Fish pickle soup
4 servings
30 minutes
Fish rassolnik is a traditional dish of Russian cuisine that combines rich flavors and a rich history. This soup, known for its spicy notes, has roots in ancient Russian gastronomic traditions where brine was used to add depth of flavor to dishes. The broth made from sturgeon head and complemented by tender pike perch fillet acquires a soft texture while pickles, sorrel, and spinach add a refreshing tang to the soup. Vegetables and roots sautéed in vegetable oil reveal their sweet aroma while sour cream adds creaminess when served. Fish rassolnik is perfect as a warming winter soup or a refreshing summer dish. It is served with herbs and sour cream creating a harmonious balance of flavors—rich, fresh, and invigorating.
1
Cut the sturgeon fish heads into several large pieces, rinse well, and boil in slightly salted water for an hour. Then remove the heads from the pot, cool them, and separate the flesh from the cartilage, removing the bony plates. Set the flesh aside in a separate bowl — it will be needed later. Place the cartilage back in the broth and cook until ready.
- Head of sturgeon fish: 500 g
- Salt: to taste
- Head of sturgeon fish: 500 g
2
Wash the fish (you can use not only pike perch but also catfish, cod, or sea bass) and cut it into large pieces. Then boil the fish until cooked in a separate pot.
- Pike perch fillet: 200 g
3
Wash, dry, and julienne the parsley, celery, parsnip roots, onion, and leek. Heat vegetable oil in a pan and sauté the roots and onion until soft.
- Parsley root: 45 g
- Parsnip: 30 g
- Celery root: 15 g
- Onion: 1 head
- Leek: 30 g
- Vegetable oil: 2 tablespoons
4
Peel the pickles, cut them lengthwise, remove the seeds, and slice them into strips.
- Pickles: 2 pieces
5
Combine the fish broth and the broth in which you boiled the head, bring to a boil. Add the sautéed vegetables, cucumbers, and spices to the boiling broth and cook for 15-20 minutes.
- Cucumber pickle: 0.5 glass
- Ground black pepper: to taste
6
Wash the leaves of sorrel and spinach (if it's not the season for spinach and sorrel or they are hard to find, you can replace them with regular green salad), dry them well, and chop them like cabbage. Five minutes before the vegetables and roots are done cooking, add the spinach and sorrel to the pot, season with salt, and pour in cucumber brine (ideally, it should be boiled and strained beforehand).
- Sorrel: 1 bunch
- Spinach: 1 bunch
- Salt: to taste
7
Turn off the fire and let the rassolnik steep. Before serving the soup, place heated boiled fish and cartilage in the bowl, pour in the rassolnik, add sour cream, and sprinkle with finely chopped herbs.
- Head of sturgeon fish: 500 g
- Pike perch fillet: 200 g
- Sour cream: 4 tablespoons
- Green: to taste