In this second chapter of our journey through Russian cuisine series, we are going to put on our coats and go discover the North Russian cuisine. To the coldest places in the world.
North Russian cuisine: Lots of fish
Cod, keizh and “ukha” fish soup, specialty of the Pomores
Due to the harsh winters and short cold summers in the Russian North, there was not as much abundance of vegetables, mushrooms and berries as in the central regions.
The main dish in the northern regions was fish, especially cod. It was believed that people there could eat this fish every day and never get bored.
For a long time, the Pomores ate frozen raw fish, cutting it into thin slices and dipping it in salt; this dish was called “stroganina”.
But more often the fish was cooked in different ways: “navaga” is fried, “cod” and “haddock” are baked or boiled, “smelt” is salted; one of the popular dishes was baked cod with cottage cheese.
The fish is first boiled or fried in small pieces, then laid on a layer of chopped onion, covered with grated cottage cheese with vegetable oil and baked in the oven.
Soups in North Russian cuisine
Pomeranian fish soup became the most famous dish in northern cuisine, it was always prepared from fresh fish: milk, onions and spices (bay leaf, black pepper, lemon juice) were added to the broth.
The spices in this area were brought by English merchants, so the Pomors learned to use them before all the other inhabitants of Russia.
Traditionally, “ukha” soup was served with “kulebyaka”.
On weekdays, Pomeranian housewives bake whole pike or chub in the dough. On holidays they put “Red Ribniki” on the table – pies with salmon, chum salmon or pink salmon.
Despite the abundance of cakes, bread itself was rarely eaten in these parts. Grains were difficult to grow in such a harsh climate and expensive to buy.
The Pomors had a saying:
“Without fish is worse than without bread.”
And the meat?
The main type of meat on the Pomeranian table was venison; fried, baked, added to soups, and dried for the winter.
The meat was often served with sauces of lingonberries, blackberries or wild roses, called “volozh”. Such a sauce not only made the dish tastier; but also served as a source of vitamins, saving the youngs and olders from flu.
We invite you to enjoy your trip to Russia
If you have plans to travel to Russia, we invite you to visit typical Russian restaurants with our guides in Moscow, Saint Petersburg and other cities.
