Chefs' tricks for Czech Christmas dinner, from carp to salad
Before Christmas, a key question echoes in kitchens: What to put on the festive menu? Chefs ask it twice! Both in the restaurant and at home, they focus on the best ingredients, details and seasoning - the Christmas Eve feast should be special!
Fillet or horseshoes?
"With carp, I definitely prefer fillets, which I cut crosswise into thin slices. However, be careful to put them into the frying oil with the cut side first, as this is the only way to bring the meat back together. Otherwise, it could fall apart," warns Eska's chef Martin Štangl and continues:
"I cut the scales away from the skin. Don't scrape them off. Cutting it will remove the scale locks and with them the typical unpleasant aroma. Don't remove the skin - it contains fat, which carries the flavour. Incidentally, good quality fish does not smell strongly of fish, especially if it comes from sandy ponds and flow-through ponds. That's why it's a good idea to buy carp from reputable sources."
"Horseshoe carp may be more traditional, but I prefer fillets. They are 'more user-friendly'. I always buy scaled carp because they have a finer skin and don't need to be skinned. Of course I cut the fillets - about half an inch at a time. The bones are so small that you can't feel them in your mouth at all, let alone get them stuck in your throat," explains Bufet's chef Petr Benda.
"I think that a horseshoe is easier to fry at home. It may have a typical unpleasant fishy taste if it's not cleaned well, but it's easier to find the problematic bones that are in the back and it's easier to handle. If you are more confident and have sharp knives at home, you can also use the fillet and cut through the bones," advises creative Ambiente chef František Skopec. "I wrap the carp in fresh breadcrumbs, and recommend slowly frying in clarified butter so the meat warms up nicely and the breadcrumbs don't burn."
With carp it's also unconventional! "I brush the cut fillet with butter and season it, sprinkle it with grated horseradish ...and top with slices of bacon. The horseradish and butter flavour the carp in the oven," says Martin Matys, chef at Brasileiro U Zelené žáby, describing his tried-and-tested method, adding a recipe for improved breadcrumbs. "I mix the inside of a fresh baguette coarsely with garlic and parsley and fry it in clarified butter."
Veal or pork?
Those who don't need fish, swap carp for sausage or classic schnitzel. The wine sausage, rolled into a snail shape, just needs to be lightly fried in lard and served for lunch ("to keep the kids going until dinner," notes Martin Matys), while the freshly fried schnitzels will smell good on the dinner table.
"The sausage is best grilled with skewers, but you can also roll it out as a 'gift' on four sides. This way the sausage won't crack and will retain its juices. After roasting, you just remove the string," suggests František.
"During the holidays I prepare veal cutlets and fry them in clarified butter or lard. The important thing is fresh coarser breadcrumbs, ideally panko. Veal cutlets are also dined on by Petr Benda: "I wrap the veal leg cutlets in breadcrumbs made from fresh rolls and fry them in clarified butter. Put a pat of butter on the finished steaks and let them rest for a while."
"With schnitzels, it's purely up to the cook's preference and budget. You can do chicken, pork and veal, but each option requires a slightly different technique. Chicken is worth frying more slowly to avoid undercooking the meat, on the contrary veal should be fried from the start. The breadcrumbs can be classic or made from fresh bread," says František.
With or without peas?
For potato salad, every pro has their ultimate (inherited) recipe, but the ingredients are repeated salad potatoes, type A, and mayonnaise made from good eggs. "The key is the mayonnaise and the pickle brine to finish the flavour. The basic recipe includes boiled potatoes, carrots and root parsley, possibly celery, and finely chopped onions. The pickles and egg are cut into cubes the same size as the potatoes and root vegetables," says František.
"In the potato salad I put potatoes cooked the day before and then peeled, ham, eggs and onions, mayonnaise, mustard and homemade pickles, including a little pickle, but also peas and carrots," joins Pasta Fresca chef Tomas Mykytyn.
Martin Štangl stirs in roasted vegetables - carrots, celery, parsley and onions. "By roasting, you remove the water from the vegetables and get a more interesting, concentrated flavour. Roasted onions add sweetness to the salad. Plus, it extends its shelf life and prevents bloating," explains Martin. Mixed with the vegetables are potatoes cooked in their skins, Prague ham and pickles, eggs, mustard and, last but not least, mayonnaise. The latter can be whipped from boiled or poached eggs, but also without eggs - the so-called milk mayonnaise is made by whisking sunflower oil into milk at room temperature. The sauce is finally seasoned with lemon, salt and pepper.
According to Martin Matys, the potato salad is mixed with still lukewarm potatoes, carrots, celery and parsley - the flavours of the individual ingredients blend better. His salad also includes onions, pickled cucumber, mayonnaise and full-fat mustard, pickle brine and a teaspoon of vinegar to enhance the flavour.
What about the soup?
"It would be a shame not to use the carp bones - they make a great stock, but you need to remove the eyes and gills from the head," says František. "I soften the soup with cream or butter and also add carp trimmings or milk. I have lemon juice and zest on hand for flavouring and when serving, I garnish each portion with croutons made from light bread and fried in butter."
"Don't forget that the fish stock is cooked for a short time, no more than an hour, otherwise the fish will release unwanted odours. If you want to achieve a stronger flavour, you should reduce the soup," Martin Štangl points out:
"It's a great idea to add root vegetables cut into julienne, fried in butter with a drop of oil. If you want to thicken the soup, use a potato: cut it into small cubes and fry it together with the onion, add the broth and boil it," Martin Štangl instructs. The acidic element promotes saliva production - and the taste experience.
A different cook, a different process. Petr Benda boils carp heads (without eyes!) and bones, which he slowly pulls to the boil with any kind of white vegetable. After 40 minutes, he salts and peppers the soup and and he adds milk to it.. Martin Matys adds the roe and the eggs to the finished soup - and fries them in butter beforehand. At Tomáš Mykytyn's, a soup of fish meat, roe and milt, roasted root vegetables and cherry tomatoes is served on Christmas Eve, seasoned with saffron, garlic and fennel.
Anything extra?
Tradition allows for an atypical starter! Martin Štangl suggests spicing up the menu with beetroot, which is boiled until tender, sliced and dried - in a dryer at 50 °C, in the oven at 80 °C. The dried vegetables are then boiled again, this time in beetroot juice with mulled wine spices, mead and vinegar, then serves accompanied by roasted nuts, grilled bread and fresh cheese.
