Pestele e sanatate! (RO/EN)

De ce ar trebui sa mancam peste mai des si cum sa-l preparam?

“Nicio masa fara peste!” suna un slogan din vremea copilariei noastre. Nu ca pe atunci ar fi fost o mare gama de peste din care sa alegi, dar erau binevenite si cele cateva feluri de peste oceanic, congelat, prezent in mai toate magazinele. Acolo il gaseam, acolo il lasam! Cred ca unii dintre acei pesti si-au facut veacul la propriu prin unele magazine! Oricum, cred ca de pe atunci, unii dintre noi au o retinere cand aud de macrou, spre exemplu. Ca miroase, ca e gras! Da, miroase, are un miros specific de peste de apa sarata! Si da, este gras! De aceea este si atat de bun pentru sanatate! El impreuna cu toti fratii lui buni: ton, somon, sardine si alti prieteni, vecini si verisori! :)

La fel de bun este si pestele de apa dulce (din sanul naturii sau de crescatorie), cu mentiunea ca acesta chiar nu ar trebui sa miroasa patrunzator a peste decat atunci cand NU este proaspat!!!! Pestele de apa dulce, proaspat are un miros vag, specific de peste. Alte caracteristici de prospetime la care trebuie sa fim foarte atenti, indiferent de provenienta pestelui sunt: fermitatea carnii, stralucirea pielii, aspectul ochilor (trebuie sa fie bombati, usor iesiti in afara, cu pupila neagra), aderenta carnii pe oase (la pestele proaspat, oasele se desprind mai greu de carne), sangerarea (pestele foarte proaspat sangereaza mai abundent).

In ceea ce priveste prepararea, trebuie sa mentionam opiniile specialistilor in nutritie¹, printre care ar fi bine de retinut ca mineralele din peste nu sunt afectate prin gatit si nu trec in lichidul de fierbere. De asemenea, vitaminele din grupul B sunt sensibile la caldura, deci pestele gatit mediu va fi mai bogat in vitamine si mai usor de digerat decat atunci cand este foarte bine facut. Ca sa nu mai spun ca pestele se “face” foarte repede, de aceea timpul in care acesta este supus tratamentului termic trebuie sa fie intre 20 – 30 de minute in cazul pestelui de grosime medie, preparat la cuptor. Evident ca atunci cand vorbim de pesti mari, intregi sau in bucati foarte groase, timpul de coacere va fi mai mare.
Desi pestele prajit este una dintre cele mai des intalnite si apreciate modalitati de preparare, trebuie sa tinem cont de faptul ca vitaminele A si D din peste sunt liposolubile, adica se dizolva in grasime! Evitam pierderea acestor vitamine atat de necesare prin alegerea altor metode de gatit: fara ulei, la cuptor, in tigaie antiaderenta sau pe  gratar. Absorbtia fierului, atat de necesar organismului, este favorizata de mediul acid, deci este indicat sa folosim la gatit zeama de lamaie sau suc de rosii pentru preparatele de peste la cuptor. Iar in aceasta perioada, cand toti terminam borcanele de muraturi, este bine sa pastram zeama de la gogosarii in otet, intr-o sticla, in frigider sau intr-un loc racoros. Va fi o excelenta baza pentru o marinata de peste la cuptor. Mai ales pestii grasi, oceanici, cum ar fi macroul, se gatesc excelent la cuptor, adaugand aceasta zeama deasupra pestelui asezat frumos in tava. Daca vom pune suficienta zeama cat sa acopere tot pestele si vom lasa mai mult de 30 de minute pestele in cuptor, vom obtine un macrou marinat excelent! Nu uitati sa pastrati din borcanul de gogosari foile de dafin si boabele de piper! Vor contribui la un gust excelent al marinatei! Si nu, nu mai adaugam ulei deloc, deoarece macroul este suficient de gras. Evident, aceasta reteta merge pentru orice fel de peste gras. Il va face foarte fraged, iar grasimea va ramane in tava. Desi putem fi tentati sa mancam pielea pestelui, mai ales la pestele prajit, e mai bine sa o indepartam: e 100% grasime! Daca ne-am decis sa gatim o ciorbita sau un rasol de peste, este bine de stiut ca pestele se pune in oala de la inceput, in apa rece, astfel lichidul rezultat va capata un gust mai puternic, iar nutrientii vor fi consumati odata cu zeama.

