Stroganina

Ingredients

Fish

• 1whole fish, frozen solid: nelma, muksun, omul, whitefish, sturgeon or salmon

The dip

• 3 tbspcoarse salt
• 2 tbspcoarsely ground black pepper
• mixed together in a small dish

Optional

• chopped raw onion
• a splash of vinegar
• vodka, which is traditional

Equipment

• a very sharp long knife
• a board
• a cold room or an outdoor table

To serve

• immediately, standing up, in the cold

Directions

1. Stand the fish upright, tail down, holding it by the head, or lay it on a board. Now take off the skin in a strip down one side with a knife.
2. Take off just enough skin to expose the flesh where you will be cutting, rather than skinning the whole fish.
3. Cut long thin shavings that curl as they come away, working from head toward tail. Angle the blade shallowly and use long smooth strokes.
4. Lay the curls on a cold plate, or straight onto the board. Do not stack them thickly, since they insulate each other and thaw.
5. Cut only what will be eaten in a few minutes and keep the rest of the fish frozen. The same technique is applied to frozen reindeer or horse meat, which is called stroganina too and is eaten the same way.

Technique

• Nelma, muksun and omul are the classic species and are prized for their fat.
• The same method is used for frozen reindeer and horse meat.
• It is a winter dish and is not made in summer in its home regions.

Substitutions

• Commercially blast-frozen salmon or sturgeon sold for raw consumption.
• There is no substitute for the fish being genuinely frozen solid.

Variations

• Made with frozen reindeer meat.
• Served with chopped onion and vinegar.
• Stroganina from sturgeon, which is the most prized.

History

A Siberian and Arctic dish of indigenous peoples: freshly caught fish is frozen whole and planed into thin curls before it thaws.

Frequently asked questions

What is Stroganina?

Stroganina is a main from Russia: shavings of frozen raw fish dipped in salt and pepper. A Siberian and Arctic dish of indigenous peoples: freshly caught fish is frozen whole and planed into thin curls before it thaws.

How long does Stroganina take to make?

Stroganina takes 10 min of preparation and no cooking at all. The recipe makes 4 servings. It is rated medium to make.

What can I substitute in Stroganina?

Yes, within limits. Commercially blast-frozen salmon or sturgeon sold for raw consumption. There is no substitute for the fish being genuinely frozen solid.

What is the most important thing to get right in Stroganina?

Take off just enough skin to expose the flesh where you will be cutting, rather than skinning the whole fish.