Solyanka with herring, tomatoes and sweet peppers
4 servings
30 minutes
Hodgepodge with herring, tomatoes, and sweet pepper is a bright and unusual dish of Russian cuisine that harmoniously combines salty, sweet-sour, and spicy notes. Historically, hodgepodge originated as a peasant soup where everything available in the household—meat, fish, vegetables, and spices—was added. This fish version of hodgepodge stands out with its rich flavor: the spiciness of capers and pickles is complemented by the tenderness of tomatoes and sweet peppers while herring adds an original sea touch to the dish. Olives and lemon add a slight tanginess, making the soup even more expressive. Hodgepodge is perfect for warming up on cool days and serves as a rich and aromatic dish for gatherings that highlights the wealth of Russian gastronomic tradition.
1
Peel the onion, finely chop it. Melt 5 g of butter in a pan and sauté the onion for 5 minutes, stirring constantly. Then add tomato paste to the pan and simmer the onion for another 5-8 minutes.
- Onion: 30 g
- Butter: 10 g
- Tomato puree: 5 g
2
Wash the sweet pepper, remove the seeds and stem, and cut it into strips. In another pan, melt the remaining oil and sauté the pepper until soft.
- Sweet pepper: 15 g
- Butter: 10 g
3
Peel the pickles, cut them lengthwise, remove the seeds, and slice them into strips.
- Pickles: 20 g
4
In a pot, bring 2 liters of water to a boil, add pepper, onion, cucumber, capers, bay leaf, and peppercorns, salt, and boil for 10-15 minutes.
- Sweet pepper: 15 g
- Onion: 30 g
- Pickles: 20 g
- Capers: 5 g
- Bay leaf: to taste
- Black peppercorns: to taste
- Salt: to taste
5
Meanwhile, rinse the herring fillet and cut it into small pieces. Soak the salted herring in milk for half an hour, let the excess liquid drain, and cut it into small pieces. Remove the sardines from the can and let the excess oil drain. Rinse the tomatoes and cut them into small wedges. Place all the fish and tomatoes in a pot with the soup and cook until the fresh herring is done.
- Herring: 80 g
- Canned herring: 20 g
- Sardines: 20 g
- Tomatoes: 20 g
6
Before serving, place a slice of lemon and pitted olives in each plate, pour the soup, and sprinkle with chopped herbs on top.
- Lemon: 0.2 piece
- Olives: 5 g
- Chopped parsley: to taste