Last Updated on 03/07/2024 by Adina
This is an easy baked pike recipe. Learn how to cook fresh pike with vegetables and wine. The recipe includes instructions on how to scale the fish.
Like I have mentioned in my last post Fish Fillet in Tomato Sauce, I will dedicate the next two weeks to food coming from the South-East of Romania, a territory at the Black Sea and Danube Delta, called Dobrogea.
Obviously, as it lies between the sea and the river, the people of Dobrogea eat a lot of fish, much more than we used to do in the middle of Romania, in Transylvania, where there are only mountains.
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Ingredients
Pike: Not the sort of fish you could easily buy in the supermarket. You might be able to get it at the fishmonger's, but at least here, the only way I can get it is if somebody fishes it and gives it to me. That's how I got my hands on this fish.
It was a rather large one, about 40-50 cm/ 15-20 inches long. It was gutted (Thank God!) but not scaled.
Otherwise, you need carrots, onions, peppers, tomatoes, garlic, tomato paste, white wine, spices, and herbs.
See the recipe card for full information on ingredients and quantities.
How to scale a fresh pike?
The pike was gutted, but I had to scale it. I had never done it before, but I remember my grandmother doing it very often. Her main complaint about it: the scales to be found all around the kitchen several days after scaling the fish and after swiping the floor several times in between...
I did have to google to be sure about the right way of scaling a fish, and I think I found a very easy method or at least one that worked perfectly for me.
I still found fish scales all over the kitchen days after eating the fish, just like my grandmother used to say, but the scaling itself could not have been easier. At least after the initial moment of disgust, touching a fresh pike is really not yummy. It is so slimy and slippery, pretty bรคhhh.
- Submerge the pike for only a few seconds into the hot water before beginning to scale it.
- As I have never seen this hot water method used for other fish, I suppose it has something to do with the sliminess of the pike. After โbathingโ it, you will actually be able to hold and scale it properly.
- Bring a large kettle of water to a boil. You might need to boil two batches of water to fill a large heatproof bowl or deep roasting tin or casserole dish large enough to hold the pike completely submerged underwater.
- Submerge the headless pike for only a few seconds in the hot water.
- Take it out, place it onto a large chopping board, and scale it using the back of a smaller knife.
- Hold the fish steady with the left hand at the tail and scrape the scales with the back of the knife from the tail to the head. The scales should come off easily.
How to cook the pike?
So, if you ever find yourself with a whole pike in your hands, do give this recipe a try, it is so delicious. And if you cannot find a pike, I have made this dish with pangasius pieces as well, it was just as good.
- Start with the vegetables, as they will need longer cooking in the oven than the fish.
- Chop the vegetables and place them in a roasting tin together with the spices, white wine, stock, and tomato paste. Roast until almost done, about 30 minutes.
- Add the fish slices and continue roasting until the fish is cooked through but not overdone, about 20-25 minutes; it should flake easily.
What to do with the extra fish?
- You will only need four large pieces of fish for four servings.
- However, if you have a whole fish, you can cut more slices. Either bake them all with the veggies or save them for another dish.
- You can also freeze the leftover slices.
- Freeze the head and tail of the fish and any trimmings as well; they are perfect for making fish stock and fish soup with potatoes or fish soup with vegetables.
Baked Pike Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 pike Note
- 3-4 large carrots
- 1 red bell pepper
- 2 medium onions
- 4 garlic cloves
- 2 medium tomatoes
- 2 bay leaves
- 10 black peppercorns
- ยพ cup white wine 175 ml
- โ cup fish stock or chicken stock, 150 ml
- ยฝ lemon not waxed
- 1 tablespoon tomato paste
- a few fresh thyme sprigs
- fine sea salt
- a small bunch of parsley
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350ยฐF/ 180ยฐC.
- Prepare the pike: Wash the pike very well. Gut it, if necessary. If it is already gutted, remove the head. Keep it to make soup. You could freeze it with the tail and leftover fish pieces to make soup later.1 pike
Scale the fish:
- Boil water: Bring a large kettle of water to a boil. You might need to boil two batches of water to fill a large heatproof bowl. Pour the hot water into a very large heatproof bowl or pot that will hold the pike.
- Scale pike: Submerge the headless pike for only a few seconds into the hot water. Take it out, place it onto a large chopping board, and scale it using the back of a smaller knife. Hold the fish steady with the left hand at the tail and scrape the scales with the back of the knife from the tail to the head. The scales should come off easily.
Vegetables:
- Prepare the vegetables: Chop the carrots into rings, the pepper into cubes about the same size, and the onions into thin half-rings. Slice the garlic cloves thinly and slice the tomatoes and lemon as well. Place them into a large and deep baking or casserole dish. Add the bay leaves, peppercorns, and lemon slices.3-4 large carrots + 1 red bell pepper + 2 medium onions + 4 garlic cloves + 2 medium tomatoes + 2 bay leaves + 10 black peppercorns + ยฝ lemon
- Cooking liquid: Pour the white wine and stock into a small bowl. Add the tomato paste and some salt, and whisk well until smooth. Pour the liquid into the dish, place the thyme sprigs on top, and bake the vegetables for about 30 minutes or until almost done.ยพ cup white wine/ 175 ml + โ cup fish stock/ 150 ml + 1 tablespoon tomato paste + fine sea salt + a few fresh thyme sprigs
Pike:
- Cut the fish: In the meantime, cut the pike into pieces, about 2 inches/ 5 cm thick. You will need 4 slices for 4 servings, but if you want you can cook all of the pike pieces at this point or use the leftover pieces to make soup or another dish.
- Bake pike: Place the fish pieces on top of the vegetables and continue baking for about 20-25 minutes or until the fish is nice and flaky but not overcooked.
- Serve baked pike: Sprinkle with the chopped parsley and serve with plain boiled potatoes.a small bunch of parsley
Rio says
Nice
Denise Snyder says
Thanks for sharing this! I followed your recipe and made these over the weekend. My husband absolutely loves it!
Adina says
Thank you for the feedback, Denise. ๐
Marvellina|What To Cook Today says
ha..ha..good distraction indeed! I would be thrilled if someone brought me some fresh fish home. This looks absolutely delish. I LOVE eating fish (raw or cooked LOL)
Allie R. Taylor says
Dear Adina, You make me smile. Funny to think about how you (and your husband) procured this fish. This is a beautiful meal and I am glad to know how to scale a pike now! XO
Katerina says
A frshly caught fish is all the money! This meal is absolutely delicious!
Sissi says
There is nothing better than a freshly caught fish! Pike bring back childhood holiday memories and breakfasts full of tiny fried freshly caught fish.... Thank you for the hot water tip! I often buy whole fish and when it's small my shop for restaurants doesn't scale it, so I do it on my own. I recommend a Japanese-style scaling tool! (It's available on Amazon too). Since I bought it in Japan I found scaling much much easier and quicker!
Rachel says
It sounds like your husband has his fishing technique figured out! This fish looks delicious! Fresh fish really is so much tastier than store bought!
Angie@Angie's Recipes says
You cook and bake so well, Adina. This is definitely my kind of meal..light, fresh and so delicious! I miss seafood.