No. 2591 — Pressed Fish Roulade
English historical translation of Molokhovets recipe No. 2591 from the 1901 Russian cookbook, retaining original methods and measures.
Take 4 pounds of raw fish: either 2 pounds of whitefish and 2 pounds of sturgeon, or 2 pounds of beluga sturgeon and 2 pounds of salmon. Also take half a small jar each of capers and olives, 10 anchovies and, if liked, 10 small onions.
Stone and finely chop the olives; chop the capers and anchovies and mix them together. If using onions, shred them. Cut the fish into very thin slices, spread them out, season with salt and pepper, and scatter with the chopped caper, olive and anchovy mixture and the optional onions.
Roll the slices carefully into a cylinder, wrap tightly in a napkin, tie with cord and boil for twice as long as is normally required for a large fish. Let the fish cool in its cloth and cooking liquid.
Still wrapped in the napkin, the historical method then presses the roulade under a heavy weight for 2–3 days. Remove carefully from the cloth, cut like sausage into thin slices and serve with vinegar, olive oil and mustard.
To provide
4 pounds of fish. ½ jar of capers. ½ jar of olives. | 10 anchovies. 10 small onions. Salt and pepper. |