Twice-baked Sturgeon

Twice-Baked Sturgeon

I

n ancient Russia, there was a common springtime tradition. Each peasant would bring a special gift — leftovers from Easter meals — to the local Orthodox priest. Food stocks were low, so everyone brought what they could, depending on their income: a glass of milk, a bit of sour cream, some flour or yeast, a piece of onion or just bread crumbs. Hence the idiom: Na tebe Bozhe shto mne ne-gozhe. (“God, here is some-thing for you which I cannot use myself.”)

The Orthodox priest would then give these “leftovers” of Easter meals to his inventive and economical wife. And she would create a de-li-cious meal called pere-pechina, which literally means “rebaked stuff.” The version offered here is an elegant departure from the one prepared by the thrifty housewife, who would have wrapped leftover fish in blinchiki – thin crêpe-like pancakes and baked them in the oven with a sour cream sauce. The chef at Sudar Restaurant, this month’s Russian Cuisine page sponsor, elaborated on this simple idea by wrapping the pancakes in a puff pastry crust, yielding an elegant, if laborious, dish with French overtones. 

In the economical spirit of the priest’s wife, we’ve resimplified the recipe for you by simply baking the leftover fish in frozen puff pastry shells. The priest’s wife would have used sturgeon, but any leftover fish is fine.

1⁄4 pound mushrooms, thinly sliced

2 tablespoons finely chopped onions

2 tablespoons butter

1 cup flaked leftover fish

1⁄2 cup sour cream

Salt, freshly ground black pepper to taste

1 package frozen puff-pastry shells

GARNISH

1⁄2 cup finely chopped crabmeat or shrimp

1 tablespoon butter

2 teaspoons flour

1⁄3 cup heavy cream

1 teaspoon brandy (optional)

1 cup cooked rice

1 hard-boiled egg, finely chopped

2 tablespoons red caviar

In a medium skillet saute the mushrooms and onions in the butter until golden. Stir in the fish, then add the sour cream, mixing well.  Season to taste with salt and pepper.

Fill each frozen puff pastry shell half full with the fish mixture and bake according to package instructions. (Any leftover filling can be baked plain in a small, buttered casserole.)

Meanwhile, prepare the garnish. In a small skillet gently cook the crabmeat or shrimp in the butter until heated through (if using shrimp, cook only until it turns pink). Sprinkle the flour over the crabmeat or shrimp, then stir to mix well. Gradually stir in the cream. Remove from the heat and add the brandy and rice, adding a little more cream if the mixture seems dry. Keep warm.  

When the pastry shells are crisp and the fish filling bubbly, remove from the oven. Mound rice mixture into each shell, and top with a few grains of red caviar. Serve immediately with ice-cold vodka, and don’t forget to say a prayer of thanks to the priest’s wife!

Recipe courtesy of Sudar Restaurant, Moscow.