Kapr na černo (Carp in Black Sauce)

Ingredients:

1 carp (about 2kg), cleaned, de-scaled and cut into 6 steaks each about 3cm thick
1 tbsp light brown sugar
2 tbsp unsalted butter
40g celery, diced
55g carrots, diced
55g parsnips, diced
55g onions, finely chopped
2 tbsp granulated sugar
1 tbsp water
250ml red wine vinegar
600ml water
2 bayleaves
1/8 tsp thyme
5 black peppercorns
5 whole allspice berries
2 strips of freshly-pared lemon zest (about 12mm wide)
2 tbsp redcurrant jelly
120ml Czech lager
25g gingersnap biscuits, grated
35g prunes, pitted and chopped
25g seedless raisins
1 tbsp slivered almonds
lemon wedges, to garnish

Method:

Melt the butter in a heavy-based 1l saucepan. When the foam subsides add the celery, carrots, parsnips and onions. Cover the pan, reduce the heat to low and sweat the vegetables gently for about 10 minutes.

In the meantime, combine the granulated sugar and 1 tbsp water in a 2l saucepan. Cook, without stirring, over a medium heat until the sugar melts and caramelizes to a thick, dark, syrup. Carefully pour in the vinegar then bring to a boil and stir constantly until the caramel has all dissolved and the vinegar reduces down to about 120ml. Add the 600ml water along with the bayleaves, thyme, black peppercorns, allspice, lemon zest, redcurrant jelly and the sweated vegetables.

Partially cover the pan and simmer over low heat for 30 minutes then add the beer, grated gingersnap biscuits and brown sugar. Continue cooking over medium heat for 5 minutes then strain through a fine-meshed sieve, using the back of a wooden spoon to press down on the vegetables and extract as much juice as possible.

Butter a 3 or 4l casserole dish (this should be a nice one as you will be serving straight from this dish) then arrange the carp steaks in the base. Pour the sauce over the fish then sprinkle the chopped prunes, raisins and almonds over the top. Transfer the dish, uncovered to an oven pre-heated to 175°C and bake for about 15 minutes, or until the fish is cooked through (baste the fish steaks occasionally as they cook).

Garnish with lemon wedges and serve directly from the casserole dish.