Sea fluffy rabbit. Sea hare fish - benefits and harms. All the most interesting about chimeras

Today, the abundance of marine products is so great that it is quite difficult to surprise their connoisseurs.

However, it has only recently appeared on the general market mysterious fish, popularly called the sea hare. Fans of culinary experiments will certainly be interested in what kind of amazing creature and how it should be eaten.

What does it look like and where does it go

The true name of this fish sounds ominous - the European chimera (Chimaera monstrosa). She is a chimera cartilaginous fish and is found in the waters of the Pacific and Atlantic oceans, and is also found in the Barents Sea.

Did you know? The sea hare does not have a swim bladder, like a shark, so it has to constantly be in motion in order to stay afloat.

Outwardly, this marine inhabitant does not look very attractive; his character traits- a large head of a triangular shape, a massive jaw and a long filiform tail. This fish is called a hare because of some external similarity of its muzzle with a hare.

Some seafood vendors refer to it as a sea rabbit, but this is erroneous, because sea ​​rabbit- This is a separate representative of the underwater kingdom, which is a mollusk.

Calorie content and chemical composition

Meat sea ​​chimera refers to low-calorie, diet food:

  • the calorie content of 100 grams of sea hare fillet is only 116 kcal;
  • meat contains essential omega-3 fatty acids;
  • Chimera fillet is rich in vitamins A, E and D.

Beneficial features

Like any seafood, the European chimera has a lot of useful properties:

  • first and foremost, sea hare fillet is an ideal source of easily digestible protein, which is especially valuable for athletes and people involved in physical labor;
  • presence in meat fatty acids beneficial effect on the condition of the skin, hair, nails, internal organs, in particular the liver, regulates the level of cholesterol in the blood;

    Important! Few know that European chimera poisonous upper fin, therefore, when butchering the carcass, you need to be extremely careful, trying not to hurt it and not get hurt.

  • vitamins A, E, D, present in the fillet of this fish, are useful for depletion and hypervitaminosis.

Contraindications and harm

Of course, like any other product, sea hare meat is not useful for everyone and not always:

  • first of all, it must be taken into account that this fish most often feeds on the bottom of the reservoir - accordingly, it is possible that it ate carrion and toxic foods;
  • like most seafood, chimera is a highly allergenic food, so it is better to avoid it for allergy sufferers, children under 3 years old and pregnant women.

How to cook in the oven

The sea hare is an infrequent guest on the shelves of shops and markets; more often it can be found in restaurants as an exquisite delicacy. Indeed, the preparation of a chimera without a certain experience and secrets may end in failure.

Its meat is quite tough, but at the same time juicy, with proper preparation it has a mild fishy taste and a dense texture. If the fish was not the first freshness or the fins were damaged during carcass cutting, the finished fillet will give bitterness.
To avoid this, you need to buy seafood only in trusted places equipped with refrigerators. A fresh chimera should have clear eyes and red gills. There are quite a few recipes for cooking a bearded seal, but it must be borne in mind that simply frying it in oil is not advisable due to the specifics of the meat.

You can best appreciate the taste of fish by baking it in the oven under various marinades and sauces that add juiciness and piquancy. Sea hare fillet turns out to be very tasty if you bake it under a double fur coat.

For this you will need:

  • fish (1-2 medium carcasses);
  • ground black pepper;
  • a mixture of spices for fish;
  • greenery ;
  • salted cucumbers(3-4 pieces of medium size);
  • (3-4 cloves);
  • (1 PC.);
  • (about 300 g);
  • (1 glass);
  • (2 tablespoons);
  • fresh champignons (about 200 g);

Many people do not even know what kind of fish it is - a sea hare. The benefits and harms of the product, the features of its catch and preparation for a long time remained a mystery to the inhabitants of our country. Some suppliers of goods even tried to cash in on this gap, artificially inflating the price of products, inventing different myths. In fact, the sea hare is a tasty and healthy fish that is undemanding to processing. And its cost should not exceed the price for the usual one.

