chimera fish has absolutely no bones, instead of a ridge it has cartilage. It's a pity the photo cannot show how small this cartilage is. By the way, the cat ate cartilage with no less pleasure than the fish itself.
The fish is not fat at all, it seemed tough to her husband. My daughter does not like fish and avoids fish dishes, she really liked this fish. The fish is really not very hard, but I am. delicious fish I haven't eaten for a long time, although I buy fish very often. I can't even compare her taste qualities with no other fish. Although the lady in line (and for such a fish, when it is on sale, you have to stand in line) told me that the taste of the chimera fish is similar to the taste of the sturgeon. I have never bought a sturgeon, therefore I cannot compare.
I serve the chimera fish with rice and salad, the rice fits very well with this fish.
The time is indicated only for frying the fish, the time of its defrosting was not taken into account.
Bon appetit and creative culinary inspiration. I think there are many things to try on your own. And not rely entirely on the opinion of some people. I cooked the chimera fish stewed with vegetables, I will write a review later, as soon as I can buy the fish. Despite its not very low cost (89 hryvnia per kilogram), I buy up the chimera fish at the moment and now I need to wait for the next delivery.
Cooking time: PT00H30M 30 min.
What are different and unusual fish exist in nature, and what names have not been invented for them! For example, a chimera fish: the name of this animal alone does not evoke the most pleasant associations. And if you look at this inhabitant deep sea then opinions may be divided. Some see a very cute and cute fish that looks like a soaring bird, while others see a monster. So who is she really, this mysterious sea inhabitant, who is also called another strange name- sea hare fish.
Chimera are very close relatives and: they are all cartilaginous fish and have a spine from cartilage tissue... Look at the photo of the chimera fish and try to find common features with sharks!
All the most interesting about chimeras
When the name chimera is mentioned, it does not mean that there is only one the only kind... The genus Chimera (lat.Chimaera) unites 6 species, of which the most famous is the European chimera (lat.Chimaera monstrosa) from the eastern Atlantic. There is a Cuban chimera (Chimaera cubana), which was at first taken to be European, but later was singled out as an independent species. She lives off the coast of Cuba at a depth of 400-500 meters. Other species of the genus Chimera are known from the waters of the eastern regions. The Pacific(Philippine Islands, Yellow Sea and Japanese Islands).
The place of chimeras in the fish system
The genus Chimera, of which the European Chimera is a representative, belongs to the Chimaeridae family, in which there is another genus with species that differ from the Chimera genus in the shape of the caudal fin.
All fish of the Chimera family have a blunt snout. This is an important difference from other families of the order Chimaeriformes, among which there is the fam. Nosed chimeras with a very elongated snout, and pointed at the end. And the third family is the proboscis chimeras (callorinchids). They are distinguished by an elongated and bent downward and backward front end of the snout.
Below, in the photo of fish, chimeras are shown in the drawings, and you can see the differences in the structure of the snout in representatives of each family, which were mentioned above.
Representatives of the order of chimera: 1 - this. Chimera; 2 - this. Proboscis (kallorinchivye) and family. Nosed chimeras. As mentioned at the beginning of the article, the chimera fish is cartilaginous, and, accordingly, belongs to the class "Cartilaginous fish", which has two subclasses. Having much in common in the internal and external structure with plate-gill (sharks and rays), chimeras differ from them in that their upper jaw is completely fused with the skull. Therefore, they are classified into the subclass Whole-headed or Solid-cranial.
Chimera-like appearance
All chimera-like ones have a characteristic body shape: rolling, slightly compressed from the sides and strongly thinning towards the tail. In the photo of the bearded seal fish ( European chimera) it can be clearly seen.
Other features appearance representatives of chimera:
- Two fins on the back, the first is high and short, having a powerful spine in front, which together with it, if necessary, fit into a special groove in the back. The second is long and can stretch to the very base of the caudal fin and does not fold.
- The caudal fin is often shaped like a long cord.
- The pectoral fins are very well developed and each of them is shaped like a fan.
- The pelvic fins are smaller than the pectoral fins and are located next to the anus, being pushed back.
- At the base, all paired fins are provided with fleshy lobes, thin and flexible.
- The mouth located below (lower) in chimeras and has a characteristic three-lobed upper lip.
- The gill openings on the sides of the head are covered by a fold of skin supported by digital cartilage.
- The naked body, devoid of placoid scales, is covered with large quantity mucus.
A thorn in the first dorsal fin of a European chimera. European chimeras - beauties or monsters?
