Russian Cookbook

4 baby salmons , about 200-300 gr each, cleaned but with head and tail left on
1/2 cup sour cream
2 teaspoons lemon juice
1 tablespoon dill, chopped
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
50 gr flour

Roll the fish around in the flour and salt and then shake off any excess flour.

In a heavy skillet, heat your butter and oil.

Lower the heat to moderate and fry the salmons, 2 at a time, for about 5 minutes on each side, turning them carefully. When all salmons have been browned, keep them warm on a heat-proof dish in a 200°F (95°C) oven while you quickly make the sauce.

Pour off all the fat from the skillet and replace it with 1 ounce of fresh butter. Stir over a low heat, scraping up the brown pan drippings with a wooden spoon. Add the sour cream and continue stirring for about 3 minutes, without letting the cream boil. Stir in the lemon juice and pour the sauce over the hot fish. Garnish the dish with the chopped dill and serve at once.

5-6 codfish steaks, 2 -cm thick
3 bay leaves
Salt, to taste

Fill the narrow fish poacher with water, add salt and bay leaves. Bring to a boil, reduce the heat slightly and gently slide the cod slices into the water. Lower the heat until the water is bubbling slightly, and simmer the fish for about 5 minutes. Be careful not to overcook or the fish will disintegrate. Remove the slices and drain. Arrange the cod attractively on a heated dish and serve with sauce

Sauce

100 gr butter
1/2 cup hot fish stock
2 hardboiled eggs, finely chopped
1 medium tomato, peeled, seeded and chopped
1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh parsley
2 tablespoon finely chopped dill
Salt and pepper, to taste

Melt the butter in a saucepan. Remove from the heat, beat in the stock in which you poached the fish and stir in the chopped egg, tomato, parsley and dill.

Add salt and pepper to taste.

Fish Cakes:

5 slices white bread, with crusts trimmed off
2 cups milk
1 kg cod fillets, skinned and finely minced
3 tablespoons onion, finely grated
3 tablespoons fresh dill, finely chopped
1 cup flour
100 gr butter
4 tablespoons vegetable oil
Salt and pepper, to taste

Mustard Sauce:

2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
1 teaspoon white wine vinegar
1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice
5 tablespoons vegetable oil
3 tablespoons parsley, finely chopped
5 tablespoons fresh dill, finely chopped
1 tablespoon gherkins, finely chopped
Salt and pepper, to taste

Fish Cakes:

Soak the sliced bread in the milk until it has absorbed all of the milk. Squeeze it gently to rid it of any excess milk and mash it in a large bowl blending it with the minced fish, grated onion, dill, salt and pepper. Divide the mixture and shape it into round cakes 7 – 10 cm in diameter and about 1 – 2 cm thick.

Melt butter in a large, heavy frying-pan and set over a high heat. When the foam has begun to subside, drop in few of the fish cakes. Lower the heat to moderate and fry for about 2 to 3 minutes on each sides until they are golden brown.

Serve hot accompanied with sauce.

Mustard Sauce:

Blend the mustard, salt and pepper together in a small bowl. Add the vinegar and lemon juice and beat in the oil with a whisk until the mixture is smooth. Stir in the parsley, dill and chopped gherkins, cover and refrigerate for 20 minutes.