No. 124 — Eel Ukha
Complete English translation of recipe No. 124 in Elena Molokhovets’ 1901 Russian cookbook, preserving the historical preparation, quantities and sources.
Take an eel weighing 3–4 Russian pounds. Remove its skin as described in the fish section, or scrub it thoroughly with sand without skinning it, since the author believes skinned eels lose flavor. Gut the fish, rub salt inside and wipe clean with a napkin.
Pour as much water as needed for ukha into a saucepan and add four onions, three parsley roots, several black peppercorns and bay leaves. When the roots have cooked, add the eel cut into large pieces and season with salt.
When the eel is almost ready—approximately after three-quarters of an hour—remove it to another saucepan, add a little of the ukha and a handful of parsley and dill greens and green onion. Finish cooking the eel over low heat. Transfer it to the tureen, add the remaining ukha and serve.
To provide
3–4 Russian pounds of eel; 4 onions 3 parsley roots, black pepper and bay leaf | Fresh parsley, dill and green onion |