European chimera wears Latin name Chimaera monstrosa, which evokes associations with some kind of monster. This fish has many names, one of the names that the chimera fish carries is a hare. Perhaps this is due to the large, slightly elongated pectoral fins and huge eyes. It is also called the sea rabbit fish, apparently for the same reasons.
And for the Norwegians, the chimera is a royal fish. So it is called because of the thin bony outgrowth curved backward, which is located in males between the eyes.
A stylized image of a male chimera with a bone growth between the eyes. The body length of the European chimera can be up to one or one and a half meters, and its tail is very long and thin, so another name stuck behind it - the sea rat.
What color is the chimera?
On the bare skin of the European chimera, rudimentary spines are sometimes found. However, the skin looks smooth and soft and has a characteristic color:
- the back is in dark brown and golden shades in combination with brown and whitish, a dark brown stripe stretches along the upper back;
- the ventral side of the body is light;
- on the back of the long dorsal fin, as well as on the caudal and anal, a blackish-brown edging is noticeable.
Completes the Chimera's color cast green color pupil against the background of the white iris of her huge eyes.
European chimera, photo by Roman Fedortsov, Murmansk, @rfedortsov_official_account Spread, lifestyle and movement
The European chimera fish is not found in tropical waters. Its range is East End Atlantic Ocean:
- V northern waters- from Strait of Gibraltar (coastal waters Morocco) to the island of Iceland and the Scandinavian Peninsula with an entry into the Barents Sea.
- Southern waters - off the coast of southern Africa (this information needs to be confirmed).
The sea hare fish spends most of its life at the bottom, therefore ichthyologists classify it as bathydimesal (bottom deep-sea) fish. After all, the depth at which you can find it is from 40 to 1400 meters. But most often this species lives at relatively shallow depths: two hundred to five hundred meters (in the northernmost part of the range) and three hundred and fifty to seven hundred meters (in the waters off the coast of Morocco). By winter, it comes to coastal waters, where off the coast of Norway (where the depth is from 90 to 180 meters), a number of individuals can be caught by trawls.
These fish are quite gentle, do not resist at all when caught. Extracted from the water, they die very quickly. Placed in an aquarium, they do not survive well.
Way to travel
A chimera or a sea rabbit fish is not a fast and speedy swimmer, and it does not need it. See how gracefully she moves thanks to the eel-like curvature of the back of her body and tail and the undulating sweeps of large pectoral fins resembling wings. The pelvic fins are also involved in ensuring the swimming of fish, located horizontally, they serve as stabilizers of movement.
Being at the bottom, chimeras can "stand" on the ground, relying on almost all of their fins: while the pectoral and pelvic fins perform the function of four limbs, and the tail serves as an additional support.
Nutrition issue
This part of the article focuses on two issues:
- what the sea rabbit fish eats;
- is it possible to eat a chimera fish, that is, a sea rabbit?
The diet of chimeras is represented mainly by benthic invertebrates. Among them are molluscs, crustaceans (mainly crabs), echinoderms ( sea urchins, ofiura). Small fish were only occasionally found in their stomachs. When examining the contents of the digestive tract of the chimeras, it was found that they do not swallow food whole, but bite off small pieces from the prey or crush it with strong dental plates.
Do people eat chimeras?
So, is it possible to eat a chimera fish. There is no definitive answer to this question. Chimera fishery is carried out off the Pacific coast of the United States, they are caught in Chile and Argentina, as well as in the waters of New Zealand and China. The volumes of production are especially large in New Zealand, where representatives of the Callorinhocephalus family (proboscis chimeras) are caught.
Only fresh callorinchus meat, which has excellent taste, is suitable for eating. However, if it lies down even a little, then it begins to exude bad smell ammonia. For housewives, the cartilaginous chimera fish, which does not have scales and hard bones, is, of course, very convenient to prepare.
Fat is extracted from the liver of chimeras, which has long been known as an excellent wound-healing agent.
The current trend towards an increase in the production of European chimera by the method of deep-sea trawling for the production of drugs from the liver oil of this fish became the reason for the inclusion of this species in the IUCN Red List ( The International Union nature protection). Chimera hare fish has protection status as a species close to a vulnerable position.
The depths of the sea have not been explored well enough, but even among the species known to us there are truly unusual specimens. One of the most striking examples- chimera fish. At one time, she was caught by Canadian fishermen. The poor fellows thought that they had come across a genetic mutant, this creature looked so unusual! However, after this ocean dweller became famous, opinions about her appearance were divided. Someone sees her as the cutest creature, and someone considers her a monster. Even her name in different countries confirms very scattered impressions: somewhere she is also called a chimera, somewhere - bearded seal or a rabbit, and in other places - a royal fish.
