Ingredients
Lamprey
- 12river lamprey, live or very fresh
To clean
- 200 gcoarse salt
- cold running water
To season
- 2 tbspfine salt
- 1 tspground black pepper
For the jelly
- the grilling juices
- 200 mlwater, if needed
To serve
- dark rye bread
- butter
- lemon wedges
- boiled potatoes
Equipment
- a charcoal grill, or a very hot oven grill
- a deep tray
Directions
- Put the lamprey in a large bowl or a sink. Cover them generously with coarse salt. Rub the salt over every part of each fish with your hands. Work along the whole length several times. Keep rubbing until they no longer feel slippery. Rinse them under cold running water. Repeat the salt rub a second time.
- Rinse again until the water runs completely clear. The skin should feel dry and slightly rough rather than slimy. Rinse the cavity out thoroughly. Pat them completely dry with a cloth.
- Rub them all over with fine salt and black pepper. Nothing else is added, since the fish is rich enough on its own. Let them sit for twenty minutes before grilling. There should be no flames at all. Lay the lamprey on a grill rack over a deep tray. Grill them for about twenty minutes.
- Turn them over every five minutes. They should darken and the skin should blister and crisp. Serve them straight off the grill with dark rye bread and butter. One or two lamprey is enough per person.
- Let the grilled lamprey cool completely. Pour the collected juices from the tray into a pan. Skim off the fat that has risen to the surface. Add water if you do not have enough liquid.
- Bring it to a simmer and season it with salt. Test it by chilling a spoonful in the freezer for ten minutes. Lay the cooled lamprey in a dish, packed closely. Ladle the strained liquid over them. It should just cover the fish.
- Cover the dish and refrigerate it overnight. It needs at least eight hours to set firm. Serve it cold, cut into portions, with rye bread and butter. It keeps for three days in the fridge.
Technique
- Lamprey mucus contains a toxin destroyed by heat, so the salt cleaning and full cooking are essential.
- Never eat lamprey raw or undercooked.
- River lamprey are managed with quotas, so buy from a licensed source.
Substitutions
- A very hot oven grill in place of charcoal.
- There is no real substitute for lamprey.
Variations
- Served hot straight from the grill.
- Set cold in their own jelly.
- Preserved in a marinade of vinegar and spices.
History
Caught in weir traps on the Gauja and Daugava; Carnikavas nēģi won EU protected geographical status in 2015.
Frequently asked questions
What is Nēģi?
Nēģi is a main from Latvia: grilled lamprey served cold in jelly or hot with bread. Caught in weir traps on the Gauja and Daugava; Carnikavas nēģi won EU protected geographical status in 2015.
How long does Nēģi take to make?
Nēģi takes 40 min of preparation and 40 min of cooking. The recipe makes 6 servings. It is rated hard to make.
What can I substitute in Nēģi?
Yes, within limits. A very hot oven grill in place of charcoal. There is no real substitute for lamprey.
What is the most important thing to get right in Nēģi?
Put the lamprey in a large bowl or a sink. Cover them generously with coarse salt. Rub the salt over every part of each fish with your hands. Work along the whole length several times. Keep rubbing until they no longer feel slippery. Rinse them under cold running water. Repeat the salt rub a second time.
