Savory Poached Carp

Description
Hot or jelled. Yield: 4 servings as main course, 6 as appetizer.

Ingredients

 * 2 each red onions, minced
 * ¼ cup wine vinegar
 * ¾ cup water
 * 1½ cup vegetable stock
 * 2 each ribs celery, minced
 * 1 large carrot, peeled, minced
 * ½ large lemon, seeded and sliced thin
 * 2 tbsp + 2 tsp sugar
 * 4 sprigs parsley tied into bundle with white cotton thread.
 * 2½ lbs fresh carp, cut into 1 slices
 * watercress sprigs

Directions

 * 1) Put onions, vinegar and ¼ cup water into 3-qt dutch oven.
 * 2) Bring to a boil.
 * 3) Cook, uncovered, over med.
 * 4) Heat until all liquid evaporates, stirring often.
 * 5) Add remaining water, stock, celery, carrot, lemon, 2 tbsp sugar, and parsley bundle.
 * 6) Bring to boil.
 * 7) Reduce heat to slow-boil and cook, uncovered, for 5 minutes add fish.
 * 8) Bring liquid to boil and baste fish several times.
 * 9) Reduce heat to simmering.
 * 10) Cover and cook for 30 min.
 * 11) Uncover, raise heat slightly and slow-boil for 10 minutes longer with slotted spatula, transfer slices to plate.
 * 12) Discard skin. Pull out bones, separating large chunks of flesh to make bones visible.
 * 13) Spoon with a little of the hot poaching liquid.
 * 14) Cover to keep warm.
 * 15) Strain contents of pot through a fine sieve.
 * 16) Rinse out pot and fill with strained broth.
 * 17) Stir in remaining sugar.
 * 18) Bring to a boil over high heat; reduce until about ¾ cup remains.
 * 19) Pour exuded liquid from fish into the pot.
 * 20) To serve hot, portion individual servings onto warm plates and spoon with some of the poaching liquid.
 * 21) To serve jelled, arrange fish in wide casserole in one layer.
 * 22) Pour poaching liquid over it.
 * 23) Cover tightly and chill overnight (poaching liquid will jell).
 * 24) Cut into serving pieces; garnish with watercress.
 * 25) Serve with beet horseradish.