Name: Christmas Carp in Dark Sauce with Plums
Prep time: 40 min
Cook time: 1 h
Total time: 1 h 40 min
Yield: 4 portions
Ingredients: 1200 g carp; 150 g carrot; 100 g parsley root; 1 pc celeriac; 1 pc onion; 1200 ml water; 2 pcs bay leaves; 4 pcs allspice; black pepper; salt; 120 g gingerbread; 330 ml dark beer; 80 g dried plums; 50 g raisins; 50 g almonds; 40 g sugar; 3 tablespoons vinegar; 30 g butter; lemon

Step by step process

Preparing the fish and stock

1
Christmas carp begins with a light stock. Peel the carrot, parsley root and celeriac and dice them, then quarter the onion. Put the vegetables in a pot, cover with water, add the bay leaves and allspice and simmer for 15 minutes.
2
Rinse the fish, pat it dry and cut it into portion-sized horseshoe pieces about 3 cm thick. Season the pieces with salt and pepper on all sides and let them rest for 10 minutes.
3
Lower the pieces into the gently simmering stock and poach them over very low heat for 12 to 15 minutes, until the flesh turns white and starts to come away from the bone. Lift them out carefully and keep them warm, then strain the stock.

For the dark sauce

4
Cut the prunes into strips and rinse the raisins. Melt the butter in a saucepan, add the grated gingerbread and toast it briefly so it turns only slightly bitter and becomes fragrant.
TIP:
Stir ground paprika and dried garlic into melted butter over low heat. Heat for only 20-30 seconds so the spices become fragrant and color the fat without turning bitter.
5
Pour the dark beer and 400 ml of the strained stock over the gingerbread, whisk until smooth and bring to a boil. Add the plums, raisins and half of the almonds and simmer over low heat for 15 minutes, until it thickens.
6
Season with sugar, vinegar and lemon juice so the gravy has a pronounced sweet-and-sour flavor. Depending on the consistency, you can blend it briefly or leave it rustic with pieces of fruit.
TIP:
Tip: warm the lemon briefly (5-10 seconds) so the juice flows more easily. Cut it in half and squeeze the juice into a container. Catch the seeds, and if desired, squeeze the juice from both sides of each half. You'll get more juice.

Finishing and serving

7
Return the pieces to the pot and warm them through for 5 minutes so the flavor soaks into the meat. Do not boil hard, or it will fall apart.
8
Serve the fish topped with the gravy, scatter the remaining almonds over it and serve with bread dumplings or fresh bread.