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Unfortunately, fishing for this predatory perch is not possible on the Putorana Plateau fishing tours, as it is not native to local waters. However, you can still catch the noble taimen, the ruler of Siberian rivers, or other salmonids, such as lenok, brown trout, whitefish, and grayling.
However, it wouldn't hurt to learn how to prepare this delicious fish in the wild. After all, pike perch is found in other Siberian bodies of water, such as the Irtysh, Ob, and their tributaries. Although this predator is now successfully migrating to various bodies of water, it is not yet found in protected waters.
Step-by-step recipe for cooking predator
We've previously described how to smoke fish directly on the shore, outdoors, or at your dacha, using hot or cold smoking. There are many options. Some are so simple that you don't even need a special grill or barbecue. Here's one:
1. Select a predatory fish of remarkable size (if possible). Gut and scale the pike-perch, and rinse thoroughly. We described how to remove small scales from perch in a separate publication.
2. After this, wipe the carcass dry with a towel or napkin. Then, generously season with salt and pepper. Rub the fish on all sides.
3. Marinate pike perch weighing up to 1 kg for about a couple of hours. If the fish is larger, allow another 2 hours per kilogram.
4. After two hours, remove the fish and rinse off the spices, wiping it dry with a napkin again, and hang it out to dry. A nearby tree or bush can be used for this purpose, but cover the fish with cheesecloth to prevent flies from sampling it. Half an hour is enough for the pike perch to air out and dry.
5. It's best to smoke fish outdoors using fruit wood chips or sawdust. If the chips are dry, lightly moisten them with water and spread them out in the wind to dry. This produces a richer, more dense smoke.
6. Dig a small hole on the shore, positioning it parallel to the wind current, and fill it with sawdust. Firewood is also an option, but it will first need to be burned until embers appear.
7. Place the pike perch on a grill (you can make one from raw branches from nearby trees), but be careful not to let them burn. If you have a metal grill, that's easier.
8. Cover the hot coals with a thick cloth and let the smoker cook for 30 to 40 minutes. Then, leave it for another 15 minutes, open it, and check the color of the fish. Once it's golden, you can carefully remove it.
It's worth noting that freshly caught pike perch will delight any gourmet with its taste. Just be sure to avoid buying pike perch that has been frozen several times before sale. Frozen pike perch becomes dry and not very tasty.
Conclusion
As we've seen, hot-smoking pike perch isn't difficult at all. Just add the following: If you're using pre-packaged spices, be sure to familiarize yourself with the ingredients. Some packets contain salt, which means you risk oversalting the finished dish.
Although these magnificent predators aren't caught on the Putorana Plateau fishing trips, there are opportunities to cook others. Members of the salmon family make excellent delicacies in various forms, whether smoked or otherwise. They can be used to make delicious dumplings, shashlik, salads, okroshka, fish soup, chebureki, and much more.