Din beneficiile pentru sanatate ale consumului de peste, amintim ca acizii grasi omega 3 ajuta la dezvoltarea functiilor creierului si la concentrare, contribuie la scaderea colesterolului rau si la intarirea oaselor, amelioreaza durerile de articulatii si intaresc sistemul imunitar, au efect antiaging si maresc fertilitatea. De asemenea, daca este preparat si consumat corect, ajuta si la scaderea in greutate².

Pentru a veni in sprijinul celor de mai sus, va recomandam o reteta foarte usoara si rapida de preparare a pestelui. Gatind pestele in acest fel, nu veti avea parte de miros neplacut in casa, veti manca un peste bun si aromat si veti putea pierde si cateva kilograme, daca il veti consuma regulat. Va propun o reteta sanatoasa si usor de preparat.

Iata reteta: am folosit 2 tavi de sticla termorezistenta, pe care le-am tapetat cu hartie de copt, asezata in 2 straturi. Am incins bine cuptorul, am asezat intr-o tava de forma dreptunghiulara 2 pastravi intregi, proaspeti, eviscerati, iar in cealalta tava, rotunda, am asezat o bucata de file de somon. Am condimentat bine cu condimente de peste (exista mix de peste gata preparat la raioanele specifice din magazine) sau puteti sa puneti doar sare si piper dupa gust. Am stors 2 lamai mari si am turnat cu grija zeama de lamaie in ambele tavi, fara a “deranja” condimentele. Am introdus ambele tavi in cuptor, una langa cealalta si am lasat la inceput usa cuptorului deschisa, dand astfel posibilitatea celor doua tavi sa ajunga la temperatura cuptorului treptat, pentru a evita spargerea sau craparea sticlei.

Dupa aproximativ 5 minute, putem inchide cuptorul, pe care l-am setat la foc mediu (vorbim de cuptoarele traditionale). Dupa 15 minute, vom verifica tavile, iar daca aveti lumina in cuptor, nici nu trebuie sa deschideti usa acestuia. Dupa alte 15 minute, pestele este gata. Daca il doriti putin mai bine facut, va sfatuiesc sa-l lasati maxim 40 de minote, altfel devine fad, isi pierde savoarea si consistenta placuta.

Il scoateti din tavi, il asezati pe o farfurie si il ornati ca in fotografia alatura (evident, fiecare poate sa isi foloseasca imaginatia si propriile gusturi la capitolul ornat!). Atunci cand il consumati, este bine sa indepartati pielea. Pestele gatit in acest fel, este recomandat si copiilor, cu singura mentiune ca trebuie sa fiti atenti la condimentele folosite!

Pofta buna!

¹https://www.facebook.com/mihaela.bilic/posts/626510900737884

²http://www.feminis.ro/12-motive-pentru-a-consuma-zilnic-peste-si-cum-sa-o-faci-corect_10929.html

                                    - ENGLISH VERSION -

Why we should eat fish more often and how to prepare it?

"No meal without fish! “Sounded a slogan from the time of our childhood. Not that than it would have been a big range to choose from, but they were welcome too those several kinds of ocean fish, frozen, present in most of the stores. There we found it, there we leave it! I think some of those fish leave their life in some stores! Anyway, I think from back then, some of us are holding back when hear about mackerel, for example. It smells, it's fat! Yes, it smells, it has a distinct odor of salt water fish! And yes, it is fat! Therefore is so good for health! It and all its good brothers: tuna, salmon, sardine and other friends, neighbors and cousins!

