Saffron Ukha
Description
A hearty first course. Ukha is one of the oldest dishes in Russian cuisine, appearing around the 11th–12th centuries. Back then, ukha could also be made from chicken, swan, or peas, and only by the late 17th to early 18th century did ukha become exclusively a fish dish. Saffron ukha has a delicate bitter-spicy aroma of saffron and a piquant flavor from chili powder. Preparation: Remove the innards from the white fish, peel off the skin, and take out the bones. Cut the fish into cubes. Clean and slice the scallops. Cut the onion into small rings. Remove seeds and partitions from the sweet pepper and slice it into small rings. Finely chop the leek. Pour 2 tablespoons of hot water into a bowl, add saffron threads, and soak them. Heat olive oil in a large heavy-bottomed pot. Add onion, leek, and sweet pepper. Sauté until golden. Add fish broth, pasta, and chili powder. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat, cover the pot, and simmer for 15 minutes. Add white wine, saffron threads, white fish, scallops, salt, and black pepper to taste to the broth. Simmer covered for 6–8 minutes. In a bowl, whisk together cream and egg yolks, then add 2–3 tablespoons of the hot fish broth. Pour this mixture into the ukha and cook for 2–3 minutes, stirring constantly. The soup is ready to serve.