No. 2292 — Tench Soup with Pearl Barley
English historical translation of Molokhovets recipe No. 2292 from the 1901 Russian cookbook, retaining original methods and measures.
Finely chop an onion and sauté in a spoonful butter; stir in a spoonful flour and dilute with stock made from root vegetables, spices and fish bones, skins and head, then strain.
Bring to the boil, add five or six sliced potatoes and cleaned salted pieces fish and simmer gently until done. The original method names whitefish despite the heading saying tench.
Before serving add pearl barley cooked separately with a spoonful butter, grated nutmeg, lightly crushed pepper and chopped parsley.
Fish may be served as a second course while the soup is whitened with sour cream.
Another method is to cook any three pounds fish in strained root broth, add separately cooked and beaten pearl barley with butter, scatter greens and serve with portioned fish.
To provide
1 onion and a spoonful butter 5–6 potatoes 3–4 pounds fish and a spoonful flour | ⅓ glass pearl barley and a spoonful butter Nutmeg and 5–6 black peppercorns Fresh greens and optional ½–1 glass sour cream |
Further ingredients in the source
2 carrots, a parsley root and a leek 1 celery root and 2 onions 10–15 allspice berries 2–3 bay leaves | 3 pounds fish and salt ½ glass pearl barley 1 spoonful butter with parsley and dill |