Vendace is a valuable and very healthy fish. At the same time, it has very tender and tasty meat. It was this kind of fish that formed the basis for the preparation of the famous Finnish fish pie made from unleavened fried dough. But there are other ways to prepare vendace. It can be fried in a crispy breading, baked in the oven, and also pickled or cooked into a light soup.

Vendace is a valuable freshwater fish that belongs to two families at once - Salmon and Whitefish.

In the 17th century, vendace was considered a royal fish, as it was under the personal protection of Alexei Mikhailovich. Illegal fishing entailed harsh penalties.

At the end of the century, about 30 tons of such fish were caught in Russia, but already in the middle of the 20th century the catch decreased sharply, and today the volume does not exceed two tons.

The vendace lives in the northern part of European Russia, mainly in lakes. The probability of catching it is especially high in Ladoga, Onega, Chudskoye and other northern reservoirs. This is explained by the fact that vendace does not tolerate heat, since it needs a large amount of oxygen, and the cooler the water, the more oxygen it contains.

In appearance, vendace is small - from 15 to 20 cm in length, sometimes there are individuals 35 cm long. Many people confuse this fish with herring and indeed, from the outside they look similar. But still, vendace has its own distinctive features. Its lower jaw is longer than its upper jaw, its scales are large and its lateral lines are close to its back.

The royal fish vendace is not only edible, but also very healthy.

• It contains many minerals, nutrients, and also contains proteins, fats and vitamin PP.
• It contains enough magnesium, as well as phosphorus and omega 3, which contribute to better absorption of calcium.
• It should be noted that vendace meat is low-calorie. There are only 70 kcal per 100 g of product, so this fish can be included in the diet.

Regular consumption of vendace ensures the normal functioning of brain, heart and muscle cells.

In our article you will learn some recipes for preparing vendace fish. Despite its value, delicate structure and pleasant taste, vendace is not often used in cooking. Frozen carcasses are also rarely found on store shelves. More often, such an inhabitant of reservoirs can be seen smoked or in the form of canned food.

How to deliciously bake vendace in the oven

To cook vendace in the oven, you should not use a large number of various additives, since this fish has its own special taste.

Ingredients:

• vendace;
• one piece of carrot and onion;
• three tablespoons of flour;
• a little oil for frying;
• spices, herbs.

Cooking method:

1. Since vendace is a small fish, you can bake it whole, right with the head. The only thing that is required is to clean it of scales and remove all the insides.
2. Season the fish carcasses with salt, pepper and other seasonings of your choice. Then bread in flour and place in a greased pan.
3. Place the fish in the oven for 15 minutes, setting the temperature to 240 degrees.

Steamed royal fish in a slow cooker

Despite the fact that vendace belongs to the salmon family, its meat is considered a low-calorie dietary product. Therefore, for those who adhere to a strict diet, we recommend steaming fish in a slow cooker.

Ingredients:

• vendace;
• lemon;
• salt, pepper, seasonings.

Cooking method:

1. Season the fish carcasses with spices and lemon juice and leave to marinate for half an hour.
2. Place the pieces on the wire rack and don’t forget to pour water into the bowl. For flavor, you can add a few peas of allspice and a bay leaf.
3. Turn on the “Steam” mode, set the time to 30 minutes and wait for the sound signal.

Fish fried in a frying pan

Small fish are always great when fried. Therefore, you should not invent recipes for original dishes, but it is better to simply fry vendace in a frying pan.

Its small bones become edible after heat treatment, which makes the fish especially healthy, because they contain the calcium our body needs.

Ingredients:

• vendace;
• five tablespoons of rye flour;
• sea ​​salt;
• pepper mixture;
• oil for frying.

Cooking method:

1. We wash the fish well, remove scales and entrails.
2. For breading, take rye flour. This is the ingredient used to fry vendace in Finland. Mix flour with spices and salt.
3. Bread the carcass in flour and fry in oil on both sides until golden brown, serve with vegetables and horseradish.

Salting vendace at home

Salting such fish has some subtleties. Thus, the carcass is not washed or cleaned before dry salting, so that the product does not spoil ahead of schedule.

The whole fish is salted with a minimum amount of spices so as not to overpower the delicate fishy taste.

There are two recipes for salting fish: dry and spicy salting.

