Sour Cucumber Soup

Peel and dice the potatoes into small, even cubes, then place them in a pot of salted water and bring to a boil. Cook the potatoes until just tender, about 15 minutes, then drain and set aside, reserving the cooking water.

In a separate large pot, melt the butter over medium heat. Whisk in the flour to form a smooth roux and cook for 1-2 minutes, stirring constantly, until lightly golden.

Gradually pour the reserved potato cooking water into the roux, whisking continuously to prevent lumps. Bring the mixture to a gentle simmer to form a light, clear broth base.

Add the brine from the pickled or brined cucumbers to the broth, stirring well to incorporate the sour liquid. Taste the broth and adjust the amount of brine to achieve the desired level of tanginess.

Grate or finely chop the pickled cucumbers and add them directly to the simmering broth. Allow the soup to cook gently for 5 minutes so the cucumber flavor fully infuses the broth.

Add the cooked potato cubes back into the soup and stir gently to combine. Simmer the soup for an additional 5 minutes until everything is heated through.

Remove the pot from the heat and stir in the sour cream, mixing thoroughly until fully blended and the soup has a smooth, creamy consistency. Avoid boiling after adding sour cream to prevent curdling.

Season the soup generously with salt and pepper to taste, then ladle into bowls and serve hot. Optionally garnish with fresh dill or a small dollop of sour cream.