The recipes above are prepared by ourselves, not from the Internet and all are delicious!

here is a recipe from an Internet Shkar from garfish

or this one is a little easier than below in the text https://www.chef.com.ua/recepty/Seledka/rybackaya-shkara-6465.html#.WmWrHtSLRYQ

Shkara is an old and very local dish, typical for some cities of the Black Sea - Odessa, Yalta, Balaklava.
The main condition of this dish is only freshly caught fish.
You can cook it from different types of fish - horse mackerel, red mullet, bluefish, etc.

So, to prepare the shell, we need:
- fresh garfish - 0.5 kg. You can take other fish - red mullet, horse mackerel, bluefish in an amount sufficient to fit in the container in which you will cook the dish (a little later I will tell you why such an approach)
- bow - a lot;
- pitted olives;
- lemon;
- olive and butter;
- sugar, salt, pepper, bay leaf.

One of the features of the preparation of the scale is that the fish in it should be located with their bellies down, and with their backs up, and cling to each other as tightly as possible. That is why it must be taken so much to fill the entire pan, so to speak, to fill it tightly. Sargan is a specific fish, so we will be especially perverted with it to prepare the shkara.
We will roll the gutted garfish into rings, securing the shape with a toothpick. Fortunately, it easily pierces the fish belly.

Onion cut into rings. You need a lot of onions, because. it is laid out on the bottom of the pan in a dense layer, and then covers the fish on top with the same dense layer.

After all the preparatory stages are completed, you can start cooking. Now everything needs to be done quickly.

In a large frying pan, in which the shkara will be cooked, we throw a decent piece of butter and melt it over low heat

Then spread the bay leaf on the bottom of the pan. Let it warm up in butter for a minute.
In the meantime, in the second pan, you need to grab a little garfish carcasses so that they take shape. To do this, pour a little olive oil into the pan, heat it well, lower the garfish rings there and fry literally for 10 seconds on each side. After that, you can remove the toothpicks, because. the rings won't open.

Now spread the onion rings in a dense layer on the bottom of the main frying pan.

And on the onion pillow we lay out the garfish rings, in each ring we put olives stuffed with lemon.

Salt the fish, pepper to taste

At the very end, add a small piece of butter to each ring.

Cover everything with a thick layer of onion rings

And generously pour over everything with lemon. Maybe even two.
Add some water to cover the fish.
More water is not needed, because. The onions release a lot of juice during the cooking process.

Now cover with a lid and for 15-20 minutes on a slow fire

I recommend - do not open the lid while the shell is being prepared.
The fact is that when you turn off the fire and open the lid, you are guaranteed to release the real Genie from under it.
It's going to be just a killer incredible scent, you can believe it.

Everyone eats in the shkar - both fish and broth. True, for those who cook it, this advice will be useless, because. until the pan is clean, no one will be able to stop.

Sargan (lat. Belone belone) or "sea pike" - a fish of the garfish genus.

Description
Habitat: sea
Reproduction: ovoviviparous
Length of a newly hatched garfish: 13 mm
Adult length: 90 cm

The common turquoise garfish is one of the fish that can dance above the surface of the water. Faster and faster they move towards the light, just for fun or to "flight" from danger. This fast and graceful predator has a narrow body. Small sharp teeth on a peculiar beak allow the garfish to grab small prey - herring, crustaceans during fast swimming. In large numbers, garfish are found in the Black and other seas.

reproduction

In spring, the garfish begin their breeding season: along the coast, they lay round eggs, which are attached to algae and other aquatic vegetation with the help of thin sticky threads. Garfish larvae are born without a beak; it appears only in adults. In winter, garfish move to the open sea.
Many fishermen, especially beginners and holidaymakers, take the garfish for a needle fish that has grown to gigantic sizes. In fact, there are many differences between them. Firstly, the largest of the sea needles of the Azov-Black Sea basin (there are 7 species of this fish in total) - Syngnathus typhle argentatus - long-snouted or high-snouted, has no teeth, and secondly, it is incommensurable with our hero neither in length nor in weight, not to mention the color, and even more so the gastronomic qualities.

