Czech dill soup with potato and egg

Dill soup starts with the potatoes. Peel the potatoes, cut them into cubes and put them in a pot with vegetable broth. Bring to a boil and cook for about 15 minutes, until the potatoes are soft and easily pierced with a fork.

Meanwhile boil the eggs hard, about ten minutes, then cool them in cold water and peel. Fresh eggs peel less easily, so use ones a few days older. Cut them into quarters. Rinse the dill, pat it dry and chop it finely.

In a cup, stir the sour cream with the flour until smooth. Temper the cream to room temperature first, cold cream could curdle in the hot soup. Pour in a little hot soup, return everything to the pot and simmer while stirring, until it thickens and no lumps remain.

Season with salt, pepper, sugar and vinegar to a balanced sweet-and-sour taste. Adjust the balance gradually to your liking, some prefer a sharper vinegar. Stir in the chopped dill and let it bubble for another minute so the flavours come together.

Ladle into bowls, adding quarters of egg and a knob of butter to each, which melts in the heat. Serve hot with a slice of fresh bread or a homemade roll, so there is something to wipe the plate.