River and pond fish of Europe and Asia, raised for its meat
Cyprinidae family
Maximum length: 80 cm to 1 meter
Brownish back, yellowish sides and white belly; thick scales

Most sought-after varieties
• Leather carp – has a single row of scales on the dorsal fin and near the fins
• Mirror carp – scales only near the fins
• Koi or Chinese carp
• Red carp – not a carp properly speaking, but a snapper

In the ponds of La Brenne in France, carp await capture in order to be stuffed with meat and stewed in red wine: the only problem is choosing the right carp. If it’s too old it won’t be good, and may contain a lot of bones.

Culinary file
Cooked since the Middle Ages, carp has always been served on the tables of kings
• ideally, buy it with its eggs – between April and June, fished carp has no roe
• ask your fish seller to remove the bladder pouch which is difficult to cut out
• soak the carp in a bowl of vinegared water to remove its silty taste