Smelt soup
Serves 6-8
A popular soup that combines surprising ingredients: dried smelt, smoked ham and pearl barley.
200 g dried Peipus smelt (dried anchovy also suitable)
250 g well marbled, robust-tasting meat from side of a pig
100 ml pearl barley
1 largish carrot
3-4 potatoes
1 onion
herbs and spices suitable for fish
fresh dill and parsley and sour cream for serving
2 l fish or vegetable stock
Soak the barley for a couple hours. Make the stock. Drain the barley and simmer in the stock. There is no need to soak the smelts. Cube the smoked meat, fry together with the chopped or coarsely grated carrots. Add onion, which you have cut into large pieces, sauté until translucent and tip the contents of the pan into the soup pot. Peel and dice potatoes, add to soup. Season and simmer on a low until barley is tender.
Note: dried smelt is salty, add salt only if needed. Serve with sour cream and herbs.
