Passport & Plate - Ukha
Russian Federation | Friday, March 14, 2014 | 5 photos
Ingredients
- sterlet 2 kg
- potatoes 1 kg
- one onion
- peppercorns
- bay leaves
- sea salt
- chives
- dill
- parsley
- basil
The sterlet is a relatively small species of sturgeon from Eurasia. It is native to large rivers that flow into the Black Sea, Azov Sea and Caspian Sea, as well as rivers in Siberia as far east as Yenisei. Populations migrating between fresh- and saltwater (anadromous) have been extirpated.
Due to overfishing (for its flesh, caviar and isinglass), pollution and dams, the sterlet has declined throughout its native range . There are ongoing re-stocking projects and it has been introduced to some regions outside its native range, but the latter have generally not become self-sustaining. Today the majority of the international trade involves sterlets from aquaculture.
In Russia, it is held in high esteem on account of its excellent flesh, contributing also to the best kinds of caviar and isinglass.
How to prepare this recipeBring to your attention a recipe of UKHA(soup) with sterlet .
First, cut sterlet into portions . Fold this miracle in a large saucepan . Fill with water so that the fish is only covered by it. Cook until done, do not forget to throw in the broth of black peppercorns , bay leaves and sea salt a little bit.
And one more very important nuance. Remove all boiling foam. As a result , my soup clear as a tear . Therefore , the fact that removing the foam is very relevant .
Also, I am straining broth in a fine sieve , which stop the whole peppercorns and all that would interfere to our transparency.
Put fish and continue sacrament. We have prepared one onion and potatoes before.
In the strained broth we put simultaneously chopped onion and potatoes. Add salt in the way you would want your soup will be salted .
Put Fresh peas of peppers or pepper from the mill . It is very important to put one stick cloves. Boil the potatoes until it will be cooked .
At this time , we conjure over the greens . And it is the most important component of ukha. I use : chives , dill , parsley and basil. Last grass, amateur. Onions with dill, can not regret . Reserve chopped fresh herbs to a certain point .
Also prepare sterlet soup . Some part , we reserve not shelled , and some clean from the rough . Necessary that the beautiful pieces of fish floating in a soup . I omit it with the onions and potatoes.
Potatoes are ready and I turn off the fire. Put the entire prepared greens . Ukha should be insisted under the lid for about ten minutes . I serve only this way on the table. Dish with fish and greens. Here parsley and basil are very appropriate . Bon appetit !
The story behind this recipeUkha is a clear Russian soup,made from various types of fish such as bream, wels catfish,or even ruffe.It usually contains root vegetables,parsley root,leek,potato,bay leaf,dill,tarragon,green parsley,and is spiced with black pepper,saffron,nutmeg,fennel seed.Fish such as perch,tenches,sheatfish,burbot are sometimes used to add flavour to the soup.
While ukha is a fish dish that is made with broth,calling it a fish soup may not be absolutely correct."Ukha" started to be used as a term for fish broth in Russian cuisine in the late 17th to early 18th centuries.In earlier times,this term referred to thick meat broths,and then later chicken.Beginning in the 15th century,fish was more and more often used to prepare ukha,thus creating a dish that had a distinctive taste among soups.In the 19th century,many travellers visiting Russia claimed that ukha is one of the best dishes in Russian cuisine.
Vegetables were kept to a minimum when preparing ukha,and in fact,in classic Russian cuisine,ukha was simply a rich fish broth that accompanied fish pies.These days it is more often a fish soup,cooked with potatoes and other vegetables.A wide variety of freshwater fish can be used,and some aficionados opine that one cannot make a good ukha from saltwater fish species.Fresh fish lends the dish the best flavor,and so if frozen fish is used,it is better not to defrost it.Preference is given to smaller,younger fish,with the tail parts of bigger fish discarded.
I like ukha,because it it brings me memories from the childhood. My mother prepared it,when I was very young.I like sterlet because there are no bones,like in usual fish.Its spine and head are made of cartilage.And I like it,when I was little girl.I took all pieces of sterlet,and eat carlitage,which is very appetizing crunches on the teeth.I dislike fish with a lot of small bones , because they can get stuck in our throat.Everybody can eat sterlet(children, men and women,old persons)without fear of damaging their throat.
