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Sturgeon ear at home

Homemade Sturgeon Ukha (Russian Fish Soup)

The matchless taste of a rich sturgeon ukha! Give it a try! This ukha (Russian clear fish soup) turns out hearty because the broth is built from the sturgeon's head and tail. A handful of aromatic vegetables makes it fit for a tsar!

katyushka-vatrushka

Recipe author

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Composition / ingredients

Servings:

Sturgeon

1500

Turnip

100

Celery (stalk)

Leek

Vegetable oil

Carrots

200

Onion

100

Fennel

100

Zucchini

200

Lemons

Soy sauce

Ground black pepper

Salt

Water

Translation table of volumetric measures

Nutrients and energy value of the composition of the recipe

By weight of the composition:

Proteins 50 % 5 g

Fats 30 % 3 g

Carbohydrates 20 % 2 g

54 kcal

GI: 100 / 0 / 0

Cooking method

Step 1:

How do you make sturgeon ukha? The first step is to clean the sturgeon of its slime and the hard bony scutes that run along its sides. The easiest way is to lay the sturgeon in a clean sink and pour very hot water over it — the slime washes away and the scutes lift off easily with a knife.
Step 2:

Then cut off the head and tail, which will make the broth. Before cooking, remove the gills so the broth won't turn bitter: open the gill flaps, hold the gills, and cut them out with a sharp knife or scissors on both sides where they attach. Put the head and tail in a pot, cover with cold water, and set it on the heat.
Step 3:

Wash, peel, and coarsely cut the fennel, 100 grams of the carrots, the onion, the celery, and the turnip into rough pieces.
Step 4:

Bring the water to a boil over high heat, then lower it, skim off the foam, and add the vegetables to the pot with the head and tail. Simmer gently for 1 hour, then remove the head and vegetables.
Step 5:

Add the rest of the sturgeon to the broth in one large piece, bring to a boil, and cook for 10 minutes.
Step 6:

Then lift out the fish, remove the skin, and pick out the cartilage. Set the meat aside for the soup and strain the broth.
Step 7:

Cut the carrots, the white part of the leek, and the zucchini into thin matchsticks.
Step 8:

Sauté the carrots and leek in a skillet with vegetable oil for 5 minutes.
Step 9:

Add the sautéed vegetables and the zucchini to the broth and cook for 5 minutes until soft. Season with salt, pepper, and soy sauce. Return the cleaned fillet to the pot, or divide it among the bowls you'll ladle the ukha into.
Step 10:

Serve the sturgeon ukha hot, with slices of lemon.

Adjust the amount of water up or down to taste, depending on whether you want a thicker or brothier soup.
Root vegetables are best scrubbed with a brush or stiff sponge under running water. This ukha is well worthy of a holiday table — sturgeon is a prized, noble fish, so the soup it makes is truly regal. Beautifully served, it dresses up any special occasion.
For cooking, it's best to use filtered or bottled water with a neutral taste. Tap water can leave the dish with an off, characteristic aftertaste.