Ciorbă de peșteRomanian sour fish soup

• 1.5 kg3.3 lb mixed freshwater fish: carp (crap), wels catfish (somn), pike (știucă), pike-perch (șalău) or perch (biban), scaled and gutted, cut into 4-5 cm (2 in) pieces; keep heads and tails
• 2.5 l10 1/2 cups water
• 2 tbsp sunflower oil
• 1 large onion, finely chopped
• 2 carrots, diced or coarsely grated
• 1 parsley root or parsnip, diced
• 100 g3.5 oz celeriac, diced
• 2 bell peppers, one green and one red, cut into strips
• 300 g10 oz potatoes (2 medium), diced; optional but usual in the Delta
• 300 g10 oz ripe tomatoes (3), peeled and chopped
• 750 ml-1 l3-4 cups borș (fermented wheat-bran liquid), or 3-4 tbsp wine vinegar or the juice of 1-2 lemons; see notes
• 1 hot green or red chilli (ardei iute), optional
• salt and black pepper, to taste
• 1 bunch lovage (leuștean), chopped; parsley and dill can be added too
• mămăligă (Romanian polenta), to serve; mujdei (garlic sauce) optional

Method

1. 1

   1. Put the fish heads and tails in a large pot with the water and a little salt. Bring to a simmer, skim, and cook gently for 25 minutes, then strain the stock and discard the solids.

2. 2

   2. Warm the oil in a pan and soften the onion, carrot, parsley root, celeriac and peppers over low heat for about 5 minutes, without letting them colour.

3. 3

   3. Return the stock to the boil, add the softened vegetables and the potatoes, and simmer for 15-20 minutes, until the potatoes are just tender.

4. 4

   4. Meanwhile, bring the borș to the boil in a separate pan and skim off the foam that rises.

5. 5

   5. Add the hot borș and the tomatoes to the soup and simmer for 5 minutes. If you are souring with vinegar or lemon instead, add the tomatoes now and keep the vinegar or lemon for step 7.

6. 6

   6. Add the fish last: the largest, firmest pieces (carp, catfish) first, then about 5 minutes later the more delicate ones (pike, perch, pike-perch) on top. Keep the soup at a bare simmer and do not stir, so the pieces stay whole. Cook for 12-15 minutes in all, until the flesh is white and a fork slips in easily.

7. 7

   7. Taste: the broth should be clearly sour. Add more borș, vinegar or lemon and salt as needed.

8. 8

   8. Take the pot off the heat and stir in the lovage, black pepper and the chopped chilli if using.

9. 9

   9. Serve hot, with warm mămăligă. In the Danube Delta the fish is often lifted onto a platter and eaten first with mujdei, and the broth follows in bowls.