Kalatusha (vegetable and fish soup)

Preheat oven to 180°C / 350°F degrees.

For the broth, fry carrots and onions cut into pieces of any size on a dry frying pan until they become flavorful and burnt patches begin to appear on the sides.

Transfer the vegetables to the saucepan where you’ll cook the soup. Pour a little bit of oil onto the frying pan and fry the cleaned fish. Transfer the fish to the saucepan with the vegetables, and cover with 1½ liter / 6 cups water.

Add black peppercorns, bay leaf, salt, green parsley and dill. Cook for 40 minutes for intense taste.

Strain the broth and put it back in the saucepan. Now add dried porcini mushrooms, and cook for 30 more minutes.

In the meantime, prepare vegetables for the soup. Peel a celery root and a carrot. Cut them up, sprinkle with salt and oil, and bake for 25-30 minutes until soft. Puree the baked vegetables in a blender.

Strain the cooked broth one more time. Put it back in the saucepan, bring to a boil, condense by gradually adding a smooth mixture of 2 tbsp. flour with 2 tbsp. unsalted butter, and carefully stirring with a whisk.

To serve, put 1 tbsp. of carrot-and-celery puree into each plate, and carefully cover with the broth. You can decorate it with porcini mushrooms and pieces of boiled fish, removing all bones before serving. Serve hot.