Solyanka

Thinly slice the onion and cut the sour dill pickles into thin strips. Use sour pickles, not sweet ones. Soften the onion in the butter for 8 minutes, then stir in the tomato paste and cook for 3 minutes until it darkens.

Add the pickles and cook for 5 minutes more — frying the pickles is what gives solyanka its depth.

Pour in the stock and the pickle brine, add the bay leaves and bring to a simmer.

Cut the smoked sausage, ham, frankfurters and cooked beef into strips and brown them briefly in a separate pan, then add them to the pot.

Simmer gently for 20 minutes.

Add the olives, stoned if necessary, and the capers and simmer 5 minutes more. Taste before adding any salt — between the brine, capers and cured meats there is usually plenty — and season only if it needs it.

Slice the lemon and chop the dill. Serve with a slice of lemon in each bowl, a spoonful of soured cream and the dill.