Potage Ouka

Ingredients

• 1 kg sturgeon, or equivalent tench and perch
• 750 g fish trimmings and bones
• 2.25 L water
• 250 mL white wine
• 1 root parsley root
• 1 branch celery
• fennel
• 25 g mushroom trimmings
• 20 g salt
• 10 small paupiettes of sigui or lavaret
• 350 g julienne of celery heart, leek heart, and parsley root in equal quantities
• butter
• 125 g caviar, pounded
• 500 g whiting flesh

Instructions

1. Prepare a fish stock (fond de cuisine) with the sturgeon (or equivalent tench and perch), fish trimmings and bones, water, white wine, parsley root, celery branch, fennel, mushroom trimmings, and salt. Simmer gently for one hour.
2. Separately, prepare 10 small paupiettes of sigui or lavaret (small whitefish rolls). Prepare 350 grams of julienne (fine-cut vegetables) composed of celery heart, leek heart, and parsley root in equal quantities.
3. Braise the julienne in butter, then finish cooking it with a few spoonfuls of the fish stock.
4. Strain the fish stock. Clarify it with the pounded caviar and whiting flesh, then pass it again through a cloth (passé à la serviette).
5. Poach the paupiettes of sigui in a shallow braising pan with the required quantity of fish consommé.
6. To serve: Add the julienne and paupiettes of sigui to the consommé. Send separately a timbale (molded portion) of kasha (buckwheat groats) and very small rastegaïs (small filled pastries) arranged on a napkin.