Cheer — Ukraine

Cheer is a name used in Ukraine for a dish built around a freshwater whitefish of the same name, prepared plainly so as not to mask its delicate, faintly sweet flesh. It belongs to a wide family of simply cooked river and lake fish found across Eastern Europe. It is reported from communities living along Ukraine's rivers and lakes, where fresh whitefish would be cooked the same day it was caught, often with nothing more than salt, flour and a little fat. According to available sources, smoking and light curing are also used to keep the fish for longer when a catch is larger than what can be eaten fresh. To prepare it, the fish is cleaned, scaled and cut into portions, then salted briefly to firm the flesh and season it through. The pieces are dusted lightly in flour and pan-fried in a little fat until the skin is crisp and the flesh flakes easily, or simmered gently in a light broth with onion and bay leaf when a softer result is wanted. What distinguishes this version from other freshwater fish preparations of the same family is the restraint of the seasoning: onion, salt, a little dill and sometimes sour cream are about as far as it goes, letting the fish itself carry the dish. Pan-frying and gentle poaching are both reported as common finishes, chosen mainly according to the size and fat content of the catch.