Grate approximately 2 cups of carrots, dice about 1 and 1/4 cups of celery, quarter and thinly slice one yellow onion to yield about 1 cup, and trim and thinly slice one and 1/2 cups of leek.

Grate the fermented dill pickles until you have about 2 cups. Peel and cube around 2 Yukon Gold potatoes into 1/2-inch pieces. Mince or finely grate four cloves of garlic.

In a large Dutch oven, melt 3 tablespoons of unsalted butter over medium-high heat. Add the prepared vegetables and sauté for about 4 minutes until softened and fragrant.

Stir in the cubed potatoes and grated pickles, cooking for an additional 4 to 5 minutes.

Pour in 48 ounces of low-sodium chicken or vegetable broth along with 1 cup of dill pickle brine to taste. Add 2 bay leaves and 1/2 teaspoon of black pepper, bring to a boil, then simmer for 15–20 minutes.

Temper 1 cup of sour cream by whisking in a few spoonfuls of the warm broth. Stir the tempered sour cream back into the pot.

Add more pickle brine to taste and 2 teaspoons of distilled white or wine vinegar to brighten the soup. Serve garnished with a dollop of sour cream and fresh dill.