Marinated Fish

Many people think that pickled fish is a dish invented during the Soviet era, but this is not the case. A similar appetizer has long existed in Jewish cuisine, and the recipe appeared in Russian cookbooks already in the 19th century. True, the marinade at that time was made "white", that is, without tomato paste, but the idea of ​​the recipe was the same: the fish should be saturated with the taste and aromas of vegetables stewed with vinegar and spices. It turned out delicious! By the way, very often such an appetizer was prepared on the eve of the celebration, so that the taste became as rich as possible. In Soviet times, this inexpensive dish solved several problems at once: it decorated the table, brought variety to the menu and made it possible to neutralize the not too expressive taste of fish available on the shelves in the era of eternal scarcity, due to the spicy marinade.

Ingredients

• cod (fillet) - 500 g
• medium-sized carrots - 2 pcs.
• parsley root - 1 pc.
• vegetable oil - 50 ml
• tomato paste - 1 tbsp l.
• water - 60 ml
• vinegar (10%) - 70 ml
• sugar - 1/2 tsp.
• peppercorns - 4-5 pcs.
• bay leaf - 2 pcs.
• cod fillet - 500 g
• flour - 2 tbsp. l.
• salt, ground black pepper - to taste

Directions

1. Prepare marinade fish vegetables. Peel the onion and cut into rings. Wash the carrots thoroughly with a brush, peel and cut into very thin strips.
2. Wash the parsley root, peel and grate on a fine grater. If you have not found fresh parsley root, replace it with chopped dried parsley: 1 teaspoon will suffice.
3. In a large skillet about 26 cm in diameter, heat half of the vegetable oil well and add the prepared vegetables. Cook, stirring occasionally, for 5 minutes over medium heat.
4. Add the tomato paste to the fried vegetables - carrots, onions and parsley root and stir. Pour in water, bring to a boil and simmer over low heat for about 10 minutes.
5. Add vinegar, sugar, peppercorns and bay leaf to the marinade. Season with salt to taste. Simmer over low heat for another 10 minutes. You can add some freshly ground black pepper.
6. Cook the fish. Wash the cod fillets, pat dry with paper towels and chop coarsely. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Pour flour into a plate and roll over the fillet pieces.
7. Heat the remaining vegetable oil in a large skillet about 26 cm in diameter. Arrange the cod fillet pieces, breaded in flour, and fry on both sides until golden brown.
8. Place the fish on a plate or in a shallow salad bowl. Pour in hot marinade and let cool. Refrigerate for 30 minutes. Before serving, you can decorate with any greens.