Carp Baked in the Oven

In many European countries, oven-baked carp are not just hot, but a festive, more precisely, Christmas dish. In Prague, on the eve of the popularly beloved winter holiday, whole lines of people wishing to purchase freshly caught fish line up the streets. Carp is chosen not only by its size, but also by its shape, fat content and even by the size of the scales! The fact is that some Czechs put one of them (from the Christmas fish, of course) in their wallets, believing that it will certainly bring good luck. Therefore, many people try to choose fish with large scales! But, of course, carp is baked in the oven not only for the holiday, but just like that. There are a lot of cooking options for this fish! We offer our own version. Test it in action and make sure that carp baked in the oven is a very tasty, delicate and aromatic dish!

Ingredients

• medium-sized carp carp - 1 pc.
• fennel seeds - 1 tsp
• garlic - 1 clove
• olive oil - 1.5 tbsp l.
• orange juice - 50 ml
• wine vinegar - 1 tsp.
• salt, freshly ground black pepper - to taste

Directions

1. Prepare the fish for roasting in the oven. Wash and clean the carp. Then cut the belly and remove the insides. Cut off the head and tail. Rinse again.
2. Cut the carp in half lengthways with a sharp large knife. Carefully remove the spine. As a result, you should have two pieces of fish fillet on the ribs.
3. Dry the fish pieces well with a paper towel, season with salt and pepper to taste. Place the carp skin side up in a suitable baking paper-lined dish.
4. Crush the fennel seeds lightly in a mortar. Chop the garlic. Sprinkle the carp with fennel. Drizzle 1 tbsp. l. olive oil and lightly rub it into the fish. Drizzle with orange juice and vinegar, sprinkle with chopped garlic. Refrigerate for 1 hour.
5. Heat the oven to 210 ° C. Remove the carp dish from the refrigerator and leave for 10 minutes at room temperature. Drizzle the remaining olive oil over the fish.
6. Bake the carp in the oven for 15–20 minutes until they are nicely golden brown. Serve immediately. Mashed potatoes or vegetables can be served to complement the meal.