Botvinyi

A botvinya is a cold Russian first course formerly popular but now disappearing, partly because of the high cost of the ingredients and partly because of its difficult and slow preparation. A proper botvinya consists of three parts: the soup itself; boiled red-fleshed fish; and shellfish served separately, plus crushed ice, served on a side plate. A botvinya can also be prepared leaving out the expensive fish; then it is a simple chilled green summer soup called ‘incomplete botvinya’.

The soup part of a botvinya can be either a simple soup or a type of stew. Both are made with an acid base. The stew type has, in addition, an acid thickening mixture, made from a flour paste. This acidity is very important as it complements the mild salty taste of the fish without contradicting it.