No. 131 — Eel and Green Pea Soup
Complete English translation of recipe No. 131 in Elena Molokhovets’ 1901 Russian cookbook, preserving the historical preparation, quantities and sources.
Clean 3 Russian pounds of eel as described in No. 124 and cut into pieces. Make stock from roots: ½ parsley root, ½ celery root, one or two onions, five or six black peppercorns and about twelve shallots. Cook for two hours and strain.
Cook two or three glasses of shelled green peas separately. Put the eel pieces into the strained stock and simmer for almost three-quarters of an hour; the author warns that undercooked eel is dangerous. Shortly before serving add green parsley. Put the cooked peas in the tureen and pour in the fish and broth.
To provide
3–4 Russian pounds of eel; ½ parsley root and ½ celery root 1–2 onions; 2–3 glasses of shelled green peas | 12 shallots and 1–2 bay leaves 5–6 black peppercorns and greens |