Species sheet · The Edible River
Zander
Glass eyes for hunting in murky water.
- Pan-seared fillet, crisp skin side
- Baked with beurre blanc or a wine sauce
- Poached and served with river vegetables
- In French
- Sandre
- Scientific name
- Sander lucioperca
- In the water
- A predator of the big slow rivers and lakes of central and eastern Europe, settled in France in the early twentieth century; it hunts at dusk in cloudy water near the bottom.
- Season & buying
- Fishing closes in spring while it spawns; it comes from anglers and, increasingly, from farms or fish counters, often imported.
- Common length
- ~50 cm
- How to identify it
- Glassy eyes with a silver shine
Grey-green back barred with dark bands
Two dorsal fins, the first one spiny
On the plate
White, firm and very fine flesh, almost boneless: the most sought-after freshwater fish in the kitchen.
Avoid: Overcooking it: the lean flesh dries out and should stay just pearly at the centre.
A reflective layer behind the retina makes its eyes glow in the dark and lets it hunt when other fish can no longer see.
In Umay recipes
One Umay recipe calls for it.
