Botvinya

Step 1: Bring a small pan of water to a boil with the 2 bay leaf leaves, 6 black peppercorns and 1 tsp salt. Turn it to the lowest simmer, lower in the 14 oz salmon fillet (or sturgeon if you can get it) and poach for 10–12 minutes, until the flesh is opaque all the way through and flakes easily.

Step 2: Lift out the fish, cool it for 15 minutes, then wrap it and chill in the fridge for at least 1 hour (or overnight). Do not leave it standing at room temperature longer than that.

Step 3: Blanch the 7 oz young beet tops (leaves and stems) and 5 ½ oz sorrel in boiling water for 2 minutes, until the beet stems are tender and the sorrel turns olive-green.

Step 4: Drain, plunge the greens into iced water, squeeze dry and chop very finely or blitz to a rough purée.

Step 5: Stir the purée into the chilled 4 ¼ cups bread kvass, alcohol-free (or 900 ml sparkling water + 3 tbsp lemon juice + 100 ml rye-bread soaking water) with the 1 tsp sugar and 1 tsp salt, then add the 2 cucumbers, 4 spring onions, ½ oz fresh dill and 1 tbsp grated horseradish (from a jar). Taste: it should be sour, fresh and only faintly sweet.

Step 6: Cover and chill the soup in the fridge for at least 30 minutes, until very cold.

Step 7: Flake the cold salmon into large pieces, removing the skin. Ladle the soup into cold bowls, add an 4 ice cubes cube to each if you like, and serve the fish on the side or in the bowl with 1 lemon wedges. Eat the same day and keep leftovers in the fridge.