No. 1156 — Deep-Fried Smelt Fillets Filled with Crayfish Sauce
English historical translation of Molokhovets recipe No. 1156 from the 1901 Russian cookbook, retaining original methods and measures.
Clean, wash and dry the smelt, split lengthwise, remove the backbone and heads, salt and season with pepper.
Make a very thick sauce by browning one spoonful of flour in ½ spoonful of butter. Thin with three glasses of chicken or veal broth and boil well.
Add lemon juice and champignon essence, then strain through a cloth.
Put ⅛ Russian pound of butter cut into pieces into another saucepan and gradually stir the hot sauce into it.
Just before serving, add fifteen boiled, finely chopped crayfish tails, salt and white pepper; mix and cool.
Spread the sauce over the smelt fillets and press them together in pairs. Brush with beaten egg, coat with sifted breadcrumbs and deep-fry until golden.
Drain on a sieve and absorbent paper and transfer immediately to a dish. Serve with peas or green beans.
Beat two yolks into the remaining sauce, warm gently until very hot, strain into a sauceboat and serve separately.
To provide
3 Russian pounds of selected smelt 15 crayfish and champignon essence Salt and pepper 3 glasses of chicken or veal broth ½ spoonful of butter and 1 spoonful of flour | ⅛ Russian pound of butter 2 yolks 2–3 eggs for coating the smelt 1 glass of sifted breadcrumbs 1 Russian pound of deep-frying fat |