No. 1271 — Cutlets of Zander, Pike or Perch: Two Methods
English historical translation of Molokhovets recipe No. 1271 from the 1901 Russian cookbook, retaining original methods and measures.
The author favours zander, pike or perch because the flesh binds well enough to make cutlets without egg.
Clean and bone fish, mince finely and fry a small chopped onion in one spoonful of butter. Add the fish and fry lightly.
Mix in half a French roll soaked in ¾ glass of milk or cream without squeezing, another spoonful of butter, ¼ teaspoon mace and five or six crushed peppercorns. Pound in a mortar.
Butter a sauté pan, shape the mixture into cutlets, dust lightly with flour or crumbs, sprinkle with chopped parsley and lemon and cover with buttered paper and a lid.
Bake in a hot oven for about ten minutes as the source directs.
Alternative method: mince deboned seasoned fish with an onion fried in butter, soaked unsqueezed bread and butter, pound, rub through a colander and shape elongated cutlets on a floured board.
Insert a short parsley or carrot piece where the rib bone would be, coat each cutlet with egg and rusks, fry in hot butter and transfer to a dish.
Serve either type with: 1) green peas; 2) brown wine and caper sauce Nos. 406–408 made with stock from the fish bones; 3) Hollandaise No. 467; or 4) Milanese rice and crayfish sauce as in No. 1270.
To provide
4 Russian pounds of pike, zander or perch ¼ teaspoon of mace 5–6 allspice berries ½ French roll | 3 spoonfuls of butter and ¾ glass of milk or cream ½ lemon, parsley and 1 spoonful of flour Or 3–4 rusks |
Ingredients for the alternative method
8 Russian pounds of fish and 1 onion Black and allspice ½ French white loaf | 2 spoonfuls of flour or 5–6 rusks 3 spoonfuls of butter and ¾ glass of milk or cream 1 parsley root or carrot |