Garfish are predominantly marine inhabitants, distributed in tropical, subtropical and temperate zones of the oceans. Some of them reach a length of 1.5 m and a weight of 4 kg. This large family, numbering about 12 genera, is represented in the Black Sea by only one species, Belone belone euxini.

The Black Sea garfish, or, as it is also called, the sea pike, has a typical arrow-shaped body covered with small silvery scales. The back is green. The length, as a rule, is up to 75 cm. This schooling pelagic fish has elongated jaws in the form of a sharp beak.
The garfish is widespread in the Black and Marmara seas, as well as in the western part of the Sea of ​​Azov. Lives 6-7 years, reaches sexual maturity in one year. It breeds from late April to late August. Its migration during the year is associated with spawning, feeding and wintering.
Once the garfish, being one of the most delicious fish of the Black Sea, was rightfully included in the top five commercial species caught off the coast of Crimea. The total annual catch of garfish reached 300-500 tons. Often, large specimens came across in the nets of Crimean fishermen - about 1 m long and weighing up to 1 kg.

Sargan Black Sea - has many relatives. Shell pike, needle fish - in the absence of experience, you can easily confuse these fish, although they have little in common and they belong to completely different families. Knowing what a handsome sea looks like, the features of his behavior depending on the time of the year, and the most common ways to hunt a monster, you can easily return home with a rich catch. Of course, this long-awaited event can happen only if you are lucky enough to go on sea fishing - the natural habitat of a sea monster.

Arrow fish (one of the names of the garfish) has a long body, some specimens of representatives of this family grow up to 80 cm. The body is narrow, the anal and dorsal fins are located near the tail itself. The jaws are elongated, very narrow and sharp at the ends. Sargan is the owner of numerous sharp teeth, which, despite their almost tiny size, tenaciously hold prey.

The scales will please fishermen who do not like to clean their catch, because they are small and can be easily removed even with a regular knife. The unique difference of the arrow is the shade of the bones. They are greenish in color, which is rare in fish.

There are several types of garfish, the most common are the Black Sea and Pacific. The difference between the Pacific and the representatives of this family is a long strip that runs from head to tail. It has a bluish-blue stripe that stands out brightly against the green body.

The natural habitat of the garfish

You can meet a garfish in many seas, especially if the water there is constantly moderately warm. In Russia, this is the Taganrog Bay and the Black Sea coast, a little less often - the Azov and White Seas.

You can often meet an arrow near North Africa or southern Europe. Fishermen who were lucky enough to go to Cape Verde for trophies, with a little luck, will definitely come across a giant from this family, since it is from Norway to Ireland that the largest specimens come across. According to some reports, a trophy garfish (a little over a meter) was caught in these places.

Arrow fish diet

The main food of the garfish is anchovy. The appearance of the arrow in the Black or Azov Sea is associated with the migration of this particular small fish - the garfish pursues its favorite food. In addition to the anchovy, the predator will not disdain other representatives of small fish, hunger makes you go in search of invertebrates.

Among the fish that attract garfish:

• pipefish;
• atherine;
• young mackerel;
• gerbil;
• sprat.

Photo 1. Anchovies or anchovies are the favorite delicacy of the garfish.

Pursuing a delicious target, the garfish develops tremendous speed, increasing it a little with each jerk. Carried away by hunting, the arrow can make incredible jumps above the surface of the water, which leaves no chance for prey to escape.

How the seasons of the year affect the garfish

If the garfish lives in comfortable conditions - in coastal areas, it rarely moves, preferring to stay in one place. The only thing that can make an arrow migrate over long distances is the search for food.

Predators living in the Black Sea prefer to spend the winter on the spot, but after the anchovy moves to the Sea of ​​\u200b\u200bAzov (this happens in the spring), the garfish goes after their favorite food. With the onset of cold weather, the Black Sea representatives of the family try to stay closer to the coast of Crimea, which allows fishermen to go hunting for a tasty and unusual handsome man all year round.

Photo 2. The fish came close to the shore.

Lures and tackle - what to choose for garfish hunting

Even novice fishermen know perfectly well that going fishing in the hope of catching a garfish is not worth it with a donkey - there will be no sense from it even during the rest hours of predators that occur at depth. What to choose for successful arrow fishing? Be sure to remember that the tackle must be strong and powerful, otherwise large specimens of the garfish will easily tear the line and even break the thin rod. Sea waves and strong winds are of no small importance - they will also easily damage fishing equipment that is chosen incorrectly.

