Rybnaia Solianka
Fish Soup With Onions, Cucumbers And Tomatoes

1 cup coarsely-chopped onions
1 bay leaf
2 sprigs parsley
3 teaspoons salt
2.5 pounds sturgeon, halibut or haddock steaks, cut 1 inch thick
4 tablespoons butter
2 cups thinly-sliced onions
1 medium cucumber, peeled, halved, seeded and finely chopped
2 tomatoes, peeled, seeded and coarsely chopped
1/8 teaspoon white pepper
4 teaspoons capers, drained and washed under cold running water
1 lemon, thinly sliced
2 tablespoons finely-chopped parsley
12 black olives, pitted

In a 3- to 4-quart pot, combine 6.5 cups of water, the chopped onions, bay leaf, parsley and 1 teaspoon of the salt. Bring to a boil over high heat, then add the fish, lower the heat, and simmer uncovered, for 6 minutes, until the fish is firm to the touch. Remove the fish and cut it into 1-inch chunks. Strain the stock through a fine sieve set over a bowl, pressing down on the onions and herbs with the back of a spoon before discarding them.

In a 2- to 3-quart casserole, melt the butter over high heat. Add the sliced onions, and cook 6 to 8 minutes until the onions are soft but not brown. Stir in the cucumbers and tomatoes and simmer 10 minutes. Pour in the strained fish stock, season with the remaining 2 teaspoons of salt and white pepper, and drop in the fish. Simmer gently a minute or two, until the soup and fish are heated through. Off the heat stir in the capers, lemon, parsley and olives. Taste for seasoning and serve directly from the casserole.

Good Morning Ron,