• Method 1. If you use the Karelian salting recipe, you will need a 12-liter bucket, 1 kg 800 g of salt and, of course, vendace itself. Pour a little salt into a clean bucket and place the fish in layers, each of which is also sprinkled with snow-white crystals. We put pressure on top and put the bucket with the contents in the cold. Before use, vendace must be soaked in water for several hours.
• Method 2. For spicy salting, the carcass must be washed and gutted. For 1 kg of fish you will need half a liter of water, seven black peppercorns, 60 g of salt, two bay leaves, 15 g of granulated sugar and the same amount of coriander. Place the fish in a food container and fill it with hot brine made from water and spices. We put a load on top and salt the snack for 2 to 4 days.

Rich fish soup

You can make a light fish soup from royal vendace. Minimum cost and time, and you have an appetizing and tasty lunch on your table. If you don’t know how to cook vendace fish, read our recipe.

Ingredients:

• vendace:
• onion and carrot;
• salt, spices, herbs;
• bay leaf, allspice;
• 50 ml vodka (if desired).

Cooking method:

1. Place a pan with water, potato cubes and carrot sticks on the stove. Don't forget to salt its contents, add bay leaf and allspice.
2. As soon as the water boils, cook the broth for 15 minutes, and then add the fish pieces and onion cut into half rings.
3. Add vodka (if desired) and cook the soup over low heat so as not to destroy the delicate structure of the fish.

Remove the fish soup from the stove, add chopped herbs and let the soup brew for 20 minutes.

Cooking breaded

Preparing vendace with a delicious crust is quite simple. For this you will need some spices and crispy bread. This fish can be served separately or along with a hearty side dish.

Ingredients:

• vendace;
• 170 g bread;
• salt, pepper, oil for frying.

Cooking method:

1. For breading, grind the bread in a blender and mix the resulting crumbs with seasonings.
2. Simply roll the prepared vendace in breading and fry in hot oil.

Pie with vendace

For all lovers of fish dishes, we offer a recipe for a delicious pie with aromatic vendace meat filling. You can use any dough for baking: yeast or puff pastry.

Ingredients:

• vendace (400 – 450 g);
• salt pepper;
• 800 g yeast dough;
• three potato tubers;
• yolk.

Cooking method:

1. You can use boiled or fried fish for the filling, but the dish with the latter option turns out tastier. To do this, simply fry the fish in oil until golden brown, and then cool the finished vendace and remove the bones.
2. Place some of the dough into a greased pan, add potato slices and season them with salt and pepper. Then add the fish and cover the filling with the remaining dough.
3. Lubricate the surface with beaten yolk, give the dough time to rise a little and put the dough in the oven for 30 minutes, temperature – 180°C.

Vendace caviar can also be deliciously prepared. For example, pickle. To do this, you just need to beat the caviar with a fork to free it from the shell, and then mix it well with salt. Traditionally, 5 g are taken per 100 g of product. The composition is stirred until white foam appears, then transferred to jars and refrigerated for 6 hours.

Vendace is a freshwater fish belonging to the salmon family. It is a commercial fishery in the northern regions.

In pre-revolutionary Russia, it was caught in tons, but the population was declining, and some of its species were included in the Red Book.

Rarely found on store shelves. In Europe, this fish is grown artificially. Vendace lives in cold northern waters at depth with a sandy or clay bottom. Avoids warm water and shallow water.

Description of fish and fishing features

In Russia this fish can be seen in large lakes (Ladoga, Onega, Beloe and etc). Less common in rivers. Also lives in the bays of the Baltic Sea. It can also be found in Denmark, Scotland, Belarus, Scandinavia, Germany and Finland.

The fish reaches on average up to 20 cm, but there are very large individuals that reach 35 cm in length. It is similar in shape to a herring. The body has large scales, the sides are silver, the back is gray-blue, and the belly is white. Feeds on small crustaceans. Spawning begins in late autumn or early winter. Females lay up to 3600 eggs. The ability to reproduce appears in the 2nd year of life, when the size reaches 7 cm.

This fish is caught using seines of various designs.. Rarely gets hooked. Fishing in winter is more interesting. Vendace from the ice can be caught with a jig, hook and garland. The nod must be given firmly. The fish are caught in the depths, so in windy weather on the ice you can’t do without a tent.

