Authentic clear fish soup from Russian rivers, where European perch yields a crystal-clear, golden, naturally collagen-rich broth, garnished with tender root vegetables and fragrant fresh dill.
Ingredients
- 1400 g whole fresh European perch, gutted
- 2 l bottled spring water
- 400 g firm-fleshed potatoes, Charlotte variety
- 200 g fresh sand carrots
- 2 pieces sweet yellow onions
- 1 piece fresh Hamburg parsley root
- 1 bunch bunch fresh dill
- 5 cl traditional rye vodka, 40% ABV
- 30 g pasteurized unsalted butter, 82% fat
- 2 leaves dried bay leaves
- 10 pieces whole black peppercorns
- 4 pieces whole allspice berries
- to taste fine sea salt
Method
- Carefully rinse the European perch under cold running water. Delicately fillet the fish keeping the skin on, remove any remaining pin bones with fish tweezers, then cut the flesh into neat, even pieces and store them in the refrigerator covered with a clean cloth.
- Cut off the heads and collect the bones and trimmings. Remove the gills from the heads with kitchen shears to eliminate any trace of bitterness, then rinse the heads and bones thoroughly under running water to wash away all impurities.
- Place the heads, bones, and trimmings into a stockpot. Pour in the cold spring water, then add one whole yellow onion, thoroughly washed and scrubbed but unpeeled: its golden skin will lend a beautiful amber color to the broth.
- Bring the temperature up over low heat for about 10 minutes without ever exceeding 90 °C or reaching a rolling boil. As soon as the first gentle simmers appear, meticulously skim the foam off the surface with a fine skimmer until the surface is completely clear.
- Add the black peppercorns, allspice berries, and bay leaves. Let simmer very gently between 85 °C and 90 °C for 20 minutes, uncovered, skimming off any foam as you go.
- Delicately strain the broth through a fine-mesh sieve lined with cheesecloth or a clean cloth set over a second pot, without pressing on the bones to avoid clouding the liquid. Discard the bones, the first onion, and the spent aromatics.
- Peel the potatoes and cut them into even cubes. Peel the carrots and Hamburg parsley root, then slice them into rounds of equal thickness. Peel the second yellow onion and slice it thinly.
- Return the clarified broth to a simmer (around 90 °C), season lightly with salt, then add the potato cubes, carrot rounds, parsley root pieces, and sliced onion. Simmer over moderate-low heat for 15 minutes, until the tip of a knife slides in effortlessly.
- Gently slide the perch fillet pieces into the simmering broth. Lower the heat to maintain the liquid between 80 °C and 85 °C and poach very gently for 5 minutes, until the flesh turns opaque white, pearlescent, and reaches 55 °C at the center with a probe thermometer.
- Pour the vodka into the simmering broth, let the alcohol evaporate for 1 minute over low heat, then swirl in the cold unsalted butter by rotating the pot for 30 seconds to gloss the broth. Turn off the heat immediately, cover, and let rest off the heat for 5 minutes to infuse.
- Chop the fresh dill. Divide the vegetables and fish pieces among warm shallow bowls, ladle the piping-hot clear broth over top, and scatter generously with fresh chopped dill right before serving.
Nutrition
Per serving
- Energy
- 333 kcal
- Protein
- 34.21 g
- Carbohydrate
- 22.61 g
- Fat
- 8.49 g
- Fibre
- 3.58 g
- Calcium
- 199.43 mg
- Iron
- 1.33 mg
- Magnesium
- 59.29 mg
