Jane Grigson's Fish Book - Jane Grigson [259]
The strange thing about the eggs is that the male or cock-paddle takes such great care of them, once they have been deposited in rocky crevices above low water-mark, in the spring. As J. R. Norman remarks in A History of Fishes, there can be few better cases of parental devotion… ‘For weeks and even months he devotes himself to the care of the eggs, fasting rather than leave his post, from time to time pressing his head into the clump of spawn to allow the water to penetrate to the centre, and thus ensuring the proper aeration of the eggs, a process which he further helps by blowing upon them with his mouth and fanning them with his pectoral fins… While on guard the males have been described as being attacked by rooks and carrion crows, which thrust their sharp beaks through the abdominal walls and feast on the liver of the unfortunate fishes. If removed from the eggs and then released, they will at once rush back to their posts, and after a heavy storm that has swept masses of eggs from their normal positions high up on the beach, as soon as the sea becomes calm again the parents may be seen anxiously searching for their charges.’
Lump-suckers owe this particular name to the powerful suction disc, between the pelvic fins, which enables them to cling tightly to rocks: cock- and hen-paddle refer to the very pronounced crest along its back. Unfortunately you won’t find this most interesting creature very often at the fishmonger’s. Instead you can use the eggs of the cod, catfish, mullet, salmon, shad, pile, turbot, or whiting – quite a choice.
Remove the membrane from the eggs, and turn them into a basin. Season with salt and freshly ground white pepper, then with a little onion chopped almost to a pulp, some lemon juice, and brandy if you have it to spare. These seasonings should be added to taste.
Serve the eggs with toast and butter, or rye bread. You can give them the full caviare treatment, and make some Blini from the recipe following. As I have remarked above, hard-boiled eggs, spring onions – both chopped – and some good cream cheese which hasn’t been over-processed can all be added if you want to make an hors d’oeuvre.
BLINI OR RUSSIAN BUCKWHEAT PANCAKES
In the west, we think of Blini as the proper accompaniment to caviare, but in Russia they are served with other kinds of preserved fish (and with quite different foods as well – jam, cheese, mushrooms, etc). Although the preparation is lengthy, it is not laborious or painful. The flavour is quite different from our Shrove Tuesday pancakes on account of the yeast – and the buckwheat flour, which can be obtained from good health food stores.
Serves 6
30 g (1 oz) fresh or 15 g (½ oz) dried yeast
6 tablespoons lukewarm water
250 g (8 oz) plain flour
125 g (4 oz) buckwheat flour
or 375 g (12 oz) plain flour
450 ml (15 fl oz) lukewarm milk
3 large egg yolks
1 teaspoon sugar
good pinch of salt
3 scant tablespoons sour cream
125 g (4 oz) melted butter
3 egg whites
Fork yeast and lukewarm water together; leave for 10 minutes, until it froths up. Put the plain flour and half the buckwheat flour into a large warm mixing bowl. Make a well in the middle and pour in the yeast mixture, then 300 ml (10 fl oz) of the milk. Beat to a smooth batter. Leave for 3 hours, covered, in a warm place – the rack of a solid fuel stove is ideal, but anywhere out of a draught will do. Next stir in the rest of the buckwheat flour, and leave again for two hours. Beat together lightly the egg yolks, sugar, salt, sour cream and 3 scant tablespoons of the melted butter. Add to the dough, mixing well. Whisk the egg whites stiff, then fold them in carefully. Leave for half an hour.
Have a baking tray, lined with a clean cloth, in a warm oven. Take a large, preferably non-stick, frying pan or griddle, and brush it over with melted butter.