Fisch verliebt …
Fish lovers who think they have experienced every conceivable maritime delight will experience seafood as it is meant to be in Bulgaria: have you ever been served freshly caught turbot in delicately seasoned Bulgarian butter sauce – served on a hot stone tile?
Bulgarian Black Sea cuisine offers every conceivable variety of seafood. Among the classics, in addition to turbot, there is grilled and fried mackerel as well as bass marinated in yoghurt dressing. And Dorade Royal imported from the Aegean and prepared Bulgarian-style tastes superb. If you recognise “Lavrak” on a menu, seize the opportunity to pamper your palate and order this speciality made à la maison – that is, of course, if you like sea bass.
Do you also like it really hot and rustic sometimes? Then Bulgarian stockfish is the incomparably crispy choice for you.
During the meal you will certainly have questions about the sophisticated composition of the herbs and spices on the tip of your tongue. Yet no matter how charming you may be, these culinary secrets will not be revealed to you…
Enjoy a light Bulgarian Chardonnay with your Bulgarian fish dishes.
Freshly caught facts:
The turbot tastes best between December and February. Not only to humans, incidentally, but also to sharks and dolphins. The tastiest mackerel is caught in the Black Sea from November to January. Unfortunately the bass season only lasts for 2 months: between June and July. Fully-grown Black Sea bass weight up to 20 kg.
Insider tip:
Dylbok Bay (on the northern Bulgarian Black Sea coast, between Kavarna and Kaliakra) is a Mecca for mussel lovers. The size of the mussel farm itself is paralleled by its range of taste sensations of freshly prepared seafood (harvested with no supplements).
But BEWARE: anyone who lives out his culinary dream here, directly on the sea coast, beneath its mighty ancient trees, is unlikely ever again to enjoy any mussel dishes served to him anywhere else.
Or do you know of a better connoisseur location than right at the source – the Black Sea bay, so deep and yet at the same time ecologically pure?
The perfect recipe:
Bulgarian yoghurt fish for a quick meal …
Ingredients: 1 fish fillet (ideally bass fillet), 2 fresh cloves of garlic, 2 pots of mild yoghurt, paprika, salt, lemon juice and herbs to taste.
Sprinkle lemon juice over the thawed fish fillet and add salt to taste. Then place the fish in a greased oven-proof dish and sprinkle the garlic on top, cut into thin, peeled slices.
Now pour the yoghurt over the fish and sprinkle paprika over the top and a little more salt.
Cook for 40 minutes – covered in a pre-heated oven at 200 to 220 degrees – your Bulgarian yoghurt fish is almost ready to enjoy. It just needs that certain something: your individual blend of herbs...
Tip: simply stir and blend in any juice that escapes with a little cream of asparagus mix and water. Recommended side dish: fresh bread, puréed potatoes or rice.