Russian Cookbook

500 gr halibut steaks
100 gr onions, thinly sliced
2 bay leaf
1 medium carrot, craped, coarsely chopped
50 gr parsley roots, craped, coarsely chopped
3 medium tomatoes, peeled, seeded, flesh coarsely chopped
3 tablespoons butter
50 gr fresh mushrooms, thinly sliced
6 tablespoons sour cream
1 medium sour pickled gherkin
7-10 olives
1 cup cold water
Salt and pepper, to taste

Preheat the oven to 200°F (95°C) . Put the onions, bay leaf, carrots, parsley root, tomatoes and 1 cup of cold water into a large casserole. Bring to the boil over a high heat, stirring constantly, then reduce the heat to moderate, uncover the casserole, and simmer undisturbed for 30 minutes. Pour the entire contents of the casserole into a fine sieve set over a large bowl. Press down on the vegetables with the back of a wooden spoon to extract all their juices before discarding them.

Return the strained stock to the casserole, add the fish, and bring to the boil over a high heat. Immediately reduce the heat to low, cover the casserole, and simmer for about 6 to 8 minutes, until the fish is opaque and firm to the touch. Be careful not to overcook. Transfer the fish to a deep ovenproof serving dish with a fish slice, cover it loosely with foil and keep it warm in the oven while you complete the sauce.

Again bring the stock to the boil over a high heat, and continue to boil briskly, uncovered, until it has been reduced to about ¾ cup. Meanwhile, melt the butter in a large frying-pan over a medium heat, and drop in the mushrooms. Reduce the heat to and cook for about 10 minutes, stirring the mushrooms occasionally, until they are soft and most of the juices have evaporated. Stir in the reduced stock and beat in the sour cream, 1 tablespoon at a time, off the heat. Then stir in the gherkins and olives and taste for seasoning.

Pour the sauce over the fish and hot.

150 gr. fresh mushrooms, in 3-5 mm slices
1 tablespoon grated onion
1 cup water
1 tablespoon lemon juice
4 tablespoons sour cream double cream
1 teaspoon fresh dill, chopped

In enamel, glass or stainless-steel saucepan, bring the water and lemon juice to a boil. Add the sliced mushrooms and cover the pan. Reduce the heat and simmer gently for 2 to 3 minutes.

Remove from the heat and drain the mushrooms.

Combine the sour cream, grated onion, salt, pepper and dill.

Add the mushrooms and toss lightly in the dressing until they are well coated.

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.

3 tablespoon butter
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
500 gr. lean stewing steak, cut into 2-cm cubes
1 large onion, thinly sliced
1 tablespoon flour
1 cup beef stock
2 bay leaf
1/2 cup sour cream
Salt and pepper, to taste

Preheat the oven to 350°F (180°C).

Heat the butter and oil in a heavy skillet. When the foam subsides, add the meat and brown it well on all sides. Transfer the meat to a casserole equipped with a cover.

Add the sliced onion to the skillet (with more butter and oil if necessary) and cook over a moderate heat until soft and transparent. Scrape them into the casserole, add the flour and toss the ingredients lightly. Add salt, pepper and bay leaf.

Pour the stock into the skillet and boil it rapidly for 3 – 5 minutes, scraping into the liquid any browned bits of meat and onions clinging to the pan. Pour into the casserole.

Bring the casserole to a boil on top of the stove, cover it tightly and put in the lower third of the oven. Cook, lowering the oven heat if necessary, so that the sauce in the casserole barely simmers. In about 1 hours, the meat should be tender.

Remove the meat to a deep, heated dish and cover it lightly with foil.

With a large spoon, skim the fat from the liquid in the casserole and discard it. With a wire whisk, beat in the sour cream, a little at a time. Taste and season with salt and pepper, pour the finished sauce over the meat and reheat if necessary.