No. 2287 — Burbot Ukha
English historical translation of Molokhovets recipe No. 2287 from the 1901 Russian cookbook, retaining original methods and measures.
Make an incision around the burbot's head, suspend the fish by a cord passed through the eye region and carefully pull the skin off whole, using a pinch of salt for grip.
Gut and wash, season with salt, wipe dry and cut into portions. Drop into nine glasses boiling water and simmer at least half an hour.
Serve over chopped green dill; the traditional soup uses no roots and very few spices.
Some cooks boil the burbot head while others discard it as supposedly harmful. In a freshly caught fish the source suggests adding mashed raw milt after stripping its membrane.
Burbot liver is prepared by removing the gallbladder carefully, washing, cooking in the soup, cooling and slicing into the tureen.
For six to eight people use three or six pounds burbot; if only three pounds available, first make a rich stock from three pounds ruffe as in No. 117.