Tavranchuk
Description
Tavranchuk (taranchuk, taganchuk) is an ancient Russian dish that originated in the 15th century. Tavranchuk was cooked in pots placed in a preheated Russian stove. By the 19th century, the dish had largely fallen out of use, as stoves were being phased out in towns and villages, and the dish prepared on a regular stove did not taste as good. Tavranchuk was made both from fish (such as pike-perch, pike, perch, or carp) and from meat (primarily lamb breast). Minimal liquid was used during cooking. The pot with tavranchuk was first placed into the hot oven for several minutes, then poured over with beaten eggs (in the case of fish tavranchuk), the pot's opening was covered with a cloth and sealed with dough to make it airtight. After that, the dish slowly simmered in the oven for several hours. Today, tavranchuk is prepared in an oven—45 minutes for the fish version and 1.5 hours for the meat version. Preparation: Cut fish fillet into small pieces. Peel pickled cucumbers and dice the flesh into small cubes. Cut carrots, turnips, and parsley root into cubes. Remove mushrooms from brine and chop them. In individual pots, layer vegetables, mushrooms, and fish fillet, salting each layer. Add allspice berries and bay leaf. Pour a small amount of water and vegetable oil into each pot. Place the pots in the oven and braise until fully cooked.