No. 1167 — Boiled Tench with Optional Herb and Mushroom Sauce
English historical translation of Molokhovets recipe No. 1167 from the 1901 Russian cookbook, retaining original methods and measures.
Clean, wash and dry tench according to the general note and place in a fish kettle.
Cover barely with prepared, cooled stock from white roots, onion, herbs, ½ spoonful of butter, shallots, cloves, bay leaf, pepper and salt. If liked, add ½–2 glasses of white wine.
First boil over high heat, then gently, for about one and a half hours according to the source.
When the stock reduces, add cold water and continue boiling until it becomes yellowish. Transfer the fish to a dish and pour over strained stock.
Serve boiled potatoes and horseradish separately.
Alternatively make a sauce from a handful of parsley and dill, five or six porcini, two shallots and one glass of white wine.
Bring to the boil with salt, four peppercorns, one spoonful of flour and one spoonful of olive oil, diluted with two glasses of fish broth. Strain and rub through a sieve.
Shortly before serving, stir in ⅛ Russian pound of cold butter cut small and pour over the tench.
To provide
3 Russian pounds of tench, 1 parsley root and 1 leek 1 celery root and 4 shallots ½ spoonful of butter and 1–3 bay leaves | 10–15 peppercorns and a bouquet of herbs 1½ Russian pounds of potatoes and horseradish |