2    Carrots
2    Parsnips
2 md Onions
1 sm Celery knob
1 ts Salt
2    Bay leaves
5    Peppercorns, black
1 tb Butter, unsalted
1 tb Flour, all-purpose
1 pn Paprika
1/2 lb Fish fillet; small pieces
1    Fish head
1 lb Spawn (fish roe)
2 tb Vinegar, wine, white
1/4 c  Sour cream

Peel vegetables and cut into small pieces, and together with salt, bay
leaves and peppercorns cook them in 2 qts water till they are almost soft.
Make a roux with butter and flour, cook for only a few minutes, leaving
it very light. Add paprika and whip 1/2 cup cold water into the roux.
Pour roux into the vegetable mixture and bring again to a boil. Reduce
heat to a simmer.
Add fish pieces and fish head, and simmer soup for 10 minutes. Add spawn
and cook for another 5 minutes.
Pour in the vinegar; just before serving stir in the sour cream. Adjust
salt and vinegar to your taste.
Note: During Lent most Hungarians eat a lot of fish. There are almost
always little bits of fish meat, bones and heads left over and thats when
this soup would be a good beginning for a Lenten meal.