Royal-style fish with mushrooms
Description
The recipe won't take much time. In reality, although the royal table was extravagantly rich, it wasn't overloaded with meat—most days of the year were fasting days, so the tsar and his entourage didn't get to eat meat dishes as often as they probably would have liked. Hence the great variety of fish and mushroom dishes in Russian cuisine of that period—these ingredients were favorites in terms of protein and other nutrients. Fish and mushrooms were often combined in one dish: the recipe for royal-style fish with mushrooms is a perfect example. You don't necessarily need a two-meter sturgeon or delicate salmon for this dish—the sovereigns themselves didn't disdain simpler fish, and neither should we. Carp, for instance, works perfectly well. Or pike. Or zander—in short, any fish you prefer. As for mushrooms, it's best to use wild ones—boletus, red caps, birch boletes, pine mushrooms—they have a rich aroma that cultivated mushrooms like button mushrooms or oyster mushrooms could never match. All other ingredients are commonly found in any kitchen, so I don't think you'll have any trouble sourcing them. Let's start cooking. Serve hot.
Instructions
- 1
Step 1
Clean the fish, gut and wash it. Dry with paper towels. Make crosswise cuts on the fish. Rub with salt and pour lemon juice over it.
- 2
Step 2
Wash the mushrooms, dry them, and slice.
- 3
Step 3
Peel the onion and chop it finely with a knife.
- 4
Step 4
Heat a pan with oil. Add the mushrooms. When the liquid has completely evaporated, add the onion and, if necessary, a little more oil. Fry until golden brown.
- 5
Step 5
Salt, pepper, and place on a plate to let the mushrooms with onions cool slightly.
- 6
Step 6
Stuff the fish with mushrooms.
- 7
Step 7
Place on a baking sheet lined with foil. Brush both sides with sour cream.
- 8
Step 8
Bake in the oven at 180°C until done.