A taste of tradition

Christmas Carp Soup

Serves four

Ingredients:

Carp head, tail and roe

3 oz root vegetables, diced

6 cups water

Pickling spices

Salt, to taste

5 tbs butter

1 oz shortening

1/2 c parsley, chopped

Croutons, diced

1 tsp Vinegar

Preparation:

Remove gills and eyes, and boil together with tail in salted water until tender.

Cook rinsed roe separately in salted water.

Prepare a light roux from butter and flour; dilute with cool fish stock, beat well and bring to a boil.

Add diced vegetables, and boil briefly till tender.

Add vinegar and pickling spices.

After removing bones, return fish and roe to the soup.

Serve with chopped parsley and croutons.

Breaded Fried Carp

Serves one

Ingredients:

300 g carp

10 g salt

20 g flour

1 egg

0.05 L milk

40 g breadcrumbs

100 g vegetable oil

Preparation:

De-bone, remove skin, and clean fish; pat dry.

Dip cleaned fish filets in salt/flour mixture, then egg/milk mixture, and finally breadcrumbs.

Fry slowly in hot oil until golden brown.

Traditional Potato Salad

Serves four

Ingredients:

1 kg potatoes

1/4 kg carrots

1/4 kg celery

150 g gherkins

200 g peas, tinned or from frozen

4-6 tbsp mayonnaise

Pepper, salt, vinegar

Preparation:

Boil the unpeeled potatoes in salted water for around 15-20 minutes (according to the size of the potatoes) until soft.

Leave to cool, then peel and cut into cubes measuring roughly 1 cm.

Peel the carrot and celery, then boil in water with a pinch of salt and a dash of vinegar for around 10-15 minutes until slightly soft.

Leave to cool, then cut into very small pieces.

Dice the gherkins; keep the brine they come in to finish off the salad.

Defrost the peas (if using tinned, pour off the brine).

Carefully mix together all the above ingredients, gradually adding mayonnaise and some of the brine from the gherkins.

Season to taste.

Vanilla Rolls

Ingredients:

150 g flour

20 g sugar

100 g butter

50 g almonds or walnuts

1 egg yolk

Vanilla

Confectioner's sugar

Preparation:

Combine flour and sugar.

Add butter and egg; work into dough on a dusted surface. This should be done rather quickly to prevent the butter from softening. Should this happen, chill the dough before shaping.

Shape dough into a long rope, cut into even parts, and shape into rolls or crescent moons.

Bake in a preheated oven. Dip hot rolls in confectioner's sugar.