The phrase “Russian fish” today usually means muksun, whitefish, omul, grayling, nelma and other valuable species that are found only in Russian reservoirs. For many decades, these natural resources remained part of local and national cuisines (primarily in Siberia) and were little known to consumers from other regions. But with the growth of gastronomic exchange within the country, the situation began to change, and Russian fish is increasingly appearing on specialized trading platforms and on the menus of domestic restaurants. Izvestia found out which regional fish specialties have already become part of the new Russian cuisine and where everyone can try them.
The healthiest fish in the world
The fish we call Russian primarily lives in cold northern rivers and Siberian lakes. As a rule, these reservoirs are far from large industry, there are practically no dams or hydroelectric power stations, so that wildlife exists there in conditions close to pristine. I wonder what Russian scientists are still finding new breeds of fish in our country.
As hydrobiologist, corresponding member of the Russian Academy of Sciences Mikhail Gladyshev told Izvestia, several years ago in Lake Sobachye on Taimyr (Putorana Plateau) char of the genus Salvelinus was first discovered with a record content of long-chain polyunsaturated fatty acids of the omega-3 family (PUFAs), which are responsible for health cardiovascular and nervous systems, youth and beauty of the skin, prevention of degenerative changes in the brain and prevention of obesity.
“Putorana char can be called the healthiest fish in the world; it is healthier than wild salmon,” explains the expert.
However, industrial production of this species with unique nutritional properties in its natural habitat is impossible, as this will inevitably cause irreparable harm to the ecosystem of Arctic lakes. To be able to commercially produce this fish, scientists have launched a project to breed Putorana char in artificial aquaculture, but this process will take at least 5-6 years.
Distance from civilization certainly has a beneficial effect on the quality of Siberia’s fish resources, but it also becomes a significant problem when it comes to transporting fish. However, modern logistics overcomes these obstacles, so muksun, whitefish, omul, nelma and other types of fish are delivered to the European part of the country not only frozen, but even chilled.
“All these types of fish can be bought in Moscow through online stores or specialized companies, but they are not available in regular retail,” Vladislav Piskunov, brand chef of the Russian cuisine restaurant “Matryoshka,” explains to Izvestia. — That is, we cannot go to the store and buy grayling, for example, or nelma. Mainly you can buy sea bass and dorado there. Although restaurants actively use Siberian fish, and we have always prepared nelma, muksun, and sometimes omul and broad broads.
Nikolai Bobrov, brand chef of the modern Siberian cuisine restaurant Tunguska, believes that northern fish has always been held in high esteem. Today, its popularity is influenced by two factors. Firstly, this trend towards national, local cuisine. “Guests come consciously, want to explore more of the local produce and find that we have so much fish. In the Yenisei alone there are about 90 breeds, half of which are valuable“, explains Izvestia’s interlocutor.
The expert calls the second reason the current restrictions on the import of foreign products – for example, trout and salmon. That is why nelma, sockeye salmon and coho salmon are in great demand now even far beyond the borders of Yenisei Siberia. Among the Siberians themselves, grayling is especially popular, which can be eaten raw (in the form of sliced meat), baked or smoked. Grayling caviar has become a marker product of Krasnoyarsk. Among white fish, Bobrov also distinguishes muksun and whitefish.
According to the chef of the Atlantica Seafood restaurant, Alexey Yashaev, The tendency to replace imported fish is also explained by the strong rise in price of foreign products. At the same time, he confirms that the demand for domestic products has increased, partly because our consumers have already tried them.
“Murmansk salmon, Karelian trout, flounder, sturgeon, pike perch and red perch are perhaps the most prominent items in Moscow restaurants,” chef Yashaev shares his observations. — In second place in popularity are fish such as whitefish, muksun, nelma, and broad whitefish. But I’ll immediately note that the popularity of these fish is often determined by the high price, so the economics of not all restaurants can support the selling price of such dishes. More often they can be found in the form of a ready-made semi-finished product, both cold and hot smoked. It is now more of a premium product and delicacy.
Chef of the pan-Caucasian restaurant “CrabsKutaby” Artem Martirosov adds that A significant factor in improving the quality of Russian fish was the improvement of fishing technology, on-board freezing, as well as its cutting and preparation. At the same time, he admits that a significant number of consumers are still not ready to experiment with flavors and choose their usual options – sea bass and dorado.