Useful properties of vendace

Vendace contains proteins, fats, vitamins, and minerals. Its meat is rich in omega-3 acids, phosphorus and calcium, and has a high magnesium content (175 mg per 100 g of product). It has low calorie content, making it suitable for dietary nutrition.

The nutritional properties of fish provide complete nutrition to the heart, muscles and brain cells. When smoking and salting, all beneficial substances are preserved.

Cooking recipes

There are many different ways to prepare this fish. It is valued fresh, salted and smoked.

Fried vendace

Like any other fish, fried vendace is good. There are a lot of cooking recipes. The fastest way to fry vendace in a frying pan is to cook it in egg batter.

Required:

• 800 g fish;
• vegetable oil;
• eggs;
• salt and spices of your choice.

First you need to clean the fish from scales. You don’t have to gut it before frying; it will be more convenient to remove the head and entrails at the time of consumption. And gutted vendace can fall apart during frying. Then you need to beat the eggs (by hand or using a mixer) and add salt and spices to them. Salt the carcasses and dip in the egg mixture. Next, place in a preheated frying pan and fry over medium heat until cooked through for 10 minutes. The vendace turns out aromatic and has a crispy crust.

Salting fish

You will need the same amount of salt for 400 g of fish. As seasonings you can use ground black and allspice pepper, bay leaf, and garlic. Be sure to clean and gut fresh fish. If you have caviar, it is better to leave it, as it is very tasty when salted.

We take a container, onto the bottom of which is poured an even layer of salt, pre-mixed with dry seasonings. The fish is placed in layers tightly to each other. Garlic cloves are placed in the spaces. All layers need to be sprinkled with seasoning. The dish in such a salt coat must be placed under pressure and put in a cool place (in the refrigerator) for 36 hours. After this, the vendace needs to be washed to remove excess salt, dried and can be eaten.

Recipe in Ural

Required:

• 4 tbsp. l. wheat flour;
• 1 tbsp. l. curry;
• 800 g vendace;
• 1 tbsp. l. salt and dry dill and paprika;
• half an onion;
• 1 kg of potatoes.

The fish must be cleaned, washed, dried and rolled in salt and flour. Next, fry in oil. Cut the potatoes into large slices and fry. Cut the onion into rings, dip in spices. Place the cooled fish on a plate, place potatoes and onions next to it. The dish is ready.

Vendace in Karelian

This dish is prepared in the oven. Ingredients:

• about 800 g of fish;
• 5 potatoes;
• 2 onions;
• sour cream;
• Bay leaf;
• salt and spices.

Clean and gut the fish, wash and salt. Line the bottom of the baking sheet with a bay leaf. Lay out the carcasses in a layer, place onion rings on top, then potatoes, cut into slices and pour sour cream. Then fish again, and so we repeat the layers. You should get two layers of each ingredient.

The baking sheet is placed in a preheated oven. Cook for 30-40 minutes. The resulting dish can be cut into pieces and served in portions.

Classic ear

Ingredients:

• 600 g vendace;
• 150 g onions;
• 200 g each of potatoes and carrots;
• salt, herbs and ground pepper to taste;
• 2 bay leaves;
• 10 peppercorns;
• 50 ml vodka.

Vendace fish soup can be cooked either over a fire or in a saucepan.

You don’t have to gut the fish, just remove the scales. It has very few bones, and the insides will not spoil the taste of the finished dish. And the carcass can fall apart, making the broth cloudy. Next, wash with cold water, add bay leaf and pepper. Bring to a boil and cook over medium heat for 10 minutes. After this, the fish must be removed from the broth and the meat separated from the heads and bones. Then chop the onion, dice the carrots and add to the broth. Add salt and put potatoes there (cut as you wish). Then pour in vodka, add herbs and cook until carrots and potatoes are ready. A few minutes before cooking, add the fish.

Finnish pie

Its other name is "Kalakukko". This is the national dish of Finland and is only prepared at home. Vendace is used as a filling.

Required:

• 4 cups each of wheat and rye flour;
• 3 glasses of water;
• 2 tbsp. l. vegetable oil and salt.

For filling:

• 700 g fish;
• 150 g bacon;
• 1 tbsp. l. rice and salt.

