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roux. Gradually stir in the liquid, and add the onion, herbs, spices, prunes and spice or ginger cake. Simmer for 30 minutes, then sieve into a pan that will take the pieces of carp. Taste the sauce, and add lemon juice, pepper and sugar to taste. When it tastes right, put in the almonds and raisins, and the pieces of carp which have been drained and dried. It is sensible to put the head in the bottom of the pan. Simmer until cooked.

Check the seasoning and serve in a warm shallow serving dish.

Carpe à la juive

This simpler version of the previous recipe makes a good cold dish. A strange thing about the carp is the unanimity with which it is treated across the world – as if everyone agreed to emphasize what Kenneth Lo described as its ‘uncomplicated sweet-freshness’. I cannot think there is any connection between central European and Chinese methods, because the carp recipes of mainland Europe seem to be living fossils of the sweet-sour style of medieval cookery. Interesting, though, that such recipes should have survived for carp, when so many other medieval recipes for other fish have not. This Jewish style comes from Lorraine.

Follow the recipe above, leaving the carp whole if you have a fish kettle. Prepare and scale it. Then cook as above,

substituting

fish stock or water for the liquid wine vinegar for lemon juice bouquet garni for chopped herbs

omitting

prunes and spice/ginger cake spices

doubling

quantities of almonds and raisins.

Remove the cooked fish to an oval serving plate, re-forming the steaks into something of the carp’s original shape if you have had to cut it up. Reduce the cooking liquor, if need be, to make a stronger flavour, then remove the bouquet. Check seasoning and pour over the fish. The sauce sets to a jelly. Serve chilled.

MEURETTE DE CARPE

Serves 4

125 g (4 oz) mushrooms, sliced

1 medium onion, chopped

90 g (3 oz) currants

3 large cloves garlic

bouquet garni

1 bottle red Burgundy

salt, pepper

1–1¾ kg (2–3½ lb) carp

4 tablespoons butter

1 tablespoon plain flour

Simmer the mushrooms, onion, currants, garlic, bouquet garni and wine together for half an hour, uncovered, until the wine has reduced by a good third. Season. Clean the carp and cut into pieces. Add to the pan, cover, and simmer for another 20 minutes, or until the fish is cooked.

Mash butter and flour together, and use it to thicken the sauce (beurre manié*). Reheat and serve with croûtons of bread fried in butter. Remove the bouquet garni before serving, and the head of the carp.

VERSENYI BATYUS PONTY

Carp in a bundle, Verseny style, is a recipe of George Lang’s from his masterpiece of a book, The Cuisine of Hungary. It is served with a horseradish soured-cream sauce – a velouté made with beef stock and milk, flavoured with a little sugar, vinegar or lemon juice and 125 g (4 oz) grated horseradish which has soaked in a little boiling water for 2 minutes. Last of all 125 ml (4 fl oz) soured cream.

Serves 4–6

1 kg (2 lb) carp fillet, cut in 1 piece

salt

3 tablespoons plain flour

1 tablespoon paprika

4 tablespoons clarified butter

1 egg white, slightly beaten to break it up

DOUGH

175 g (6 oz) plain flour

125 g (4 oz) butter

1 egg yolk

1 tablespoon soured cream

1½ teaspoon salt

Make the dough first. Rub together the flour and butter until you have a crumbly mixture. Mix in the egg yolk, soured cream and salt. Knead on a lightly floured board to make a dough. Chill in the refrigerator for at least an hour.

Switch on the oven set at gas 5, 190°C (375°F). Salt the fish and roll it in the flour and paprika mixed. Shake off any excess. Fry slowly in the butter on both sides.

Choose an ovenproof dish measuring 23 × 15 cm (9 x 6 inches). Roll out the dough into a rectangle. Line the dish with one end of the dough. Put the fish on top. Fold the rest of the dough over and round the fish. Brush over with egg white. Bake 40–45 minutes.

NOTE If you can only buy smaller pieces of carp fillet,