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Catfish Soup – Recipe at Home
Instructions
We clean the catfish from scales and cut it into medium pieces. If you have a universal tool at home – metal scissors, you can easily make cuts along the fish's backbone. Finish the cuts with a kitchen knife.
We pour water over the pieces of fish without the head and start boiling the broth.
From the head, we remove the gills, eyes, and wash it thoroughly. If you don't put the head in the broth, the soup will have a more delicate flavor but will also be less rich. Therefore, to make the soup rich and filling, but without any foreign taste or bitterness, I put the head in a separate pot, add 1 l of water, and after bringing it to a boil, boil it for about 5 minutes. After that, I drain the water, remove the head, and add it to the boiling pot with the other pieces of fish.
To make the soup transparent and beautiful, do not allow it to boil too vigorously. After it boils and the foam (scum) is removed, reduce the heat and continue cooking on low heat.
After 30 minutes from the start of boiling the broth, we add a whole onion (if it's large, we cut it in half).
After another 30 minutes, we add the diced potatoes. It's better to make the pieces large, as is customary in fish soup.
Together with the potatoes, we add chopped carrot pieces, salt, bay leaf, a little cumin seeds, and a few allspice berries. The pepper can be crushed beforehand for a more refined aroma.
After 20 minutes, once the potatoes and other ingredients have been added, we remove the finished soup from the heat. It's better to carefully remove the head and pieces of catfish from the pot now. Do this very gently, so they don't fall apart and small bones don't end up in the broth.
Tips
- 1
Pre-boil fish head separately for best finished broth clarity. Adding head directly to main pot transfers bitterness; properly pre-boiled head (5 minutes in separate pot, water drained) produces the proper signature rich clear character authentic to traditional Russian ukha preparations. The pre-boiling technique matters more than home cooks typically realize for finished soup-quality and overall family-meal success consistently across batches reliably across various weekday meal occasions throughout the year for proper traditional Russian results consistently.
- 2
Remove gills and eyes from fish head for proper finished clean flavor. Skipping this step produces bitter unpleasant results; properly cleaned fish head (gills and eyes removed) produces the proper signature clean concentrated character authentic to traditional Russian ukha preparations. The same fish-cleaning principle elevates many fish-broth preparations including homemade bread-accompanying fish soup applications across various traditional international culinary occasions throughout the year reliably.
- 3
Maintain gentle simmer for proper finished clear broth. Vigorous boiling produces cloudy bitter soup; properly low-heat simmer (after initial boil and foam removal) produces the proper signature transparent beautiful broth character authentic to traditional Russian ukha preparations. The patient gentle-simmering principle pays back significantly in finished soup-quality consistently across batches and various fish-soup preparations throughout the year for proper traditional results worth showcasing reliably across various family-meal occasions for proper home-cooking results.
- 4
Pair the finished catfish soup with traditional accompaniments for proper presentation. Serve hot in bowls with fish pieces, sprinkled with dill and green onion, alongside fresh bread, vodka shots for substantial Russian-style fish-feast spreads, or with hot tea for elegant family-meal presentations worth showcasing across various entertaining occasions reliably. Pair with crusty homemade bread for substantial dinner spreads throughout the year for proper traditional results worth showcasing reliably across various family-meal occasions throughout the year.
FAQ
Can I use other fish? +
Yes, perch, pike, carp, roach, pike perch, or trout all work beautifully as substitutes producing equally delicious results. Each option produces distinct character: catfish provides classic rich Russian ukha character, perch adds delicate clean flavor, pike adds firm meaty texture, carp adds golden rich broth, roach provides traditional river-fish character, pike perch adds elegant delicate flavor, trout adds Mediterranean character. Choose based on availability and personal preference for proper finished fish soup variations consistently throughout the year reliably across various meal occasions across various preparation sessions throughout the year.
How long does fish soup keep? +
Stored covered in the refrigerator, the soup keeps for 1-2 days at peak quality. The flavors meld and improve over the first 24 hours as components marry beautifully. Fish soup is best consumed soon after preparation due to fish's delicate nature. Reheat gently in pot just to warm through, not boiling. The soup does not freeze well due to potato texture changes. Best consumed within 24 hours for the brightest most appealing finished results across multiple meal applications throughout the year reliably across various family-meal occasions for proper traditional Russian character.
Can I add other vegetables? +
Yes, leeks, celery, parsnips, fennel, or rutabaga all work beautifully as additions producing equally delicious variation. Each option produces distinct character: classic onion-carrot-potato provides traditional Russian ukha profile, leeks add Mediterranean elegance, celery adds aromatic depth, parsnips add sweet earthy notes, fennel adds anise brightness, rutabaga adds traditional Russian-Slavic character. Add aromatics with potatoes for proper cooking time. Mix and match seasonal vegetables for endless variations across various Russian fish-soup traditions throughout the year for proper personalized finished results consistently.
Why is my soup bitter? +
Three usual causes: fish gills not removed, fish head added directly without pre-boiling, or vigorous boiling extracting bitter compounds. Address proper gill and eye removal from fish head, careful pre-boiling of head in separate pot, and gentle simmer instead of vigorous boil for consistently clean-flavored results. The combination of proper fish cleaning, pre-boiling technique, and patient simmering produces dramatic flavor-quality reliably across various Russian ukha preparation sessions throughout the year for proper traditional results consistently across various family-meal occasions reliably.
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