Russian Cookbook

1 cup water
200 gr fresh plums
2 clove garlic, peeled
2 tablespoons fresh coriander, finely chopped
3 gr cayenne pepper
3 gr red chili flakes
2+ tablespoon lemon juice

Bring the water (just to cover plums) to the boil in a small nonreactive saucepan and drop in the plums. Remove from the heat and set aside for 10 minutes, then bring the water back to the boil over a high heat. Cook uncovered for about 10 to 15 minutes, until the plums are soft.

Drain the plums and set the liquid aside.

Cut out and discard the plum stones. Put the plums, garlic, red chili and coriander into an electric blender. Pour in few tablespoons of the reserved prune liquid, the blended sauce should have the consistency of mayonnaise.

Transfer the sauce to a medium-sized saucepan and stir in the salt, pepper, garlic and red pepper flakes. Bring to the boil over a high heat and stir in the lemon juice. Cool to room temperature for at least 6 hours and serve with meat dishes

Suggestion:

Use Santa Anna plums or any other red, slightly unripe prunes. Add lemon juice if desired.

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

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 before use.

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.