No. 1471 — Whole Cold Fish with Wine, Capers and Mousse
English historical translation of Molokhovets recipe No. 1471 from the 1901 Russian cookbook, retaining original methods and measures.
Clean, wash and thoroughly dry three or four pounds of trout, salmon, sturgeon, sterlet, zander or similar fish. Salt, wrap in a dry towel and leave an hour according to the author.
Boil a stock from parsley roots, celery, onions, bay leaves, black and allspice berries, herbs and twenty ruffe, then cool.
Place fish on the rack of a fish kettle, pour over cooled stock with half a glass of cucumber brine and a quarter to one glass of Sauternes, sherry or champagne, topping with water almost to cover.
Cook gently without overboiling. Let the fish cool in stock, lift with rack, drain and transfer to a long dish.
Reduce the broth to three and a half glasses, adding white gelatine or isinglass if needed, and strain.
When cooled, add a third glass olive oil rubbed with half a teaspoon Sarepta mustard, one or two lumps sugar and a yolk. Whisk to a light foam.
Add a spoonful of capers and pour half the mousse over the fish. Place parsley in the fish's mouth and around the tail.
Pile young lettuce stems mixed with remaining thinner mousse around the fish and garnish between them with large red crayfish.