This is a typical Eastern European dish, rich with flavor, its sweetness tempered by the lemon juice. It makes a nice presentation, especially if you use a meaty fish like carp. The same technique can be applied to any fish fillet: reduce the cooking time to 10 minutes (or less; the fish is done when the point of a thin-bladed knife inserted into the thickest part meets little resistance). You might want some mashed potatoes or rice here, along with a simple salad.

　　

Ingredients

makes 4 servings

　　5 cups fish stock, preferably homemade (page 161), or water

　　One 3-pound carp, gilled, gutted, and scaled

　　Salt and black pepper to taste

　　2 tablespoons butter

　　1/2 cup blanched almonds, sliced

　　1/2 cup raisins

　　1/3 cup fresh lemon juice

　　1/4 cup sweet white wine

　　

Step 1

Bring the fish stock to a steady, gentle boil in a large saucepan or skillet with a lid. Season the fish, inside and out, with the salt and pepper and gently slide it into the stock. Cover and simmer over low heat until the fish is cooked through, at least 20 minutes.

　　

Step 2

Meanwhile, melt the butter in a small saucepan over medium-high heat. Add the almonds and cook, stirring occasionally, until golden brown, about 5 minutes. Stir in the raisins and cook until plump, about 3 minutes. Add 1/4 cup of the lemon juice and the wine; bring to a boil, then lower the heat and simmer until reduced by about half, about 5 minutes. Season to taste with salt and pepper, then refresh with the remaining lemon juice.

　　

Step 3

Remove the fish from the broth and place on your serving dish. Pour the sauce over the fish and serve.

　　The Best Recipes in the World by Mark Bittman. © 2005 by Mark Bittman. Published by Broadway Books. All Rights Reserved.MARK BITTMAN is the author of the blockbuster The Best Recipes in the World (Broadway, 2005) and the classic bestseller How to Cook Everything, which has sold more than one million copies. He is also the coauthor, with Jean-Georges Vongerichten, of Simple to Spectacular and Jean-Georges: Cooking at Home with a Four-Star Chef. Mr. Bittman is a prolific writer, makes frequent appearances on radio and television, and is the host of The Best Recipes in the World, a 13-part series on public television. He lives in New York and Connecticut.