Main Page
Soups
Salmon ear fish soup

Ukha (Fish Soup) from Salmon Heads

Ukha is the most famous and widespread fish soup. Homemade ukha from salmon heads is a real treat for seafood lovers, as well as for balanced, diet-friendly eating. It's simple and quick to cook. You can make this soup with any red-fleshed fish. Ukha from the heads comes out rich!

Maria

Recipe author

Watch the video

Composition / ingredients

Servings:

Water

1.5

Salmon (heads)

300

Potatoes

Carrots

0.5

Onion

Bay leaf

Allspice

Salt

Translation table of volumetric measures

Nutrients and energy value of the composition of the recipe

By weight of the composition:

Proteins 38 % 3 g

Fats 13 % 1 g

Carbohydrates 50 % 4 g

35 kcal

GI: 100 / 0 / 0

Cooking method

Step 1:

Get the ingredients ready. To make ukha from red-fish heads, you'll need: salmon heads, potatoes, carrot, an onion, water, bay leaf, allspice peppercorns, and salt. Optionally, 1 to 2 tablespoons of vodka.
Step 2:

Wash the fish heads thoroughly, remove the gills, and cut off the fins. No small bits or blood clots should be left in the heads, since they can really cloud the broth.
Step 3:

Put the fish heads, a whole peeled onion, and the allspice peppercorns in a pot.
Step 4:

Cover with cold water and set over low heat.
Step 5:

Peel the carrot and cut it into small cubes or grate it on the coarse side.
Step 6:

Peel and dice the potatoes.
Step 7:

Bring to a boil. Simmer over low heat for 40 minutes, skimming the foam off the surface now and then. When it's done, take out the onion and discard it.
Step 8:

Take the fish heads out of the broth and pick them apart, separating the meat from the bones.
Step 9:

Strain the broth and return it to the heat. Bring to a boil.
Step 10:

Add the potatoes and carrot. Cook over medium heat for about 15 minutes, until the potatoes are done.
Step 11:

Add the chopped fish and the bay leaf. Salt the ukha. Cook for another 10 minutes. If you like, you can add a small pat of butter to the pot at the end, but I felt the soup was rich enough as it was.
Step 12:

Once the cooking time is up, turn off the heat, cover the pot, and let the ukha steep for about 10 to 15 minutes.
Step 13:

Ladle the ukha into bowls and serve. Enjoy!

You need to choose the fish for ukha properly, even when it's just the head. If you don't have a supplier who brings in freshly caught fish you can trust, and you're picking it out at the store, it's very important to look for: salmon's eyes should be clear — cloudy lenses mean the fish is past its prime; the gills should be red — if the color is duller, closer to brick, the product isn't fresh; the fat streaks in the flesh should be white — an orange tint means the carcass was soaked in dye.
If you like, add 1 to 2 tablespoons of vodka to the ukha right at the end. There isn't much meat in a head, so fish tails are usually added to ukha as well. That said, all the rich flavor of ukha is concentrated in the broth, and the fish heads handle that just fine.