Sturgeon in Cream Sauce
Sturgeon in cream sauce is an exquisite dish that combines tender sturgeon meat with a rich and creamy sauce. The cream sauce gives the sturgeon a special softness, emphasizing its natural flavors.
Ingredients
- 800 gsturgeon fillet
- 300 mlcream 33%
- 1 onion
- 3 clovesgarlic
- 100 gmushrooms
- 50 mldry white wine
- 2 tbspolive oil
- 30 gbutter
- 1 tbspDijon mustard
- to tastesalt and freshly ground black pepper
Method
- Wash the sturgeon fillet, dry with paper towels and cut into portioned pieces about 2-3 cm thick. Season with salt and pepper on all sides.
- Heat a frying pan with olive oil over medium heat. Fry the pieces of sturgeon until golden on both sides, about 2-3 minutes per side. Do not bring to full doneness. Place the fish on a plate.
- In the same skillet, melt butter. Add finely chopped onion and minced garlic, sauté until translucent, about 3-4 minutes. Add sliced mushrooms if using and sauté for another 3-4 minutes. Pour in the white wine and allow the alcohol to evaporate, about 1-2 minutes.
- Add the cream and Dijon mustard. Stir and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer, stirring, for 3-4 minutes until slightly thickened.
- Return the sturgeon pieces to the skillet with the sauce. Cook over low heat under a lid for 5-7 minutes until the fish is cooked through. Serve with the cream sauce poured over it, sprinkled with fresh chopped herbs.
FAQ
Sturgeon is an expensive fish with dense, boneless white flesh. The closest substitutes are beluga or sterlet (same family), catfish (similar texture, more affordable), sea bass, or halibut. More accessible options include pike-perch (zander) or European sea bass. All these fish hold their shape well when braised in cream sauce.
Sauce curdles from a sudden temperature change or boiling heavy cream at high heat. Use cream with at least 20–33% fat. Simmer on low heat without letting it boil hard. If adding lemon juice, do so at the very end and drop by drop. Thicken a watery sauce with 1 tsp cornstarch dissolved in cold cream.
Sturgeon steaks 3–4 cm thick braise in sauce for 8–12 minutes over low heat. The fish is done when the flesh flakes easily with a fork and is no longer translucent at the center. Do not overcook — sturgeon becomes rubbery with prolonged simmering. First sear the steaks for 2 minutes per side, then add the sauce and finish covered.
Traditional sides: boiled or baked potatoes, rice pilaf, sautéed wild mushrooms. Russian classics include buttery mashed potatoes or buckwheat. For a festive table, serve with pickled cucumbers and fresh dill. A white wine (Chardonnay, Sauvignon Blanc) is a perfect pairing.
Yes. Place seared steaks in a baking dish, pour the cream sauce over them, and bake at 180°C for 15–20 minutes covered with foil. Remove the foil for the last 5 minutes for a golden top. The key is not to overheat: the internal temperature of cooked fish should be 60–63°C. The oven provides more even heat, which is especially good for thick pieces.
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Comments (1)
I bring the sturgeon fillet to room temperature for 10 minutes before cooking sturgeon in cream sauce. Cold fish hitting a hot pan drops the temperature and you lose that crucial initial sear. Just 10 minutes, not more — food safety matters.