WHITE BARSZCZ ZUREK (SOUR BREAD SOUP)

WHITE BARSZCZ ZUREK (SOUR BREAD SOUP) image

Number Of Ingredients 21

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Ingredients

For the zakwas:
1/2 cup/115 g rye flour
1 or 2 crusts from rye bread (about 1 cup/225 g total)
2 garlic cloves, minced
2 cups/480 ml warm water
For the soup:
2 large onions, peeled, 1 halved and 1 coarsely chopped
1 large carrot, trimmed and peeled
1 large parsnip, trimmed and peeled
1/2 celery root, peeled
6 cups/1.4 L water
2 garlic cloves, chopped finely
1/4 lb/115 g bacon (3 to 4 strips), chopped
2 1/4 lb/1 kg white sausage, cut into chunks
1 bay leaf
3 allspice berries
1 tbsp dried marjoram
6 black peppercorns
1/4 cup/55 g grated white horseradish (jarred is fine)
1/2 cup/120 ml light cream
Crusty brown bread for serving (optional)

Steps:

To make the zakwas: Place all of the ingredients in a large storage jar (a 1-qt/960-ml size will do) with a hermetically sealing top (such as you would use for preserving fruit). Leave the jar in a warm place-on a windowsill or in a cupboard-for 4 to 5 days. Open the jar, remove any mold or green bits that might have accumulated on top, and strain. The remaining sour, fermented liquid is the zakwas. You will have about 2 cups/480 ml for the soup. Set aside. To make the soup: Place the sliced onion halves, carrot, parsnip, and celery root in a large saucepan with the water. Bring to a boil, lower the heat, and simmer, uncovered, for 40 minutes or so. Strain the broth and discard the veggies. In a soup pot, fry together the chopped onion, garlic, bacon, and sausage over medium-high heat until all are lightly browned. Add the strained vegetable broth, bay leaf, allspice, marjoram, peppercorns, & horseradish. Bring to a boil, reduce the heat & cook at a low boil for 20 minutes. Stir in the reserved zakwas & the cream. Raise the heat, & bring to a boil again. Remove the bay leaf & serve, preferably with crusty brown bread on the side. Intro. Cont: Żurek can be thin & delicate or hearty, with chunks of ham, sausage, and potatoes. The Easter version always contains "spicy white sausage" (same as bratwurst). Sometimes żurek is served with hard-boiled egg. But it is always sour, salty & creamy at the same time, which makes it unlike almost anything else. Our version is on the lighter side, & cheats somewhat by making a vegetable broth during the cooking process instead of using plain water. We also like the spiciness of horseradish here $ prefer sausage to egg. Use Polish kielbasa or bratwurst if you can get it, but if not, there are many lightly spiced chicken, veal, or pork sausages that would work here. They don't have to be precooked, as they will be boiled in the soup.