The chimera even somewhat resembles a bird, a fish and a crocodile. She has an elongated body, huge ribbed fins that resemble wings, emerald eyes and an unusual pointed head. The presence of a poisonous thorn, which is located on the back, gives it a special charm.
In fact, the chimera is a relative of the stingray and the shark, namely the subspecies cartilaginous fish... The traits of both of these representatives of the seas can be found in our heroine. In total, there are several types of chimeras in biology, namely six. This creature lives at a relatively shallow depth and prefers the warm waters of the Pacific Ocean and Atlantic. Moreover, it can be found at a depth of 40 meters to one and a half thousand kilometers.
Despite its harsh appearance, the "sea hare" is an extremely gentle and sensitive creature. She does not know how to resist enemies, instantly dies in the air and almost does not survive in an aquarium. In addition, she swims rather slowly. It looks very graceful, but it doesn't let you get away from predators. Interesting fact: Chimera fish are able to "stand" on the bottom, relying on their numerous fins and tail.
Chimeras are predators though. They will not harm humans: small crustaceans and molluscs are their prey. At the same time, a person sometimes catches " king fish»For consumption.
Chimera fish
Deep waters mysterious oceans inhabit mysterious creatures... 400 million years ago, evolution appeared an unusual underwater inhabitant - the chimera fish.
This creature is sometimes called ghost sharks. And this fish got the name chimera for its appearance. The fact is that in Greek mythology there was a legend about a monstrous woman, whose whole body was formed from parts of different animals. Seeing fish from strange appearance, the ancient Greeks decided that her body was not at all like an ordinary representative of fish - but as if it was also made up of animal parts. That is why the chimera fish got its name.
Chimera deep sea fish
This fish belongs to the cartilaginous, it is a chimera-like order, the chimera family.
Among the class of cartilaginous fish, chimeras appeared on our planet the very first. They are considered to be distant relatives of sharks. Today, scientists have counted about 50 species of these unusual fish on our planet.
The appearance of the chimera fish
Body length adult reaches 1.5 meters. The skin of these fish is smooth, with multi-colored tints. In males, between the eyes on the head there is a bone growth (thorn) that has a curved shape.
The tail of these fish is very long, it reaches a size equal to half the length of the whole body. A feature of the appearance of these representatives of the Chimera family can be called large wing-shaped lateral fins. By spreading them out, the chimera becomes something like a bird.
Fish lovers are divided into two camps: some argue that the chimera is inedible, and the second that excellent dishes are obtained from it. Be that as it may, the sea rabbit (this is another name for the chimera, along with the bearded seal) can now often be seen on store shelves. The fish was named chimera for its creepy appearance: it has an unattractive head and a very long lower fin. Apparently, because of the scary appearance, the carcasses of this fish are sold already peeled. We bought one and decided to experiment. Chimera in the oven with vegetables it turned out very tasty!
Ingredients:
carcass of a sea rabbit- 1 piece;
carrots - 1 piece;
onion - 1 piece;
salt to taste;
seasonings for fish- taste;
lemon - ½ piece;
vegetable oil- a few spoons.
Cooking chimera in the oven.
We take required amount ingredients.
We start with: first, put them together with the fish in the oven, stew carrots and onions. Therefore, we clean the carrots and rub them on a coarse grater. We put a frying pan on the fire, pour a little vegetable oil on the bottom and lay out the grated carrots.
While the carrots are stewing, peel the white onions (they taste much softer than regular white onions), cut into half rings and also send them to the pan. Mix vegetables, salt, add a few tablespoons of water and cover with a lid. Simmer until cooked, stirring occasionally.
Now let's get down to the fish. One short fin flaunts on the carcass - we cut it off with scissors. The chimera itself looks beautiful: it has silvery mottled sides.
Cut the fish into pieces 2-3 centimeters thick.
Pour salt and fish spices into a small bowl. Mix them and rub each piece of fish with this mixture. While the vegetables are stewing, the fish will be marinated in spices. To heighten the effect, you can even put it in the refrigerator for this time.
Once the carrots are ready, you can take a baking dish and transfer the vegetables to it. It is not necessary to additionally lubricate the mold with oil, because the fat will pass along with the carrots and onions.
Lay the pieces of the sea rabbit on top of the vegetables. Squeeze the juice of half a lemon onto the fish.
Preheat the oven to 200 degrees, put a dish with fish in it and bake for 20 minutes.
The chimera fish is ready in the oven! It should be served hot. An excellent side dish would be mashed potatoes or boiled rice. In a similar way, you can bake a chimera without carrots - only with onions.
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