First you need to knead the dough. Pour water into a bowl, add butter, salt and flour. Roll out the finished dough, the edges should be thin. Pour rice into the middle of the cake, place vendace on top and sprinkle with salt. Then add chopped bacon into slices and add salt.

Grease the free spaces on the cake with water, make an “envelope” (fold the ends from the sides, top and bottom). Straighten the joints using a knife moistened with water. Sprinkle flour on top of the cake and place on a baking sheet previously lined with parchment paper. Bake for 40 minutes. Grease the finished pie with butter, wrap in paper and then in foil and put back in the oven for 4 hours to bake over medium heat.

Vendace meat contains more magnesium than other types of fish, which is why it is so valued in cooking. Magnesium goes well with histidine, which is also present in fish. They help stimulate the human immune and nervous systems. Therefore, it is recommended to introduce this valuable product into your diet, especially since it is not difficult to prepare.

Vendace is a small fish that looks like a herring to many people, but it is smaller in size. You can prepare different dishes from it, but for this it is important not only to know the recipes, but also to choose the right fish. The carcass should be elastic and have a shiny skin. You definitely need to look at the eyes of the fish - they should not be cloudy.

How to cook vendace in a frying pan?

Fried raba is the most popular dish. Vendace has its own original taste, so there is no need to use any additional ingredients.

To prepare this recipe you need to take the following products::

• 1 kg of fish;
• 5 tbsp. spoons of rye flour;
• 0.5 teaspoons each of salt and a mixture of peppercorns;
• 3 tbsp. spoons of vegetable oil.

Preparation:

1. First, you should thoroughly rinse the carcasses in running water. If scales remain, they need to be removed. It is important to clean the fish and rinse it again;
2. Take a mortar and pound the mixture of peppers and salt. Mix the spices with the flour and mix well;
3. Carefully roll the carcasses in the resulting mixture and fry them in hot oil until golden brown. It is recommended to serve with vegetables.

How to cook vendace in the oven?

This recipe for cooking fish in Siberian style has been known for quite a long time. The time to spend on this dish is 1 hour.

To prepare 4 servings, you need to take the following products::

• 0.5 kg of fish;
• 5 potatoes, carrots;
• 3 tbsp. spoons of vegetable oil;
• 225 g mayonnaise, spices;
• 1 tbsp. a spoonful of chopped dill, onion and salt.

Preparation:

1. We start cooking by processing the vendace. It must be cleaned of scales and entrails, and then rinsed thoroughly in running water;
2. Potatoes should be peeled, washed and cut into small slices. Add half of the prepared mayonnaise to it and add spices for potatoes or use your favorite spices. Mix everything well so that the pieces are covered on all sides with sauce;
3. Peel the onion and cut into half rings, but grate the peeled carrots on a coarse grater;
4. Take a mold and grease it with oil. Lay out the potatoes, onions and fish, and spread the remaining mayonnaise on top and sprinkle with spices for the fish. You need to cook in the oven at 200 degrees for 40 minutes.

How to pickle vendace at home?

Small salted fish is an excellent stand-alone snack, but it can also be used for other dishes. Everything is prepared simply, so anyone can handle the process.

For this recipe you need to take the following products::

• 400 g of peeled fish and the same amount of salt;
• black, allspice and bay leaf.

Preparation:

1. Take a flat-bottomed container and pour an even layer of salt into it;
2. To salt fish, rinse it in running water, dry it with a paper towel and place it tightly in a container with the belly up. Make several layers, not forgetting to sprinkle them with salt. Add broken bay leaf and crushed pepper;
3. Place a board on top and place pressure on it. Place everything in the refrigerator for 36 hours. After this, remove the fish and rinse it in running water to remove excess salt.

Breaded vendace recipe

This recipe prepares very tasty fish with an appetizing crust. It can be eaten alone or served with various side dishes.

• 1 kg of fish;
• 150 g bread;
• 1.5 teaspoons salt;
• 0.5 teaspoons of ground white pepper and butter.

Preparation:

1. To prepare this dish, the carcasses need to be cleaned, washed and dried, as in previous recipes;
2. The bread needs to be turned into crumbs, for which you can use a blender, or you can get by with improvised means, for example, a rolling pin;
3. Add salt and pepper to the resulting crumbs. Thoroughly roll the vendace in the prepared mixture and fry in oil until golden brown.