Sea hare - description and features of fish

Finding a whole sea hare in the market or in a grocery store is not so easy. Usually the fish is cut up and sold in parts. If you want to treat yourself to an unusual representative of the seas, you should look at a lot of pictures. Otherwise, there is a risk of acquiring common or cod for a disproportionate price. By the way, the cost of a bearded seal should not be high, even if it really is.

Unusual fish is noticeably different from marine representatives familiar to the modern consumer. She does not have a bubble, so she has to constantly move like a shark in order not to drown. Her skeleton is made up of cartilage, not bones. This greatly simplifies the process of working with the finished product cutlery.

The composition and benefits of the bearded seal

Culinaries of many European countries very actively use the sea hare to create their masterpieces. In addition to the unusual and memorable taste, the fish is able to boast a rich chemical composition. With regular use, the product can have a beneficial effect on the health of adults and children.

  • The meat of individuals is rich in protein, which is easily and quickly absorbed by the body. Nutritious but not overly high-calorie product(about 116 kcal per 100g) quickly satisfies hunger and does not create a burden on the heart and kidneys.

Tip: There is also aquarium variety sea ​​hare fish. It's really quite rare and expensive. It is not suitable for food! Need to see before buying basic information about the differences between individuals, in order not to let a commercial specimen into the aquarium, for which a tidy sum had to be paid.

  • Fish is rich in vitamins A, E and D. They support the work of a number of systems and organs, remove toxins from the body, and promote the absorption of important mineral elements.
  • Minerals, which are also abundant in fibers, are taken Active participation in exchange processes. They support the functionality of the glands internal secretion at the right level, stimulate water metabolism in cells and tissues.
  • The abundance of beneficial fatty acids allows the use of fish for blood purification. Removal of harmful cholesterol from the body reduces the likelihood of developing atherosclerosis, hypertension and other unpleasant conditions.

In general, meat unique fish very juicy, soft, but fibrous. Even if you just salt the workpiece, roll it in batter and fry, you can get an exquisite delicacy. Some cooks can talk about dozens of ways to prepare a bearded seal.

Harm of the sea hare

Exotic fish can be harmful in several cases, so before buying it, you should familiarize yourself with the following nuances:

  1. The sea hare has a poisonous fin located at the top of the carcass. Therefore, you need to cut it carefully or you can buy ready-made parts of the product.
  2. Fish, though not so high-calorie, but quite fatty. Abuse of the delicacy can lead to unnecessary weight gain.
  3. Don't forget that New Product may cause allergies. Before introducing a sea hare into the diet, you need to try it, eating not at all a large number of.
  4. It is easier to work with a cut carcass, but the likelihood that a whole carcass has been frozen and thawed several times is much lower. This manipulation affects not only the appearance of the fish, but also greatly worsens its taste characteristics. By the way, the benefits of repeatedly thawed fillets tend to zero.

Finally, eating low-quality or stale fish can lead to poisoning. This will not happen if you buy products with transparent and shiny eyes, red and completely closed gills. Any flaws in the appearance or smell of products should alert. Especially if it is a frozen product and it is not so easy to evaluate its quality.

Cooking methods

Among the many options for cooking a sea hare, the following recipes occupy a special place:

  • For 0.5 kg of fish preparations, we need 2 tablespoons of olive oil, a teaspoon of curry, 1 cucumber and carrots, 7 olives and black olives, salt, pepper and herbs.
  • We prepare the mixture from salt, pepper, oil, herbs and curry. We rub the fish with it and wrap it in foil for baking.
  • We bake the workpiece for 30 minutes in the oven at a high temperature.
  • After that, we insist the fish in foil for another 10 minutes, during which time we cut the vegetables figuratively. Put the sea hare on a dish and decorate beautifully.

  • For 1 kg of fish we take 1 glass of vegetable broth and onion, a couple of cloves of garlic, a tablespoon of tomato paste, a little vegetable oil, half a glass of low-fat nuts, salt and flour.
  • We clean the fish, wash it, cut into pieces. Roll them in flour with salt and fry in vegetable oil.
  • chop the pepper and onion finely chop, rub the garlic. Mix these ingredients with broth, juice, tomato paste and heat over medium heat.
  • As soon as the sauce boils, lower the fish into it and simmer it for another 10 minutes. Serve with boiled.

