Rassolnik - tart sorrel soup with kidneys

6 servings

Ingredients

Quantity Ingredient
1 medium Dill pickle
6 tablespoons Butter
1 cup Onion; thinly sliced
½ cup Celery; finely chopped
1 cup Parsley; finely chopped
2 pounds Sorrel leaves, fresh, stripped from stems, washed & finely chopped
½ pounds Spinach leaves, fresh, stripped from stems, washed & coarsely chopped
2 teaspoons Salt
Black pepper; freshly ground
2 quarts Beef stock, fresh or canned
1 pounds Veal or lamb kidneys, well trimmed of fat
½ cup Flour
2 tablespoons Vegetable oil
1 Egg yolk
2 cups Sour cream; optional

Directions

Recipe by: Recipes: Russian Cooking - Foods of the World - Time-Life Cut the pickle in half lengthwise and run a small spoon down its length to remove the seeds and pulp. Place the seeds and pulp in a fine sieve set over a small bowl and press them firmly with a back of a spoon to extract all their juices before throwing them away. Set the juices aside, and chop the pickle as finely as possible. Melt 4 Tbs of butter in a 3- to 4-qt casserole over moderate heat. When the foam has almost subsided, stir in the onions and celery and cover the pan. Reduce the heat to low and simmer gently for at least 10 mins, or until the onions are soft but not brown. Add the pickle, parsley, sorrel and spinach and stir in the salt and a few grindings of pepper. Pour in the beef stock, stir, and bring to a boil over high heat. The reduce heat to low, partially cover the pan, and simmer about 20 mins.

While the soup is simmering, prepare the kidneys. With a small, sharp knife cut away their knobs of fat and slice the kidneys crosswiae into pieces ½ inch thick. Dip the slices in the flour one at a time and shake them vigorously to rid them of any excess flour. Heat the remaining 2 Tbs of butter and the 2 Tbs of oil in a heavy 10- to 12-inch skillet set over high heat. When the fat begins to turn light brown, add the kidneys. Stirring frequently, fry them briskly until they are lightly browned (lamb kidneys- 2 to 3 mins each side, veal- 4 to 5 mins). Do not overcook. With a slotted spoon, transfer the kidneys to the simmering soup. Pour off the fat in the skillet and in its place add 1 cup of the soup. Bring to a boil, meanwhile scraping into it any browned bits clinging to the bottom of the pan. Pour the mixture into the soup and stir in the pickle juice. In a mixing bowl, beat the egg yolk lightly with a fork. Slowly beat in 1 cup of hot soup, then pour the egg mixture slowly into the casserole, stirring constantly. Simmer a moment or two without letting it to a boil.

Taste for seasoning, then serve the rassolnik directly from the cassrole or in a large tureen.

You may either stir the sour cream into the soup directly before serving it or present it in a separate bowl to be added to each serving at the table.

from my kitchen to------------------------------->yours..... Dan Klepach

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