Ingredients
Fish Broth
- 1 whole fish, 1-1 1/2 lbs, cleaned (snapper, trout, bass, salmon, etc.)
- 10 cups water
- 1/2 Tablespoon whole black peppercorns
- 3 dry bay leaves
- Salt, to taste
Vegetables
- 1 large onion, chopped
- 3-4 carrots, peeled and sliced
- 3-5 celery stalks, sliced
- 3 medium potatoes, peeled and chopped
Herbs
- 1/2 – 1 Tablespoon fresh parsley, finely chopped
- 1/2 – 1 Tablespoon fresh dill, finely chopped
Instructions
- Make the fish broth: Place the whole cleaned fish in a large stockpot or Dutch oven. Add 10 cups of water, the black peppercorns, bay leaves, and salt to taste. Optionally, add the peels and scraps of onion, carrots, and celery for extra flavor. Bring the mixture to a boil, then reduce heat to a simmer. Cover and cook gently for about 20 minutes until the fish is fully cooked.
- Prepare the vegetables and herbs: While the broth is cooking, peel and chop the onion and potatoes, peel and slice the carrots, slice the celery stalks, and finely chop the fresh parsley and dill.
- Strain and prepare the fish: Once the fish broth is cooked, remove the fish and allow it to cool enough to handle. Strain the broth through a fine mesh sieve into a clean pot, discarding the peppercorns, bay leaves, and any vegetable scraps used. Remove the fish meat from the bones, discarding skin, bones, and head. Set fish meat aside.
- Cook the vegetables: Return the strained broth to the cleaned pot. Add the chopped onion, carrots, celery, and potatoes to the broth. Add extra water if you prefer a thinner soup. Season with additional salt and pepper if needed. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to a simmer, cover, and cook for 15-20 minutes until the potatoes and carrots are tender.
- Add fish and herbs: Gently stir the reserved fish meat into the cooked soup. Garnish with fresh parsley and dill. Serve the soup hot immediately.
- Storage: Refrigerate any leftover soup for up to 5 to 7 days.
Notes
- Use a firm white fish like snapper, trout, bass, or salmon for best results.
- Adding vegetable peels and scraps to the broth enhances the flavor but is optional.
- Strain the broth carefully to avoid any fish bones or skin in the soup.
- The soup can be adjusted with more or less water depending on your preferred thickness.
- Fresh herbs should be added at the end to preserve their flavor and color.
- Leftovers keep well refrigerated for almost a week.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 40 minutes
- Category: Soup
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: Russian
- Diet: Low Fat
