Ciorbă de pește lipovenească
Delta fish soup
Ciorbă de pește lipovenească: Lipovan Danube Delta fish soup with several river fish
The Lipovans, Russian Old Believers who settled the Danube Delta villages of Jurilovca, Periprava and Mila 23 three centuries ago, cook their fish soup in a cauldron over a fire by the water. A broth is first made from the fish frames and tails with onion and pepper, strained, then the vegetables and thick pieces of several fish go in, usually carp, pike, zander and catfish, so each brings its own texture. The fish is lifted onto a platter and eaten with garlic sauce and mămăligă, while the clear, peppery, tomato-sharp broth is drunk from bowls. Where most cooks go wrong is stirring once the fish is in: it breaks into flakes. Shake the pot instead. Chef's tip: a splash of the cold sauerkraut juice or borș at the end, instead of lemon, gives the sourness Delta cooks prefer.
- Total time
- 75 min
- Difficulty
- medium
- Serves
- 6
Ingredients
For the stock
- 10 ½ cups cold water
- 1 onionhalved
- 1 tsp black peppercorns
- 2 tsp salt
For the soup
- 2 onionsdiced
- 1 carrotdiced
- 1 parsley root or parsnipdiced
- 1 red pepperdiced
- 10 ½ oz potatoespeeled and diced
- 3 ripe tomatoespeeled and chopped
- 2 ⅝ lb mixed river fish (carp, pike, zander, catfish), cleanedcut into 5 cm pieces
- 3 tbsp lemon juice or borș
- ½ oz fresh lovage or parsleychopped
To serve
- 6 cloves garliccrushed with a pinch of salt and 3 tbsp water
- 6 fresh hot pepper (optional)
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Method
0/7 doneStep 1: Put the 1 ¾ lb fish frames, tails and trimmings (from the fish below or from the fishmonger), 10 ½ cups cold water, 1 onion, 1 tsp black peppercorns, 2 bay leaves and 2 tsp salt in a large pot. Bring to the boil, skim, then simmer gently for 25 minutes.
30 minStep 2: Strain the stock through a fine sieve lined with a cloth into a clean pot, pressing lightly. Discard the solids.
3 minStep 3: Bring the stock back to a simmer, add the 2 onions, 1 carrot, 1 parsley root or parsnip, 1 red pepper and 10 ½ oz potatoes and cook for 12 minutes, until the potatoes are nearly tender.
12 minStep 4: Add the 3 ripe tomatoes and simmer for 3 minutes, until they start to break down.
3 minStep 5: Lower in the 2 ⅝ lb mixed river fish (carp, pike, zander, catfish), cleaned, firmest pieces (catfish, carp) first and delicate pike or zander a minute later. Simmer very gently for 8–10 minutes, shaking the pot instead of stirring, until the fish is opaque all the way through and flakes easily.
10 minStep 6: Sharpen with the 3 tbsp lemon juice or borș to taste and scatter with ½ oz fresh lovage or parsley.
1 minStep 7: Lift the fish onto a warm platter and serve it with the crushed 6 cloves garlic sauce and 6 fresh hot pepper, with the broth and vegetables in bowls alongside.
2 min
Nutrition per serving
- Calories
- 310 kcal
- Protein
- 40 g
- Carbs
- 15 g
- Fat
- 9 g
- Fibre
- 3 g
Nutrition values are estimates.
KrazyBadal
Good to know
- How long does ciorbă de pește lipovenească take?
- About 75 minutes in total: 20 minutes to prepare and 55 minutes to cook.
- How many people does it serve?
- 6 as written. Change the servings above the ingredients and every amount scales to match.
- Is it gluten free?
- Yes, as written. Check the labels on stock, sauces and spice mixes, which sometimes contain gluten.
- What can I use instead of onion?
- 2 shallots per onion.
- What can I use instead of black peppercorns?
- Ground black pepper, a little less than the amount.
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