Generality
"Cephalus" is a term that derives from the Greek; literally means "head", therefore it is not surprising that the fish thus named boasts a leader of considerable importance and robustness.
The various mullets, though resembling each other, have habits and lifestyles that are sometimes quite different. They tend to be of the sea and brackish water, although some of them test themselves in long-lasting and long tens of kilometers of river lifts (as long as the water is totally free of salt). The mullet is a habitué of the shallow, warm or temperate waters, but the fact remains that many specimens are captured at depths "theoretically" outside the collective average (up to 300-400m). It likes every type of seabed: sandy, muddy and rocky.
These discrepancies, which at an inexperienced evaluation may seem of little relevance, are instead determinant for the chemical - nutritional and organoleptic - gustatory structure of its meat. In short, the mullets are NOT all the same! Some are more valuable, others less; some mullets are to be cooked in stew, others in the oven and some are suitable for grilling.
In Italy, the mullet can be considered as a coastal or lagoon fish that falls into the category of poor fish. The retail price fluctuates (approximately) from 3 to 8 euros per kilogram (depending on the season, the availability of other products, the Species and the place of collection).
However, the most valuable preparation based on mullet is undoubtedly the bottarga, or the oviparous sac of the pregnant female who, once extracted, is subjected to dehydration (similar to the tuna bottarga).
Description
The mullet is a fish with an elongated shape, with the back less pronounced than the belly (variable characteristic among the Species).
Gastronomic Applications
Providing a single, brief gastronomic indication for many fish species is certainly not a simple undertaking. We have already said that the mullet meats are quite different from each other (some more, others less) and, as can be deduced, the culinary preparations that interest them must take this variability into account.
It is customary to consider the mullet as a half-fat fish but, from direct experience, I can say that it is a beautiful and good generalization. The species that corresponds to this description is certainly the mullet or Volpino; this obviously lends itself a little to all the preparations and above all baked in the oven or used for stuffing pasta. The Dorato or Lotregano, the Calamita or Caustello and the Verzellata, on the other hand, tend to be leaner (with the same size) and can be an excellent raw material for: tomato sauces - onion-olives, fillets to cook in the pan, foil with vegetables and frying. Finally, the Species most suitable for cooking by pure irradiation is undoubtedly the fattest, namely the Bosega.
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Nutritional values (per 100 g of edible portion)
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This fish, generally little appreciated, releases an intense aroma in the preparations mentioned above and prefers the dehydrating effect of wood embers. It is curious to note the chromatic and organoleptic difference of the subcutaneous fat compared to the ventral and visceral fat. The combinations of gray mullet are extremely interesting with: sweet cherry tomatoes, rosemary, oregano, spicy curry and citrus fruit peel.
NB . All the headaches, especially the Bosega, need some care in cleaning the belly (elimination of the peritoneum and kidneys). It is essential to remember that the organoleptic and gustatory characteristics of the mullet vary greatly from the sampling environment; those fished in the open sea, on the islands and on gravel bottoms have hints of algae and mud less intense than those of the valley or fluvial ones.
Nutritional Features
The table shows the nutritional values of Mullet Mullet.
This fish has a fairly low energy intake, since the lipid ration is quite limited. As mentioned, many consider the mullet a semi-fat fish; if this is irrefutable for the Bosega, for the Mullet this classification is not entirely acceptable and varies according to the size. Furthermore, other species are certainly better suited as lean fish.
Proteins are abundant and of high biological value. The breakdown of fatty acids is good, as it favors unsaturates with a prevalence of polyunsaturated fats. The carbohydrates are present in small quantities and the fibers are absent. Cholesterol is not scarce but neither is it excessive.
As far as the vitamin aspect is concerned, excellent quantities of Niacin and, especially in fish rich in subcutaneous fat, of vit. A. On the saline side, however, the most present mineral is iron (an interesting aspect for the diet against anemia).
Mullet is a food that lends itself to the collective nutritional regime. It is useful in hypocaloric schemes and in those aimed at combating metabolic diseases. It is an economic and nutritious product, even if, in general, it is better to prefer those fished FAR from the port areas; remember that the mullet feeds mainly on algae that seeps from the mud and in this way is particularly subject to the contamination of certain pollutants.
Fishing and Biology
Mediterranean species: Mullet Feed, Reproduction and Fishing
Of the family Mugilidae, in the Mediterranean basin there are 6 different species, of which only 5 with a fair commercial value. These are: Mullet Mullet or Cephalus Volpina ( Mugil cephalus ), Golden Cephalus or Lotregano ( Liza aurata ), Cephalus Magnet or Caustello ( Liza ramada ), Mullet Verzelata ( Liza saliens ) and Cephalus Bosega ( Chelon labrosus ). The sixth Species, the Mullet Labbrone or Schiumarolo ( Oedalechilus labeo ), although edible, does not reach sufficient dimensions to make it well commercialized.
The feeding of the mullet is, as anticipated, very abundant and rather varied. It feeds mainly on unicellular algae, plankton, worms, annelids, larvae and any type of organic residue (limbs of crustaceans, molluscs, fish, etc.). Near the river mouths, where the richness of phosphates and organic debris promotes the development of aquatic flora, the mullet reach in a very short time large dimensions and a high population density. This abundance sensitively attracts the attention of poachers who, during the fregola and below the coast, capture enormous quantities of mullet to obtain their eggs (aimed at producing bottarga), totally rejecting the rest of the body.
The reproduction of the mullet occurs in different periods depending on the species. Some start late and stay and end in mid-autumn (Volpina or Muggine); others do it only in winter (Bosega, Dorato or Lotregano and Calamita or Caustello). The earliest species is the Verzelata, which reproduces in the early summer months.
Professional mullet fishing is mainly carried out with post and trawl nets; there is no shortage of breeding by means of fish breeding and related labor picking. From the amateur point of view, fishing with: rod, scales and spearfishing spearfishing are quite common.
