No. 118 — Simple Ukha from Ruffe and Perch
Complete English translation of recipe No. 118 in Elena Molokhovets’ 1901 Russian cookbook, preserving the historical preparation, quantities and sources.
Wash and gut 3 Russian pounds of ruffe and perch, taking a pinch of salt in the hands because ruffe are very slippery. Wash again and remove the perch fillets.
Put all the remaining bones and heads, together with the whole ruffe, into fifteen glasses of cold water. Add two onions, a bunch of greens, three black peppercorns, four allspice berries and one bay leaf. Season with a full teaspoon of salt and simmer two or three hours, until the ruffe have completely disintegrated and the broth has reduced to nine glasses. Strain through a sieve and bring to the boil.
For additional flavor, add the stock from twelve firm, sweet-flavored potatoes boiled separately in a small amount of ukha. Ten minutes before serving, salt the boiling fish broth to taste, add the perch fillets and cook them.
Without clarifying the broth further, pour it into a soup tureen over chopped dill and the cooked perch fillets. If the ruffe are alive, the author advises omitting roots and spices so their natural flavor is not masked. Offer seedless lemon half-slices and crushed pepper separately.
To provide
1½ Russian pounds of ruffe and 1½ pounds of perch ¾ Russian pound of white roots and 2 onions 4 allspice berries and 3 black peppercorns | 1 bay leaf and a bunch of greens; salt Optional 12 potatoes |