An original vendace dish – “Kalakukko”

This pie is the national dish of Finland. It is served extremely rarely in restaurants and is mostly prepared at home. Externally, the pie resembles ordinary bread.

For cooking you need to take the following products:

• 4 tbsp. wheat and rye flour;
• 3 tbsp. water;
• 2 tbsp. spoons of vegetable oil;
• 2 teaspoons salt;
• 700 g fish;
• 150 g bacon;
• 1 tbsp. a spoonful of rice;
• 1 teaspoon salt.

Preparation:

1. First, prepare the dough by pouring water into a bowl, adding butter and salt. Add flour in portions and knead the dough. Roll it out into a layer with thin edges;
2. Clean the carcasses, rinse, remove heads and tails. You can use only fillets, but this is not necessary.
3. Place rice, fish in the center and sprinkle with salt. Place pre-cut bacon on top, which should also be salted;
4. Brush the unfilled dough with water and roll it to form a whole loaf. Soak the knife in water and straighten the edges so that the cake ends up beautiful. Sprinkle flour on top;
5. Take a baking sheet, line it with parchment paper and place the pie on it. Cook in the oven at 200 degrees for 40 minutes. The pie should turn out golden brown;
6. After the time has passed, remove the pie and brush it with butter. Wrap with paper and then with foil. Place it in the oven for another 4 hours, but just lower the temperature.

How to prepare vendace soup at home?

The first dish turns out very tasty and aromatic. We are sure that not only adults, but also children will like it.

To prepare this dish you need to take the following products:

• 1.5 liters of water;
• 3 potatoes;
• half an onion;
• one fish;
• salt and spices.

Preparation:

1. Carcasses must be cleaned, washed and dried;
2. Place the water on the stove and bring to a boil. After this, you can add pre-peeled and diced potatoes;
3. After boiling again, you can put chopped vendace and chopped onion into a saucepan and cook for 15 minutes. A couple of minutes before the end of cooking, add salt and spices. Serve with greens.

Recipe for “tender” smelt

Fish prepared according to this recipe is not only tasty, but also very tender. It will decorate any side dish.

Vendace is a small fish that looks like a herring to many people, but it is smaller in size. You can prepare different dishes from it, but for this it is important not only to know the recipes, but also to choose the right fish. The carcass should be elastic and have a shiny skin. You definitely need to look at the eyes of the fish - they should not be cloudy.

How to cook vendace in a frying pan?

Fried raba is the most popular dish. Vendace has its own original taste, so there is no need to use any additional ingredients.

To prepare this recipe you need to take the following products:

• 1 kg of fish;
• 5 tbsp. spoons of rye flour;
• 0.5 teaspoons each of salt and a mixture of peppercorns;
• 3 tbsp. spoons of vegetable oil.

1. First, you should thoroughly rinse the carcasses in running water. If scales remain, they need to be removed. It is important to clean the fish and rinse it again;
2. Take a mortar and pound the mixture of peppers and salt. Mix the spices with the flour and mix well;
3. Carefully roll the carcasses in the resulting mixture and fry them in hot oil until golden brown. It is recommended to serve with vegetables.

How to cook vendace in the oven?

This recipe for cooking fish in Siberian style has been known for quite a long time. The time to spend on this dish is 1 hour.

To prepare 4 servings, you need to take the following products:

• 0.5 kg of fish;
• 5 potatoes, carrots;
• 3 tbsp. spoons of vegetable oil;
• 225 g mayonnaise, spices;
• 1 tbsp. a spoonful of chopped dill, onion and salt.

1. We start cooking by processing the vendace. It must be cleaned of scales and entrails, and then rinsed thoroughly in running water;
2. Potatoes should be peeled, washed and cut into small slices. Add half of the prepared mayonnaise to it and add spices for potatoes or use your favorite spices. Mix everything well so that the pieces are covered on all sides with sauce;
3. Peel the onion and cut into half rings, but grate the peeled carrots on a coarse grater;
4. Take a mold and grease it with oil. Lay out the potatoes, onions and fish, and spread the remaining mayonnaise on top and sprinkle with spices for the fish. You need to cook in the oven at 200 degrees for 40 minutes.

