Latvian Fish Soup

Rinse the whole fish, heads and bones, place in a pot and cover with water. Bring to a boil, skim off the foam and simmer over low heat for 40–60 minutes.

Add a whole peeled onion, carrot, celery stalk, bay leaf and black peppercorns. Simmer for another 20–30 minutes to let the broth develop flavor.

Remove the fish and vegetables, then strain the broth through a fine sieve. Let the fish cool enough to handle, then separate the meat from the skin and bones; break the meat into small pieces.

Pour the strained broth into a clean pot, season with salt to taste and bring to a boil. Add the peeled potatoes, cut into cubes, and cook for 12–15 minutes until tender.

Pour in the milk, reduce the heat and warm the soup through, without letting the milk come to a rolling boil.

Add the pieces of fish and finely chopped dill, heat through for 2–3 minutes and remove from the heat.

Serve hot with sour cream; adjust the salt to taste once more if needed.