Sea fish in pots:

  • For 2 fish steaks we take 2 potatoes and onions, 1 carrot, 100 g of hard cheese, 2 tablespoons of butter and olive oil, a bunch of parsley and green onions, juice of half a lemon, salt and pepper.
  • We clean the steaks from cartilage and cut into portioned squares. Chop the onion and carrot into short strips, chop the potatoes into cubes. Greens chop, mix, water lemon juice. We cut the cheese into cubes.
  • In a separate bowl, mix olive oil with pepper, for taste, you can add a tablespoon of oyster sauce. We insist the mass for several minutes.
  • We put pieces of fish in warm pots, on them, onions and carrots, potatoes. Sprinkle everything with herbs, spread and a little more cheese. Pour all this with oil dressing, cover with lids and send to the oven.
  • The processing time is at least 40-45 minutes. The readiness of the dish should be checked by potatoes.

Today, the bearded seal is found even in freshwater reservoirs, so do not be surprised by such information on the package. This moment does not affect the quality of meat in any way. The approach to processing and cooking products in this case will be exactly the same.

By the way, an exotic individual looks like a hare only with large and transparent eyes. The appearance of the carcass is very specific and not the most appetizing. But you don't have to be afraid of it. If you have the opportunity to taste unusual meat, you should take it. Few people speak negatively about the taste characteristics of fish, and most often negative reviews arise against the background of improper handling.

Looking at the photos of this wonderful marine inhabitant, it really seems that this is a fluffy cute rabbit who decided to swim a little. The same ears, tail, fur, but in fact this creature is called Jorunna parva and is a sea slug. Due to the fact that he has the appearance of a fluffy eared, he was nicknamed "sea rabbit".



The sea slug was first discovered by Japanese biologist Kikutaro Baba in 1938 in waters off Japan. In the distant 1938, photographs of a bizarre animal were posted in scientific journals and books, and ... safely forgotten. But with the advent of technology and the Internet, word of the rabbit's twin has spread around the world. Videos and photos of the slug conquered many and now the whole world knows who Jorunna parva is.




In fact, the body of the "sea rabbit" is not covered with fur, but with small needles, in biology they are called spicules. It is still not clear why the mollusk needs spicules, they are probably responsible for the sense organs. Instead of rabbit ears, there are antennae on the head of the sea rabbit, which are also responsible for sensitive sensors. It is with the help of these antennas that the slug can find food and navigate in space.

Behind is a tail, in the shape of a flower, which is actually gills. The length of the slug can reach only 2.5 centimeters, which is much smaller than the size of an ordinary rabbit.




The slug Jorunna parva, however, is highly toxic, thanks to which it can defend itself against predators. "Sea rabbits", like other types of slugs, have male and female genital organs. The life span of these slugs is only a few months.

The Jorunna slug species is quite diverse in shape, color and has 27 subspecies. But the genus Jorunna parva is most similar to rabbits, although other subspecies also look pretty cute and unusual. The sea bunny lives in warm waters- from South Africa to the central Pacific.

The harefish is a close relative of the shark and stingray. It's delicious and useful fish. It contains a large amount of vitamins, amino acids and easily digestible protein. In our country, it can only be purchased frozen. It is recommended to buy a whole carcass, not a finished fillet. Despite the large number of useful properties, its use can be harmful to human health.


Close relative sharks have a lot of names, one of them is hare fish

general description

Harefish, chimera, sea rabbit - these are the names of the same creature. The peculiarity of this fish lies in the absence of a bubble, therefore, in order to constantly be afloat, she must always move, otherwise she will simply lie on the bottom. Sea rabbit is widely used in cooking. It is prepared in the same way as any other fish.


The fish is unusual besides its appearance the fact that she has no bladder and the entire skeleton consists of cartilage

Chimera has large expressive eyes, a small mouth. There are 4 beak-shaped dental plates on the upper part of the jaw, and only 2 on the lower part. The body is elongated, the thinnest part is the back. The fins are quite large. The skeleton does not consist of bones, but of cartilage.

