No. 2541 — Sterlet with an Elaborate Garnish
English historical translation of Molokhovets recipe No. 2541 from the 1901 Russian cookbook, retaining original methods and measures.
Clean the sterlet as explained in the introductory note. Put it in a fish kettle with a rack and cover with cold stock previously prepared from white roots, an onion, spices and a bundle of herbs. Add peeled, neatly cut pickled cucumbers, some small gherkins, pitted olives, pickled porcini mushrooms and shredded white roots.
Pour in 2 glasses of cucumber brine and a glass of white wine, add a piece of good butter and cook covered. From the moment the liquid begins to boil, cook for a quarter of an hour. Carefully lift the sterlet to a platter, remove its skin and surround it with the boiled garnish and cooked crayfish tails. Moisten with the cooking broth.
Serve horseradish and vinegar separately. Alternatively make a sauce from ½ tablespoon of butter and ½ tablespoon of flour diluted with a glass of sterlet broth; boil well, then add lemon juice and a small glass of Malaga wine.
To provide
3 pounds of sterlet. 1 celery root and 1 parsley root. 1 leek and 4 onions. 1 bay leaf and 5–6 peppercorns. A bunch of herbs and 2–3 pickled cucumbers. | 2 glasses of cucumber brine. 1 glass of white wine or a small glass of Malaga. 9 small pickled cucumbers. 9 pickled saffron milk caps, 9 olives and 24 crayfish. 1 lemon. |