Photo 3. Fishing at sea.

The cross section of the leash should not be less than 0.3 mm. The length of the leash also matters - the longer it is, the shorter the casting distance becomes. To catch a garfish, it is better to take it - almost invisible in the water and having a rigid structure.

How to complete gear when setting off? The first thing that should be there is a triple swivel (). It is better not to take a large one, it is enough for an arrow-fish and a medium one. At the same time, the quality of fishing is significantly increased, since it does not take extra time for additional installation.

Fishermen who are fond of catching fish with spinning can try their luck using. Traditional fishing will not be fruitful - the structure of the mouth of the garfish will make most of the bites in vain. Another feature is that, having felt cold metal in its mouth, the predator immediately throws a dangerous suspicious object. Resourceful fishermen act quite witty - they connect a tee and a lure on a short leash. Having swallowed the lure, the arrow-fish simultaneously swallows the hook deeply.

Simple but powerful ones are more popular when catching garfish. Raw meat, sea worm or freshly caught anchovy will be used as bait. The arrow takes well (usually raw, but you can also take boiled).

Interesting! Experienced fishermen have a strange way of fishing. For this, hooks are not needed - instead of them, lush tassels of thread are tied to the fishing line. It is enough for a curious voracious predator to be tempted and swallow an attractive bait - it is already impossible to throw it, the threads are tightly tangled between numerous teeth. Sometimes a fisherman, happy with good prey, hardly takes out a thread brush, preferring to cut it off with a knife.

Sargan is an interesting fish, but it is far from being popular with many fishing enthusiasts. This happens due to the unusual shade of the bones, which is completely safe for the human body. Only true connoisseurs know how tasty this predator is, they are ready to engage in their favorite hobby all day long, and this hobby will certainly be rewarded with an excellent catch!

The Atlantic garfish in the waters of the Black Sea usually grows up to 70 cm and reaches a mass of 300-400 g. It is a schooling predator whose main food is various small fish, mainly ferina - a small fish similar to anchovy (scientifically - atherina). The shape of the garfish resembles something between a needle fish and an eel: a long, elastic body covered with small silvery scales. A characteristic feature is the jaw-beak, which is very elongated forward, studded with small teeth, which makes it look like a swordfish or marlin. And although it is inferior in size to the legendary corsair of the southern seas, it can easily compete with them in aggressiveness and tirelessness when pursuing prey.

Fishing for garfish on the Black Sea coast begins approximately in July and continues until frost in November - December. If in the summer garfish are caught only occasionally and, as a rule, not large, then in the fall a dozen toothy predators are a completely normal catch. It was at this time that organized flocks of garfish begin the hunting season for the ferina, which strays into large shoals on the eve of winter. This small, 7-10 cm fish is the best bait for the "Black Sea pike", as the garfish is often called, so the hunt for the garfish begins with catching the ferina. Ferina is caught using a lift, a light float rod (bait - a piece of mussel, shrimp) and a mini-trap (two-five hooks No. 2.5 - 3 according to the domestic classification, equipped with white wool, shiny threads).

The presence of ferina in the fishing area is one of the indispensable conditions for successful fishing. Flocks of ferinas easily find themselves with splashes and fuss at the surface of the water, fish like to spin around piles, piers, and moorings. From time to time, one can observe how suddenly a commotion arises in the flock, the fish rush in all directions, and greenish shadows flicker in the water. Do not yawn here - the garfish has approached! Often, anglers lure the ferina by throwing crushed mussels, pieces of fish and other animal food into the water. Sometimes the fish are stocked in advance and frozen at home. But, as you know, everything fresh is always better than frozen.

When choosing a place for catching garfish, it is important to pay attention to one important thing. If you have ever fished from a pier, you have often seen that the beach is separated from the open sea by a breakwater that is hidden under the surface of the water, but not so much that it cannot be overlooked. The resulting cove is very good for swimming, catching gobies, but many marine fish prefer to stay in the open sea. The garfish is no exception. Therefore, if you plan to catch this fish, look for it behind a breakwater, in the open sea, or in a place where there is no breakwater.

