Russia
Dish
A pickle soup?! This recipe is for Russians or and traditionally pregnant ladies. However, if you’ve never heard of such a bizarre concept as a pickle soup. If you’re Russian, you probably grew up eating this soup, and don’t see anything unusual about it but if you’re not accustomed to it give it a try. Rassolnik is very comforting as it has potatoes and creamy barley in it, but it also doesn’t taste heavy at all, the pickles give it a really unusual twist.
Ingredients
- 8-10 cups chicken stock (you can also use beef, pork or vegetable broth)
- ½ cup cooked meat, chicken, beef, pork (optional, save from Sunday roast)
- 2-3 potatoes, peeled and cut into small pieces
- ¼ cup pearled barley
- ½ Tablespoon butter
- 1 onion, minced
- 1 carrot, shredded
- 1 cup finely chopped pickles ( gherkins or cornichons )
- salt, pepper
Method
- Bring the chicken broth to a boil.
- Add the potatoes and barley to the soup. Reduce the heat to a simmer and keep the soup covered as it cooks.
- Meanwhile, heat ½ Tablespoon of butter in a skillet. Add the onion and carrot. Season with salt and pepper. Cook for about 5 minutes, until they are softened. Add to the soup.
- Shred the pickles on a box grater and add to the soup. You can also add a bit of the pickling brine to the soup. It gives the soup a nice zip.
- Cook for 30-40 minutes, until the potatoes and barley are cooked through. Season with salt and pepper, if needed.