Baked Carp

Ingredients

• 1 carp
• forcemeat
• bread crumbs
• 1 oz butter
• 300 ml stock
• 300 ml port wine
• 6 anchovies
• 2 onions
• 1 bay leaf
• 1 faggot sweet herbs
• flour
• 1 lemon juice
• cayenne
• salt
• 0.5 tsp powdered sugar
• 1 egg

Method

Scale the carp and gut it, then rinse the cavity thoroughly — any blood or viscera left behind will turn bitter during baking. Pat dry inside and out. Stuff the cavity firmly with your forcemeat (the fish will contract as it cooks, so don't be timid), then sew the opening closed with kitchen twine using a simple running stitch. This isn't decoration; a loose seam means filling in the braising liquid.

Brush the exterior with beaten egg, then dredge entirely in breadcrumbs, pressing them on gently so they adhere without clumping. This crust acts as a barrier, trapping moisture and preventing the flesh from drying out over the hour ahead. Lay the fish in a deep earthenware dish (cast iron works if you have no earthenware) and dot the breadcrumb surface with the butter, allowing it to soak in rather than puddling on top.

Pour the stock and port around the carp — not over it, as you want the crust to colour above the liquid. Scatter the sliced onions, bay leaf, anchovies (which dissolve into umami), and herbs around the fish. Cover with foil or a fitted lid and bake at 180°C for 45 minutes, then uncover and continue for another 15 minutes. The carp is done when the flesh near the backbone flakes cleanly and the eye socket has turned opaque.

While the fish finishes, make a sauce-making|roux with the remaining butter and flour — melt the butter over medium heat, sift the flour in gradually, and stir constantly until you have a smooth paste that smells faintly nutty (about 2 minutes). This is your thickening base. Carefully strain the cooking liquor into a saucepan, discarding the solids, then whisk it slowly into the roux to avoid lumps. Bring to a simmer, stirring often; it should coat the back of a spoon. Season with lemon juice, cayenne, salt, and the pinch of sugar — the sugar is non-negotiable here, as it balances the acid and the port's tannins without making the sauce sweet.

Transfer the carp to a warm serving dish, garnish with parsley and lemon wedges, and serve the sauce separately in a boat. Do not pour it over the fish at table — that choice belongs to the diner.