So, we will assume that you have stocked up on ferina, now is the time to talk about gear. Garfish are caught both with the help of an "elastic band" and using a float for long-distance casting. In both cases the bait should be 0.5 - 1 m from the sea surface - it is in this layer of water that the garfish mainly hunts.

The device of the marine "gum" is quite standard, it is distinguished from the traditional one by a small but important detail. Wine cork-sized foam floats are attached at the point where the leads leave the main line to keep the bait in the right layer of water. The length of the leashes should be about 1 m, it is advisable to connect them to the main fishing line using a swivel. Leashes are sometimes weighted with a small pellet so that the bait sinks faster. It is better to use a small hook (No. 67) with a long shank and very sharp. Usually on the "elastic band" use from 4 to 8 hooks. The fish is planted behind the back, and bites are determined by the behavior of the floats - they begin to dive and spin in place.

A more sporty look is fishing with a long cast float or a slightly heavier "match" rig. To do this, you need a 35 m long rod (you can use a match or Bologna), a spinning or multiplier reel, a main line with a diameter of 0.25-0.3 mm or a cord up to 0.15 mm and a meter of smaller diameter, a "match" float with a long antenna and a sliding sinker "olive". Although the teeth of the garfish are sharp, I do not remember the case when he bit off the leash from the fishing line, so it is not advisable to use a tungsten leash. The mounting of the float is preferably sliding, so it is much easier to cast. The long body allows it to successfully withstand a small wave, and when biting, the fish feels less resistance. This is really important, because, having grabbed the prey with its "beak", the garfish continues to move, turning and swallowing the fish. If he feels a lot of resistance caused by a heavy "deaf" sinker or a powerful float, he will most likely throw the bait. Of course, depending on the wind and the size of the waves, it makes sense to adjust the equipment of the fishing rod: to make it heavier or lighter. Therefore, sometimes they use a "bait" float with a carrying capacity of up to 15 g. However, even in a mild storm, garfish are almost never caught. When biting, given the structure of the mouth of the garfish, you should not rush to hook it, since it is unlikely that you will be able to pierce its nose with a hook. Be patient and let the fish take the bait. The garfish is usually given 20 seconds for this. If time passes, but there are still no bites, try playing with tackle: slowly reel in the line, make slight jerks with the rod.

Flocks of garfish actively move along the coast in search of ferina, so sometimes fishing from a boat while drifting is more prey. A characteristic feature of fish of the Sargan family is the greenish color of the bones, which is believed to be due to the high content of phosphorus. However, eating this fish is not at all dangerous, and besides, the garfish is very tasty.

Her uniqueness lies in the fact that she has green bones. Therefore, many are simply afraid to eat such exotic things. After reading today's article, you will learn about the main features of this fish.

Appearance

It should be noted that the Black Sea garfish is a schooling fish, which is a subspecies of the European or Atlantic family. It has a long, slightly laterally compressed arrow-shaped body. One of the main features of this inhabitant of the seas is the presence of thin elongated jaws that look like a bird's beak. On the top is a frequent comb of sharp teeth that have a conical shape.

This fish has a contrasting coloration. It has silvery-green, light silvery or grayish sides and belly. The back, upper body and head are painted in a light brown or brownish-green hue. The entire body of the garfish, from forty to sixty centimeters long, is covered with small, easily falling scales, extending beyond the upper part of the head.

Reproduction features

Individuals that have reached the age of five are considered sexually mature. From this point on, they are capable of annual reproduction. The Black Sea garfish spawns, the photo of which will be presented in this article, in the spring. To do this, he sails away from the coast and descends to a depth of twelve to eighteen meters. The stretching of spawning in time is explained by the fact that eggs are spawned in small portions. This period begins at the end of April and ends in mid-August.

Small eggs, with a diameter of about three and a half millimeters, are deposited on algae and other floating objects. All larvae and fry have sixty to eighty long threads, thanks to which they are attached to underwater vegetation. Egg development lasts from ten days to five weeks. It all depends on the temperature of the water. The first larvae, keeping in the coastal zone, can be seen already in early June. The adult Black Sea fish garfish differs from them in appearance, since the young do not have such long jaws. By the end of the first year of life, the grown offspring acquires a typical appearance and sails away from the coast.

