Up to the neck: what dishes from crayfish are prepared in restaurants
Crayfish are a fairly versatile product, the different parts of which are great for making cold appetizers, salads, soups and hot dishes. In addition, they can be used to effectively decorate any dish. Izvestia found out what attracts the crayfish of the masters of haute cuisine and what interesting positions can be tried with them in various gastronomic projects of the country.
How crayfish appeared in Russian cuisine
When mentioning crayfish in Russian pre-revolutionary catering establishments, many will surely recall the plot of the painting by artist Boris Kustodiev "Moscow Tavern", painted by him in 1916. The tea party of the coachmen is depicted in the center of the canvas, and next to them, on the buffet counter, among other popular snacks, a bowl filled with boiled red crayfish stands out with a bright accent.
Olivier with crayfish and quail
And yet, despite the apparent accessibility and prevalence, this product appeared in Russian cuisine only in the second half of the 17th century.
"In pre—Petrine Russia, crayfish were not eaten, because before the church split there were many food restrictions in the national cuisine, very similar to Jewish kashrut," Vlad Piskunov, brand chef of the Matryoshka restaurant (Moscow), researcher of Russian cuisine, told Izvestia. — In addition to crayfish, it was forbidden, for example, to eat the meat of hares and pigeons, and they are still forbidden among the Old Believers. We started cooking crayfish only under Tsar Alexei Mikhailovich.
Devil Eggs with crayfish, mayonnaise and grouse caviar
This is not to say that crayfish are a distinctive feature unique to Russian cuisine, our expert continues. There are a lot of items in France, especially cold appetizers and freshwater crab sauces. The Swedes consider them almost the main national dish. In the American state of Louisiana, they also cook a lot of things with them.
In pre—revolutionary Russia, the most famous crayfish were caught at the confluence of the Belaya and Kama rivers," adds our interlocutor. — Most often they were boiled with dill. Crayfish were also included in complex dishes, for example, in the famous Olivier salad from the Hermitage restaurant in Moscow. Cancerous necks were added to the "Russian" side dish for cold appetizers. Meat was also used in hodgepodge or to make Moscow crab soup, which is often found on the menu of ceremonial imperial dinners. According to Vladimir Gilyarovsky's memoirs, the St. Petersburg nobility, led by the grand dukes, specially came from the capital to eat this soup, which, when served, was accompanied by crayfish backs stuffed with minced meat from expensive fish and crayfish necks. Today, the legendary former is only occasionally found in restaurants experimenting with old recipes.
What you need to know about crayfish
There are two subspecies of crayfish in Russia — the European broad-toed (found in reservoirs in the Leningrad Region and the Baltic region) and the narrow-toed (found in rivers flowing into the Caspian, Black and Azov Seas). In recent years, restaurateurs have also shown interest in Australian red-clawed crayfish (freshwater lobster), which is grown on agricultural farms, but their production volumes are still insignificant.
Omelet with crab and crab cake
—Crayfish have always been a specialty in the places where they are found," says Alexander Likhovodov, chef of the Relict restaurant of modern Russian cuisine (Moscow). — As our restaurant industry has learned to use its local products, crayfish has also grown in popularity as an ingredient with a clear geographical origin. Of course, they are not labeled as wines, but they are definitely a product linked to a point on the map.
Fried crayfish with green curry, mint and cilantro
The taste of crayfish depends on the quality of the water in which they live, our interlocutor explained. The cleaner the pond, the tastier they are. The temperature of the water also has a certain effect. Crayfish from colder habitats are usually sweeter and more "muscular."
"Over the past five years, we have seen a clear trend towards the spread of crayfish in restaurants in major cities of the country," says Vadim Kuznetsov, brand chef of the Crayfish and Reptiles gastropub (Rostov—on-Don, Moscow). — They appear on the menu as seasonal offerings and components of various dishes. Network and author's projects specializing in cooking crayfish are being opened, fueling interest in the product in various ways.
Crayfish cream soup with vegetables and quinoa
According to our expert, crayfish have become an all-season product today, and if earlier their catch actually stopped when riverbeds froze, now in some cases production continues with the help of divers. The peak of crayfish taste occurs in the period from mid-August to October, since by this time they are actively accumulating fat, gradually preparing for wintering.
"Gourmets often choose smaller crayfish of 40-80 g in size, because their taste is richer and sweeter," says Valentina Kulikova, co—author of the concept of the Russian Lobster restaurant (Moscow). — Also, crayfish lovers often prefer female arthropods, which have a more fleshy neck.
What dishes do they cook crayfish in restaurants?
From a gastronomic point of view, crayfish is a very bright and expressive product with its own depth, which must be properly emphasized with the help of other components.
Asian salad with crayfish
— In general, crayfish can be used in the same way as crab meat: added to omelets, salads, served as a main ingredient or used as a flavor enhancer in broths or soups, — says brand chef Victor Beley. — They go well with cereals and vegetables. For example, our menu includes quinoa porridge, which perfectly harmonizes with crab necks and shrimp. We are also preparing a cream soup of crayfish, which will soon appear on the autumn menu. Another option is a dish resembling korokke (a Japanese variety of croquettes), but with the addition of shrimp and crayfish.
Crayfish boiled in sour cream with horseradish and baked garlic
According to brand chef Kuznetsov, it is the additional ingredients that play a key role in the preparation of boiled crayfish. In his establishment, these inhabitants of reservoirs are prepared in 40 different ways, and each of them is unique in its own way. For example, one of the most popular dishes is crayfish, cooked "in French" with cream sauce and Provencal herbs. This option goes well with white wine. But crayfish according to the author's recipe with Abkhazian adjika and sour cream are suitable for those who prefer a more spicy meal.
Our interlocutor advises cooking crayfish in boiling water for five minutes, and then let them brew for at least 20 minutes so that they absorb the taste of the additives you use as much as possible. Following southern traditions, they can be cooled to room temperature, put in the refrigerator overnight and eaten cold the next morning.
—In Scandinavian countries, crayfish are boiled in salted water with dill and served chilled," Igor Vasiliev, chef of the Nordic restaurant in St. Petersburg, told our publication. — In Sweden, in August, they even organize a special crayfish-eating festival, kräftskiva, which we decided to hold this year in our project. In addition to boiled crayfish with potato salad, we will have okroshka with crayfish necks on the special menu, as well as the Swedish pie Västerbottenpaj with crayfish, chanterelles, cheese, sour cream mousse and caviar.
Västerbottenpaj pie with crayfish, chanterelles and cheese, with sour cream mousse and red caviar
Crayfish are an excellent source of protein, adds Roman Shilov, the second chef of Relict Restaurant. They go well with tomatoes and pasta, and their shells make an excellent "Russian" bisque, which accompanies an omelet with crab in his project. To make a bisque, you will need chitinous residues, completely cleaned of meat. The claws and shell should be boiled in broth, adding celery, carrots, fennel and herbs (for example, a classic bouquet of garnishes), and then carefully punch everything in a blender. Such a bisque is good in itself, like a soup with the same cancerous necks.
— In modern Russian cuisine, crayfish have become less frequently used, not because we have lost interest in them, but because of their high cost, explains brand chef Piskunov. — Crayfish meat is several times more expensive than langoustines or even lobsters. At Matryoshka, we continue to cook olivier salad with them, sterlet with crayfish sauce, and for dinner we can offer guests pumpkin-crayfish soup. In October, we are launching a new gastronomic set "Coronation", where one of the cold dishes will have crayfish in three types.
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