Because of its lifestyle, the chimera is called the rat of the seas. This is due to the fact that she eats only solid food, such as mollusks or crayfish.

There is a system of sensitive channels on the head. The skin is soft with rudimentary spines. sea ​​creature has a dark brown color with a reddish tint. There may be spots on the sides, the ventral side is lighter than the whole body. In length, an adult can grow up to 1.5 m. Maximum weight fish is 2.5 kg.

It is almost impossible to buy a sea rabbit in the market in its entirety. It is cut up and sold in parts. Before buying, it is advisable to see a photo of how it should look, otherwise there is a risk of acquiring cod or hake at the price of a chimera.

Varieties and habitat

Distribution area of ​​chimeras- Quiet and Atlantic Oceans and the Barents Sea. There are 3 varieties in total. The fish with a plow-shaped head belongs to the Callorhynchidae family. It can be found in the coastal zone. This species is distinguished by its snout unusual shape, so the fish can easily find mollusks on the sandy bottom.


The chimera may be one of three families that differ only in the shape of the head.

The blunt-nosed species belongs to the Chimaeridae family. She lives at a depth of up to 500 m, has sensitive eyes, so she quickly notices smaller inhabitants that suit her as food.

The long-nosed chimera from the Rhinochimaeridae family can be found on quite great depth. It is distinguished by its sensitive and elongated snout, so it can find food even in the darkest waters.

Useful properties and harm

Sea hare fish is a rather exotic product, so before eating it, you need to familiarize yourself not only with useful properties but also a potential hazard.

Beneficial features:

  1. a large amount of protein, which is quickly absorbed by the body;
  2. meat is non-caloric, so ready-made fish quickly satisfies hunger without creating additional stress on the heart and kidneys;
  3. the content of vitamins D, A and E, which contribute to the elimination of toxins;
  4. high content of fatty acids that remove cholesterol from the body.

The meat of this fish has various beneficial properties, but the use of improperly cooked sea rabbit can also harm human health.

Dishes from such a product can be used to prevent the development of hypertension and atherosclerosis.

The chimera has a venomous fin and may cause an allergic reaction.

Despite the large number positive properties, hare fish can harm the body. Before buying and preparing a chimera, you need to pay attention to the following details:

  1. The sea rabbit has a poisonous fin. It is located on the top of the carcass. When butchering fish, you must be very careful or buy carcasses without a dangerous fin.
  2. The fish is quite oily. Its frequent use in food can lead to weight gain.
  3. Exotic product may cause allergic reaction. Before eating, you need to make sure that there are no allergies. To do this, you need to try a small piece and follow the reaction of the body.

In our latitudes, such fish is sold only frozen, so there is a risk of buying a product that has already been frozen several times. Frequent freezing not only kills nutrients, but also negatively affects the taste.

cooking recipes

There is no single price for this fish, but it will definitely cost more than a simple cod. You can not find it in every store, as it is a rather exotic product. There are decorative varieties of sea rabbits that should not be eaten. Chimera is not rare fish. Quite often it can be found on the menu of European restaurants. There are many myths about what meat is tasteless and hard. However, it is not

cooking recipes there is a lot of this delicacy. The easiest option is to bake in the oven. For 0.5 kg of frozen fish, 2 tbsp. l. olive oil, 1 tsp. curry, carrot, cucumber, olives, salt and pepper. On the basis of curry, pepper and salt, a mixture is prepared with which the meat will be rubbed. Next, it must be wrapped in foil and put in the oven for half an hour. After cooking, the dish must be kept in foil for 10 minutes.


There are a huge number of recipes for cooking a sea rabbit, but most of them are subject to anyone who has ever cooked ordinary fish.

No less delicious recipe for sea rabbit in pomegranate sauce. For 1 kg of chimera, 1 tbsp. vegetable broth and the same amount of pomegranate juice. For cooking, you also need garlic, onion, vegetable oil, nuts, tomato paste, salt and flour.