Black Sea garfish: how to catch?

The hunting season for this predator begins in October or November and continues until February. For obvious reasons, shoals of small fish try to hide in quiet warm bays, so you need to look for them there. In addition, you can try to catch them on the high seas.

However, experienced fishermen are advised to organize fishing from piers or capes. Moreover, it is necessary to throw gear and use such an item as baubles on the Black Sea garfish away from the coast. Interestingly, this cautious and shy fish is looking for food almost on the surface. Therefore, to catch it, it is advisable to use the thinnest fishing line with an almost floating bait. As for the hooks, it is advisable to completely hide them in the bait.

How useful is this fish?

We note right away that the Black Sea garfish is rich in many valuable substances, including iron, phosphorus, iodine and omega-3 fatty acids. Despite the relatively low cost, its meat is quite nutritious and quickly saturates the human body.

In addition, the regular use of this variety of fish helps to moisturize the epidermis of the skin and smooth out fine wrinkles. The B vitamins contained in it have a positive effect on the state of the cardiovascular system and improve blood circulation. This helps prevent blockage of blood vessels and the development of cancer.

Black Sea garfish: how to cook shkara?

This is one of the most favorite dishes of the Crimeans. It consists of two layers of stewed onions, between which is hidden. As one of the components, a garfish is used, which is the best suited for this dish.

To prepare the restaurant version of the shkara, you will need filleted fish. Strips of garfish rolled up and fastened with a toothpick are lightly fried in heated olive oil. This should be done for no more than twenty seconds. After that, you need to remove the wooden sticks, and put an olive stuffed with lemon inside each roll.

In a simpler, fishing version, this dish is prepared a little differently. Pre-cleaned and gutted garfish are cut into pieces. Onion rings are placed in a frying pan moistened with vegetable oil. Fish (or rolls with olives) are placed on top of them. Sprinkle everything on top with salt, pepper, marjoram and rosemary, and then sprinkle with a small amount of chilled, grated butter and cover. Add a little water to the pan, cover with a lid and leave to simmer for twenty minutes.

Garfish with lemon jam

To prepare this dish, you will need twelve peeled fish, two hundred and fifty grams of potatoes, two tablespoons of butter, ¾ cup of breadcrumbs, as well as a tablespoon of cinnamon and lemon jam.

Pre-boiled potatoes should be mashed with oil. In the resulting mass, add cinnamon and lemon. With this mixture it is necessary to fill the fish (Black Sea garfish) and fasten it on the sides with toothpicks or skewers. The fish rolled in flour are fried on both sides for one or two minutes and served with spinach.

Preparing an appetizer

The Black Sea garfish has small scales well behind the body. Therefore, before serving with beer, it is not necessary to clean and gut it. Just roll the fish in salt and leave for twenty minutes. After this time, the carcasses should be hung upside down and wait until they are slightly dried. This will take about twelve hours.

Also, from this inexpensive and tasty fish, you can cook "sprats", the taste of which is not inferior to the Baltic canned food. To do this, you need to take a pre-gutted headless carcass and cut it into strips, the length of which does not exceed five centimeters. Then the prepared fish is placed in a deep narrow pan so that the pieces are arranged vertically. A pinch of salt, a few bay leaves and peppercorns are also sent there. Then the contents of the dishes are poured with vegetable oil so that it covers the fish by about a centimeter. The pan is placed on minimum heat, covered with a lid and left for three hours. The finished dish is served chilled.

Hot dishes

Despite the fact that dried and smoked garfish are sold in the southern markets, all its taste qualities remain not fully disclosed. It is best to try to cook it under the marinade. A kilogram of fish must be cleaned, gutted, salted and fried in vegetable oil. Then three tablespoons of flour are poured into a deep frying pan and fried. After it becomes creamy, two hundred milliliters of water, half a glass of dry white wine, salt, pepper, rosemary and a small amount of lemon juice or vinegar are added there. The resulting sauce is boiled until thickened, and then the fish is stewed in it. This dish can be served with any side dishes.