How to pickle vendace at home?

Small salted fish is an excellent stand-alone snack, but it can also be used for other dishes. Everything is prepared simply, so anyone can handle the process.

For this recipe you need to take the following products:

• 400 g of peeled fish and the same amount of salt;
• black, allspice and bay leaf.

1. Take a flat-bottomed container and pour an even layer of salt into it;
2. To salt fish, rinse it in running water, dry it with a paper towel and place it tightly in a container with the belly up. Make several layers, not forgetting to sprinkle them with salt. Add broken bay leaf and crushed pepper;
3. Place a board on top and place pressure on it. Place everything in the refrigerator for 36 hours. After this, remove the fish and rinse it in running water to remove excess salt.

Breaded vendace recipe

This recipe prepares very tasty fish with an appetizing crust. It can be eaten alone or served with various side dishes.

• 1 kg of fish;
• 150 g bread;
• 1.5 teaspoons salt;
• 0.5 teaspoons of ground white pepper and butter.

1. To prepare this dish, the carcasses need to be cleaned, washed and dried, as in previous recipes;
2. The bread needs to be turned into crumbs, for which you can use a blender, or you can get by with improvised means, for example, a rolling pin;
3. Add salt and pepper to the resulting crumbs. Thoroughly roll the vendace in the prepared mixture and fry in oil until golden brown.

An original vendace dish – “Kalakukko”

This pie is the national dish of Finland. It is served extremely rarely in restaurants and is mostly prepared at home. Externally, the pie resembles ordinary bread.

For cooking you need to take the following products:

• 4 tbsp. wheat and rye flour;
• 3 tbsp. water;
• 2 tbsp. spoons of vegetable oil;
• 2 teaspoons salt;
• 700 g fish;
• 150 g bacon;
• 1 tbsp. a spoonful of rice;
• 1 teaspoon salt.

1. First, prepare the dough by pouring water into a bowl, adding butter and salt. Add flour in portions and knead the dough. Roll it out into a layer with thin edges;
2. Clean the carcasses, rinse, remove heads and tails. You can use only fillets, but this is not necessary.
3. Place rice, fish in the center and sprinkle with salt. Place pre-cut bacon on top, which should also be salted;
4. Brush the unfilled dough with water and roll it to form a whole loaf. Soak the knife in water and straighten the edges so that the cake ends up beautiful. Sprinkle flour on top;
5. Take a baking sheet, line it with parchment paper and place the pie on it. Cook in the oven at 200 degrees for 40 minutes. The pie should turn out golden brown;
6. After the time has passed, remove the pie and brush it with butter. Wrap with paper and then with foil. Place it in the oven for another 4 hours, but just lower the temperature.

How to prepare vendace soup at home?

The first dish turns out very tasty and aromatic. We are sure that not only adults, but also children will like it.

• 1.5 liters of water;
• 3 potatoes;
• half an onion;
• one fish;
• salt and spices.

1. Carcasses must be cleaned, washed and dried;
2. Place the water on the stove and bring to a boil. After this, you can add pre-peeled and diced potatoes;
3. After boiling again, you can put chopped vendace and chopped onion into a saucepan and cook for 15 minutes. A couple of minutes before the end of cooking, add salt and spices. Serve with greens.

Recipe for “tender” smelt

Fish prepared according to this recipe is not only tasty, but also very tender. It will decorate any side dish.

To prepare this dish you need to take the following products:

• 0.5 kg of fish;
• a couple of carrots, an onion;
• flour, butter;
• 200 g low-fat sour cream;
• dill and ground pepper.

1. Clean the vendace, remove the insides, tail and head. Wash it thoroughly in running water and dry with a paper towel. Salt and pepper the carcasses;
2. Dip the fish in flour and fry in hot oil until golden brown;
3. Separately combine sour cream, herbs, salt and spices, and also pour in a little water. Mix everything thoroughly;
4. Take a high frying pan, put the fish in it, on top with onions, cut into half rings and carrots, which you first grate. Pour the prepared sauce over everything, cover with a lid and simmer over low heat for 15 minutes. Serve with dill.

All the cooking recipes presented are simple and do not require any exotic ingredients or special culinary abilities.

Be sure to cook delicious fish for your family and guests! Bon appetit!