No. 2542 — Sterlet with Potatoes and Wine
English historical translation of Molokhovets recipe No. 2542 from the 1901 Russian cookbook, retaining original methods and measures.
Place the cleaned sterlet on a rack in a fish kettle. Pour in a bottle of Sauternes, Bordeaux or Malaga and fish stock made from ruffe and smelt, using just enough liquid to cover the fish. Some cooks first boil a piece of cinnamon about one vershok long and 2–3 cloves in this stock.
Cook for a quarter of an hour from the moment it boils. Lift out the fish with its rack, remove the skin and transfer to a platter. Surround with separately cooked potatoes, sprinkle the potatoes with parsley and dill, and drizzle with oil. Arrange half-slices of lemon around the sterlet. Serve separately tomato sauce No. 432 or one of sauces Nos. 421, 422 and 452.
To provide
3 pounds of sterlet. 1 celery root and 1 parsley root. 1 leek, 4 onions and 1 bay leaf. 5–6 peppercorns and a bunch of herbs. (Cinnamon and cloves). | (1–2 pounds of ruffe for the stock). 1 bottle of Sauternes or Bordeaux wine or Malaga. 1½ pounds of potatoes; 1 tablespoon of oil and herbs. For the sauce. |