Ukha | Clear Russian Fish and Potato Soup

Use scissors to cut out and remove the gills from the fish heads. Rinse the heads and bones in cold water until the blood is gone; leaving the gills in will make the stock bitter and cloudy. Cut the tails and bones into 10 cm pieces so they lie flat in the pot.

Put the heads, bones, whole onion, parsley stems, bay leaf, and peppercorns in a pot with 2 liters of cold water. As it approaches a boil, skim off all the gray foam. Reduce the heat, leave the lid ajar, and cook for 30 minutes. The surface should barely quiver, not bubble.

Strain the stock through a fine-mesh sieve lined with cheesecloth; you should have about 1.7 liters of clear, pale-gold liquid. Use a fork to pick the meat from the cheeks and the back of the heads and set it aside. Discard the remaining bones and vegetables.

Bring the strained stock back to a boil. Add the potatoes cut into 2 cm cubes, the carrot cut into half-moons, and the finely chopped onion; season with salt. Cook over medium heat for 12–14 minutes, until a knife slips easily into the potatoes. Their edges should be slightly rounded, but they should not fall apart.

Cut the fillet into 4 cm pieces and add it to the soup along with the reserved cheek meat. Reduce the heat until the surface barely quivers. Cook for 7–8 minutes, until the fish is no longer translucent, has turned white, and flakes when pressed with a fork. Dip the spoon in only to skim off foam; stirring will break up the fish.

Scatter the finely chopped dill over the soup and turn off the heat. Ladle the fish pieces into bowls first, then add the broth and potatoes. Rye bread makes a good accompaniment.