Equally good is the freshwater fish (from the bosom of nature or fish farm), noting that this it really should not have an acute smell of fish except when it is not fresh!!!! Freshwater fish, when fresh smells vaguely, like fish. Other features of freshness that we have to be very careful, regardless of the fish origin are: firmness of flesh, skin radiance, appearance of the eyes (must be bulging, slightly protuberant with black pupil), adhesion of the meat on the bones (in fresh fish bones come off harder from the meat), bleeding (very fresh fish is bleeding more abundant).

In terms of preparation, we should mention the views of nutrition specialists, among which it would be well to remember that minerals from fish are not affected by cooking  and do not go into the boiling liquid. Also the vitamins from Group B are sensitive to heat, so the fish medium cooked will be rich in vitamins and easier to digest than when it is very well done. Not to say that the fish is "cooked" very quickly so the time in which it is subjected to heat treatment must be between 20 to 30 minutes in the case of the fish, medium thickness, baked in the oven. Obviously when it comes to big fishes, entire or in very thick pieces, the cooking time will be longer.

Although fried fish is one of the most common and popular way of preparation, we have to keep in mind that the vitamins A and D from the fish are fat soluble, meaning they dissolve in fat! Avoid the loss of these much needed vitamins by choosing different cooking methods: without oil, baked in the oven, non-stick pan or grill. Iron absorption, so needed by the body, is favored by acidic environment, so it is advisable to use lemon juice or tomato sauce in cooking fish in the oven. And in this period, when everyone finished their jars of pickles, it is better to keep the juice from the peppers in vinegar, in a bottle in the refrigerator or in a cool place. It will be an excellent base for a marinade fish over the oven. Especially fatty, ocean fish, such as mackerel, are excellent cooked in the oven, adding this vinegar juice over the fish nicely placed in the tray. If we will put enough juice to cover all fish and will leave the fish more than 30 minutes in the oven, we get an excellent marinated mackerel! Do not forget to keep from the jar of peppers the bay leaves and peppercorns! They will contribute to the excellent taste of Marinate! And no, we not add oil at all, because mackerel is enough fat. Obviously, this recipe goes for any kind of fatty fish. It will be very soft and the fat will stay in the tray. Although we may be tempted to eat the skin of the fish, especially from the fried fish, it's better to remove it: it's 100% fat! If we decided to cook a soup or boiled fish it is good to know that the fish is put into the pot from the beginning, in cold water, thus the resulted liquid will gain a stronger flavor and the nutrients are consumed together with juice. From the health benefits of eating fish, we remember that fatty acids - omega 3 help develop of brain function and concentration, help to lower bad cholesterol and strengthen the bones, alleviates joint pain and boost the immune system, they are  anti-aging effect and increase fertility. Also, if properly prepared and consumed, it helps to decrease in weight. In order to support the above mentioned, we recommend you a very easy and quick recipe for preparation of fish. Cooking the fish this way, you will have no unpleasant odor in the house, you will eat a good and flavorful fish and you can lose some kilograms if you consume it regularly. I propose a healthy recipe and easy to prepare. Here's the recipe: I used 2 tempered glass trays, in which i put baking paper, placed in 2 layers. I heated the oven well, I sat in a rectangular tray two fresh, gutted, whole trouts, and in the other tray, round, sat a piece of salmon fillet. I seasoned with spices for fish (there are already mixed condiments in relevant sections of stores) or you can put just salt and pepper to taste. I squeezed 2 large lemons and carefully poured lemon juice in both trays without "disturbing" spices. I entered both trays in the oven side by side and left the oven door open at first, enabling the two trays to reach oven temperature gradually to avoid chipping or cracking the glass.

After about 5 minutes, we can close the oven, which I set to medium heat (talking about the traditional ovens). After 15 minutes, we check the trays, and if you have light in the oven, it is not even necessary to open the door. After another 15 minutes, the fish is ready. If you want it a little better done, I advise you to leave it up to 40 minutes otherwise becomes dull, loses flavor and consistency enjoyable. 
Remove it from the tray, place it on a plate and arranged it as you can see in the photo (obviously everyone can use their own imagination and taste in plating!). When you eat it, it is best to remove the skin. Cooked fish in this way, is recommended to children too, the only mention you have to be careful with the spices used!

Enjoy it!