Ingredients:
1 lb small panfish (perch, bluegills, chubs, crappies, bullheads)*
6-8 cups water
1 tablespoon salt
2 large carrots, sliced
1 stalk celery, diced
1 small parsley root, sliced
2 medium size onions, quartered
2 large potatoes, peeled and diced
1 bay leaf,
6 peppercorns
2 grains allspice
3/4 cup sour cream
2 tablespoons flour
Salt and pepper to taste
2 - 3 gratings nutmeg
1 tablespoon of fresh or frozen dill, finely chopped
* Instead of using 1 lb panfish, you can use 1 or 2 fish heads and trimmings (backbone, fins, tail) or a large fish (carp, pike, walleye, whitefish, etc.).
Preparation:
Remove and discard eyes and gills. Rinse well and place in pot, add 6-8 cups water and 1 tablespoon salt and cook 1 hr. Drain. If using panfish, force them through a sieve into stock. If using large fish, discard fins, remove all meat from backbones and heads and return to stock. To stock add 2 sliced carrots, 1 stalk celery diced, 1 small sliced parsley root, 2 quartered onions, and 2 peeled diced potatoes, 1 bay leaf, 6 peppercorns and 2 grains allspice and cook until vegetables are tender. Remove soup from flame. Fork-blend 3/4 cup sour cream with 2 tablespoons flour and 1 tablespoon vinegar and gradually stir into soup. Simmer several minutes longer. Salt and pepper to taste and add 2 - 3 gratings nutmeg. Garnish with a heaping tablespoon of fresh or frozen finely chopped dill.
Enjoy!