South Bohemian dill and sour cream potato soup with poached egg (Kulajda)

1. Peel the potatoes and cut into 1 cm dice; clean and slice the mushrooms (wild mushrooms – porcini, chanterelles – are the most authentic if you can get them).

2. Put the potatoes in a pan with the water, caraway and salt, bring to the boil and cook for 10 minutes. Add the mushrooms and cook for another 10 minutes until the potatoes are tender.

3. Whisk the sour cream with the cream and flour until smooth, temper with a ladleful of hot soup, then pour into the soup, stirring constantly; cook for 5 minutes until creamy and thickened.

4. Season with the vinegar for a gentle tang and with pepper, and stir in the freshly chopped dill.

5. Crack the eggs one at a time into a cup and poach them in gently simmering, lightly acidulated water for 3-4 minutes (the yolks should stay runny); lift out with a slotted spoon.

6. Ladle the soup into deep bowls and slide a poached egg into each; serve with fresh bread.

Tip: Kulajda is the soup of South Bohemia's forested countryside: the trio of wild mushrooms, dill and tangy sour cream gives it its character; instead of poached eggs, sliced hard-boiled eggs can go in too.