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Stroganina
Shaved frozen whitefish
Stroganina (строганина): Siberian shavings of frozen whitefish with salt and pepper
Out on the frozen rivers of Yakutia, where winter drops below minus forty, fish are pulled from the ice, freeze solid in minutes and are shaved into long curls with a sharp knife and eaten at once with coarse salt and pepper. The shavings melt on the tongue, sweet and rich, and are served at celebrations with a dip of salt mixed with black pepper and sometimes chopped raw onion. This is raw fish, so the home version must be made safely: buy sushi-grade whitefish, nelma, trout or salmon from a fishmonger and freeze it at −20 °C for at least 7 days before using, then shave it while still frozen hard. Even so it is not for pregnant women, young children or anyone with a weakened immune system. A common mistake is letting it thaw on the plate: soft stroganina is slimy, not silky. Chef's tip: chill the plate and the knife in the freezer too.
- Total time
- 15 min
- Difficulty
- easy
- Serves
- 4
Ingredients
- 1 ⅛ lb sushi-grade whitefish, nelma, trout or salmon fillet, skin onfrozen at −20 °C for at least 7 days
- 2 tsp coarse sea salt
- 1 tsp black peppercoarsely ground
- ½ onion (optional)very finely chopped
- ½ lemon (optional)in wedges
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Method
0/5 doneStep 1: A week before, check your freezer reaches −68°F and freeze the 1 ⅛ lb sushi-grade whitefish, nelma, trout or salmon fillet, skin on, wrapped tightly, for at least 7 days. Buy fish sold as sushi-grade and keep it cold all the way home.
0 minStep 2: Put serving plates and a long, sharp knife in the freezer for 20 minutes before you start.
0 minStep 3: Mix the 2 tsp coarse sea salt and 1 tsp black pepper in a small bowl for dipping, and set out the ½ onion and ½ lemon if using.
2 minStep 4: Take the fish from the freezer, hold it upright on a board with a cloth and shave long, thin curls from top to bottom with the knife, working quickly. The flesh should still be frozen hard and crackle under the blade.
8 minStep 5: Pile the curls onto the frozen plates, leaving the skin behind, and serve immediately with the salt and pepper dip. Eat within 10 minutes and throw away anything that has thawed and been left out. Remember: not for pregnant women, young children or anyone with a weakened immune system.
3 min
Nutrition per serving
- Calories
- 190 kcal
- Protein
- 23 g
- Carbs
- 0 g
- Fat
- 11 g
- Fibre
- 0 g
Nutrition values are estimates.
KrazyBadal
Good to know
- How long does stroganina take?
- About 15 minutes in total.
- How many people does it serve?
- 4 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.
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