“You may remember that in the Black Sea there is a beautiful wild fish called gorbul,” says chef Martirosov. – This is a wild relative of the dorado, only red in color and more sinewy, more fibrous. It is most suitable for ceviche or crudo, for some powerful marinades. The gorbul is not as fatty, but it is still an amazing fish, completely identical to the dorado. You just need to start breeding her.
The perfect party
The usual combination of fish and rice cannot always successfully convey the taste of both products. Any experienced chef will have his own opinion on this matter, as well as his own rules for combining fish with other ingredients.
So, Nikolai Bobrov said that Previously, it was customary to lightly salt northern fish or eat it raw. Today he cooks it in a variety of ways: bakes it in the oven, grills it, cooks soups and bakes pies. It is very important to pay attention to fish oil, as it does not melt well and does not give the fish juiciness. Therefore, northern fish can dry out and break faster during heat treatment. To avoid this, you need to soak the fish in a salt solution for several hours before baking.
— Perfectly cooked Russian fish is well-marinated fish up to three kilograms in weight., says the chef of the Tunguska restaurant. – For example, young sturgeon – with garlic, with various herbs, Thursday salt and lemon. In a large cast iron skillet, marinate overnight before placing in the oven. I think it’s the most interesting, tasty and enjoyable thing when they bring you the whole fish. You remove the skin (scales), juice and aroma pour out of it. What could be tastier?
Alexey Yashaev’s favorite fish is wild flounder no larger than 1 kg. He cooks it on a cutting machine, having previously made diamond-shaped cuts, salted, peppered and rubbed with vegetable oil. Place olives, capers, tomatoes, zucchini on top and then bake for 20-25 minutes at +180 degrees.
— The less you touch the fish, the better it will be for both you and the fish, advises Vladislav Piskunov. — It is very important to buy a good product and prepare it as carefully as possible. If we talk, for example, about my favorite muksun, then we simply bake it in rye text. The less culinary talent you put into the fish, the better.
Skeet
As expected, The main trendsetters dictating the fashion for domestic fish are restaurants whose chefs set themselves the task of introducing guests to new tastes and combinations as part of the new Russian cuisine. Here are just a few examples in which the gastronomic traditions of the past and the latest culinary techniques are amazingly mixed.
In the Russian cuisine restaurant “Kukhterin” (Tomsk), the main emphasis is on local products, so Ob muksun is often prepared here. Usually? it is baked whole and served with seasonal vegetables.
You can try jellied whitefish, crab and kelp with horseradish and sea grapes at the Matryoshka restaurant (Moscow). The dish is presented in the “Ruslan and Lyudmila” set, based on the opera of the same name by Nikolai Glinka, and embodies Farlaf’s rondo in food.
The restaurant of modern Russian cuisine “Bor” (Moscow) offers an original layer cake with catfish with cauliflower cream. The fish fillet is smoked on garden tree chips and as a result the whole dish acquires an unexpected fruity aroma.
At the Tunguska restaurant (Krasnoyarsk), nelma sugudai with pickled green apples is extremely popular. The fish first goes through a deep-frozen stage at temperatures below -50 degrees. And pickled apples are used along with lemon oil as an acidic note. Another interesting dish from Tunguska is black Olivier salad with red fish, crab and fresh herbs. The black color comes from cuttlefish ink. The fish in the salad is selected exclusively in season, so sometimes it is trout, sometimes coho salmon, sockeye salmon or Chinook salmon, but always a trout breed.
The pan-Caucasian restaurant “CrabsKutaby” serves purslane salad with sturgeon and pomegranate marinade. To prepare the dish, cold smoked sturgeon, carrot tops, pickled mountain purslane and microgreens are used. The menu also includes Murmansk deep-sea cod in miso glaze with broken rice (beat it with a spatula during cooking).
In the menu of Siberian cuisine restaurants #SibirSibir (Moscow, Tyumen), a whole section is dedicated to northern fish. Delicacies are served in both a traditional spirit and a modern twist. The first case includes stroganina made from muksun, which is placed on a frozen salt plate – the fish is salted, gradually defrosting. An example of a modern snack is crunches with forshmak from muksun with curry.
At the Dodici Seafood fish restaurant (Nizhny Novgorod), you can try salmon and muksun cutlets in a creamy sauce with black halibut caviar, lemon juice and blanched vegetables.
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