Solyanka Fish Soup

Solyanka is one of the oldest Russian soups, and has its first mention in the iconic Domostroi book – a sort of a household bible published under Ivan the Terrible in 1547 that gave guidance on how to manage a good Christian home. As solyanka is characterized by a rich broth, an abundance of spices and a powerful tang of brined vegetables, it’s astonishing to think today that this soup was initially looked down upon by the upper classes as a food of the simple people (hence a variation of the dish’s name being selyanka, a derivative of the Russian word for ‘village’). Over the years, new ingredients were added to the soup to strengthen that inimitable tangy flavour, including lemons, olives and capers, and for a very long time now solyanka has been enjoyed widely by all. Traditionally it is made with either meat, fish or mushrooms, while the richness of the stock and its brininess remain the trademark of all three versions. I prefer fish solyanka, as hot-smoked trout or salmon add something utterly magical to the soup.

SERVES 4
—

For the fish stock (optional)500g fish bones, heads and skins (ask your fishmonger for the best assortment)

1 onion, skin on, halved
1 carrot, peeled and roughly chopped
4 bay leaves
dill and flat leaf parsley stalks

1 tablespoon black peppercorns
1 tablespoon allspice berries 1 tablespoon salt
2 litres water (it will reduce during cooking)

For the soup

2 tablespoons sunflower oil 1/2 onion, diced
1 carrot, peeled and grated 2 tablespoons tomato purée 1 teaspoon smoked paprika

(optional if you don’t have any hot-smoked fish)
2 salt-brined gherkins, diced

1.5 litres fish stock (you can use ready-made if you like)

2 potatoes, peeled and cubed

150g pitted green olives, quartered
1 tablespoon capers in brine

1 tablespoon sliced green jalapeños or Turkish hot peppers in brine (if you like an extra kick)

250g skinless fresh salmon fillet

200g skinless hot-smoked trout or salmon fillet

1 lemon, juice of 1/2, 1/2 thinly sliced

large bunch each of dill and flat leaf parsley

If you are choosing to go the extra mile and make your own stock, here’s what you do: put the fish bits together with the onion, carrot, bay leaves, dill and parsley stalks, all the spices and salt into a medium-sized stockpot. Add the water and bring to the boil, then reduce the heat and simmer, uncovered, for about 11/2 hours. Once you are happy with the taste, strain the broth through a sieve or a muslin cloth. You are now ready to make the tastiest solyanka.

Heat up the oil in a medium-sized pot and fry the onion and carrot with a small pinch of salt over a medium heat for
3–5 minutes. Add the tomato purée with a splash of the fish broth, the smoked paprika, if using, and gherkins and fry for a further 5 minutes.

Pour in 1.5 litres of the hot homemade fish stock or ready-made fish stock and bring to the boil. Add the potato cubes and cook
for about 30 minutes. Then add your olives, capers and jalapeños or Turkish hot peppers with 2 tablespoons of their brine each and finish cooking everything together for another 15 minutes or so.

Cut the fresh salmon and hot-smoked trout or salmon into bite- sized chunks and add to the soup, followed by the lemon juice and slices and herbs. Reduce the heat to the minimum and cook the fish for 5 minutes or until it is gently poached. Make sure not to overcook it. Taste for seasoning and adjust if necessary.

Serve very hot garnished with an extra sprinkle of fresh herbs. You know you will be doing yourself some good by adding a generous chunk of fresh crunchy bread on the side (and maybe just one shot of ice-cold vodka?).

Recipe from my book Salt and Time. Photography by Lizzie Mayson.