4 tablespoons bacon fat, goose fat, butter or cooking oil
1 small onion, chopped
1 large stalk celery, chopped
6 �half-sour� pickles, sliced into 1/8- to 1/4-in. rounds*
2 very large baking potatoes, scrubbed but not peeled, diced into 1/2-in. cubes
2 quarts (4 16-oz. cans) chicken broth
1 teaspoon dried dill weed, or 1 tablespoon chopped fresh dill
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly-ground black pepper
sour cream (optional)

Over medium heat, melt the fat in a Dutch oven or large pot. Add onion and celery and fry, stirring occasionally, until the onion is wilted and starting to brown. Add pickles, potatoes, dill, salt, pepper and broth. Raise heat to high, bring to a boil. Cover, lower heat, and simmer for about 45 minutes. Serve very hot. If you like, you may garnish each serving with sour cream.

Makes about 3 quarts.

- Josephus Rex Imperator