The fish is cleaned, cut into pieces, which are then rolled in flour and fried. Nuts, onions, peppers and garlic are mixed with juice and broth. Tomato paste is added to the resulting mass. The sauce is cooked over low heat, after boiling, fish is put in it and stewed for 10 minutes. The best side dish for this dish is boiled rice.

According to the characteristics, sea rabbit fish is not quite similar to the usual one, but it is prepared in the same way as hake or cod. It is important that the chimera is fresh, otherwise taste qualities dishes will be lost.

Many people are not familiar with such a sea fish as a hare fish. If you are interested in knowing what this sea creature is, then this article is for you. We will discuss whether there are benefits from this fish. We will also find out if it carries any harm to the human body.

To see this fish in full, you need to refer to the guide. The thing is, it's not for sale. You can only buy fragments of her fish body, so to speak. They are sold in their pure form. Therefore, it is very difficult to understand what kind of fish it is in its original form. A lot of deception exists on the fish counters. Since a hare is often given out as a simple hake or pollock for fish. Cod-shaped small fish are like our marine individual.

What is a hare fish?

This fish is cartilaginous. She doesn't have a bubble. Therefore, in order to stay afloat, she constantly needs to be on the move. Like the shark, this fish will otherwise just fall to the seabed. A hare is cooked like any other fish. It must be salted, then covered with flour or batter, and then fried in a hot frying pan.

Some sources indicate that this fish emits bad smell. But it's not. Although the smell of a hare is not as pleasant as the smell of cod, it does not stink outrageously. The taste of the finished fish is simply amazing. In ordinary fish there are bones, in the same cartilage. Thanks to this structure, fish meat is very easy to separate with cutlery.

Benefit and harm

Distrust of our fish is due to the fact that it is considered an exotic product, and many people know absolutely nothing about it. In fact, hare fish meat is very nutritious and juicy. This fish was considered unfit for consumption only until the twentieth century. Now it is a rare delicacy in many expensive restaurants in the world.

She is very helpful. It contains a lot of protein, which is easily and quickly absorbed by the human body. It also contains a lot of vitamins such as A, E, and D. Moreover, this fish is filled with useful minerals. Since fish contains a large amount of fatty acids, its meat is considered especially nutritious. The calorie content of fish is such that one hundred grams of its meat accounts for one hundred and sixteen kcal.

Is there any harm in eating this fish? You can only suffer if you have a personal intolerance to this marine product. Also, our hare has a poisonous fin. This is the top fin. Separate the carcass of fish because of this should be done with extreme caution. The fish is quite oily. It shouldn't be abused.

additional information

The fish has expressive eyes. Apparently, this is the reason that she was given such a name as a hare. But more than that, she does not look like an ordinary hare. As the fish lead unusual image life, they are sometimes called the rats of the seas. They feed on solid foods such as shellfish or crayfish. The jaws of the fish are very powerful, so the catchers are very careful with this fish. The hare lays eggs. Scandinavians eat these eggs.

The price point is not defined. Fish prices fluctuate. In general, hare fish costs a little more than simple cod. But not in every store you will find our fish. More likely to find this delicacy in specialty exotic food stores maritime value. Hare fish is also an aquarium type. It is decorative and is not eaten. This fish is very expensive.

It is believed that sellers sell fish much more expensive than the price. They may invent their own names for hare fish to show it as more rare and expensive fish. Some even sell tasteless fish with tough meat, passing it off as a chimera. It is easy to fall for such a scam.

The fact that the fish has a rather funny nickname. This suggests that it is not extremely rare. Abroad, it is found in many restaurants. Do not be afraid, and believe all the nonsense about hare fish that you can meet in various sources. This fish is both healthy and tasty, and not very expensive.

If you have a chance to try the meat of this fish, do not deny yourself such a pleasure. Be sure to try this one. Its taste is reminiscent of shark meat. Therefore, not everyone will like it as a main dish. So, now you know what a hare fish is. You know how it is useful, and whether it can be dangerous. Do you have all the necessary information about our exotic fish. You know that hare fish can be a great addition to your overall diet.

Recipe (video)

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