Karpfen Blau
"Carp blue"

Ingredients:
1 carp (weight 1500 to 2000 grams or 3 - 4 lbs)
1 tablespoon salt
1/2 cup vinegar
1/2 cup white wine
1 1/2 cup water
1 onion
1 laurel leaf
1 tablespoon pepper
1/2 lemon
1 tablespoon butter

for garnish:
one tomato
half a lemon
1 tablespoon horse-radish

Directions:
"Carp blue" is one of the traditional Christmas and New Year's dishes in Germany. To achieve the blue color of the fish, it is important not to scale it. The combination of the scales of the fish skin with the vinegar causes the blue coloration.

1. If your fish is not cleaned when you buy it, carefully cut the underside and clean it. Salt the inside of the fish.

2. Place fish in a bowl. Heat the vinegar to a boil and pour over the fish. Then lay the carp onto a platter, saving the vinegar.

3. Heat wine, water and vinegar in a large pot. Peel onion and cut in half. Add the fish, as well as the laurel leaf, pepper and lemon. Put on low heat and let simmer for 20 minutes. Take out the carp and lay onto a preheated platter.

4. Melt butter and serve separately. Cut tomatoes in slices and garnish the carp with it. Fill the lemon half with the horseradish and lay on plate. You may serve cooked potatoes with this dish.