Parcha bozbash - lamb soup w/ chestnuts, quince,& prunes

4 servings

Ingredients

Quantity Ingredient
1 pounds Boneless lean lamb
; cut in 1\" cubes
Salt to taste
Freshly ground black pepper
; to taste
3 tablespoons Butter
1 medium Onion, finely chopped
4 cups Beef broth
1 medium Potato, peeled and cubed
1 small Quince
; peeled, cored, and cubed
½ cup Dried pitted prunes
OR 1 c fresh sour prunes
¼ pounds Chestnuts, shelled & peeled
⅔ cup Canned chick-peas*
; drained & rinsed
2 tablespoons Clarified butter

Directions

Season the lamb with salt and pepper. In a heavy pot, melt the 3 tb.

butter over moderate heat. Add the lamb and onion; saute until browned, stirring frequently. Add the broth; season to taste with salt. Cover; simmer 30 minutes. Add the potato, quince, prunes, and chestnuts. Cover; simmer 20 minutes. Add the chick-peas and simmer, covered, about 15 minutes or until done. Stir in the clarified butter and allow to melt before serving soup. Note: ¼ tsp. ginger or a pinch of powdered saffron dissolved in 2 tb. warm water may be added with the chick-peas, and the soup served sprinkled with 1 ts. crushed dried mint, accompanied by chopped onion and sumakh on the side. In the Caucasus, ground kyurdyuk is normally used instead of the clarified butter, and dried chick-peas* rather than canned ones. The dried chick-peas are soaked several hours, drained, and added at the beginning with the broth. Note: Sumakh (labelled as sumac, a spice mixture) at Middle Eastern groceries. Submitted By DON HOUSTON On 07-16-95

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