Recipes » Fish » Ukha (Russian Salmon Stew)

Ingredients

• SERVES 6 (Double for 12 servings)
• 1⁄4 cup EVOO
• 4 small carrots (1 chopped, 3 thinly sliced)
• 8 black peppercorns
• 4 sprigs parsley
• 4 sprigs dill plus extra
• 2 leeks (white parts only), thickly sliced
• 2 ribs celery, roughly chopped
• 2 bay leaves
• 1⁄2 tsp. crushed red pepper flakes
• 1 1⁄2 cups white wine
• 1 lb. fish bones, such as snapper
• 1 salmon head , gills removed
• 3 Yukon potatoes, peeled, 1⁄4" chunks
• 1 lb. salmon filet, skinned, boned; 1" cubes
• 1 tbsp. fresh lemon juice, plus zest
• Kosher salt and freshly ground black
• pepper, to taste
• 4 scallions, thinly sliced on the diagonal

Preparation

Heat the olive oil in a 6-quart pot over medium-high heat. Add chopped carrots, peppercorns, parsley, dill, leeks, celery, bay leaves, and pepper flakes and cook until vegetables are soft, about 10 minutes.

Add 6 cups water, wine, snapper bones, and salmon head and bring to a boil over high heat. Reduce heat to medium-low and simmer, covered, skimming off any froth that rises to the surface, for 35 minutes.

Strain the broth through a fine-mesh sieve into a bowl. Discard the solids.

Wipe out the pot and add the broth along with the remaining carrots and potatoes. Bring to a boil, covered, over high heat. Reduce heat to medium-low and simmer, covered, until potatoes and carrots are tender, about 25 minutes.

Add salmon to soup; simmer until just cooked through, about 5 minutes. Add lemon juice and season generously with salt and pepper. Divide soup between bowls; garnish with the scallions, lemon zest and dill.