Tag: soup

Hungarian summer bean soup with dill

I love summer. It looks like there are so many vegetables finally ready to eat. I enjoy rhubarb too but there was not much else here in the Midwest for quite a while and now all of the sudden we have so many more to choose from. So ended up picking yellow beans for this week.

I’m presenting a simple Hungarian yellow bean soup recipe that many Hungarians know how to make but I added my little twist to it. I like reading about foods and experimenting with them. So I was reading that Hungarian cuisine was a little bit different when Hungarians lived in Asia. Over the years they lost some of the ingredients and picked up new ones. So I had the idea why not add chickpeas and curry to this bean soup. Who knows maybe our ancestors made the soup like this back wherever they came from ?!?

The sweet yellow bean is nutritious and is high in fiber but really is not the most exciting vegetable. The real flavor IMO comes from the seasoning especially from the dill. Dill is a unique sweet plant that gives the zesty, tangy flavor with slightly bitter undertones. It helps digestion and calms the mind. Also, adding the sour cream or yogurt is a must at the end … and then you get a pleasant sweet and sour soup.

As I have mentioned I added chickpeas to the dish. If you look at a chickpea, you can see it resembles the heart and is considered to be beneficial for the heart. It is a good source of iron and unsaturated fats.

I often make this soup more of an entree by adding an egg or other protein. It is very filling this way, for sure. I just put the soup in a jar and take it with me in the summer. It is an instant lunch on the go for me. Oh yes and I get the stares from Hungarians … what is that dish?!? … lol.

RECIPE

Serves 4 people

This is my recipe so please don’t publish without proper citation.

Ingredients

  • 1 lb of yellow beans
  • oil (vegetable, lard)
  • 1 medium size onion, chopped
  • 1 tsp of sweet Hungarian paprika (make sure it is authentic)
  • 1 tsp curry powder
  • 1 chopped large tomato
  • vegetable or meat stock (I used pea shells)
  • 3 carrots, thinly sliced
  • 1 zucchini, optional
  • 1-3 bay leaves
  • 1 yellow pepper, optional
  • handful of dill, chopped
  • 2 Tbsp white vinegar
  • 1 cup dried or 1 can of chickpeas (14 oz)
  • salt and black pepper
  • red pepper to taste
  • sour cream or yogurt to garnish

Directions

  • Clean and soak the chickpeas overnight or for at least 8 hours. Remove the soaking liquid and discard. Add fresh cold water and cook for 3 hours. A pressure cooker would greatly reduce the cooking time. (Omit if using canned chickpeas).
  • Making the soup base: Saute the onion in some oil for 5 minutes or until translucent. Add garlic, paprika and curry powder, mix and after 1 minute add the chopped tomato. Mix and cook for about 5- 10 minutes or until tomato has cooked into a sauce.
  • Wash the yellow beans. Cut the ends off on both sides and discard. Cut them up into 1 inch pieces. Clean and cut the carrots. Oh and I almost forgot I like to put in zucchini too. So wash and cut zucchini into about 1 inch pieces.
  • Add the cut up yellow beans, carrot slices, bay leaves, zucchini and the stock. I like to add a yellow pepper for flavoring or at least its seed house. Cook for about 30 -45 minutes or until the beans are soft. Remove the pepper and bay leaves.
  • Add the cooked or canned chickpeas with its liquid and the white vinegar.
  • Salt and pepper to taste. Add the red chili pepper if desired.
  • Serve hot with chopped dill and sour cream/yogurt.

enjoy!

Recipe, text and photos by twincitiesherbs.com

Hungarian egg-drop soup (tojásleves)

Hello, I’m writing this post from voluntary quarantine. My recipe may be helpful for getting through these difficult times although I normally make it quite often. It is very simple, tasty and nourishing as the main ingredients are eggs, caraway seeds and broth. It is the Hungarian version of the hot and sour soup. It can be served with semolina croutons or any bread croutons that you can buy in stores.

RECIPE

INGREDIENTS

  • 4 cup broth (vegetarian or chicken) or water
  • oil (vegetable or lard)
  • 1 smaller onion, finally chopped
  • 1 tsp Hungarian sweet paprika
  • 1 bay leaf
  • 1 Tbsp caraway seeds
  • 2 egg yolks
  • 1 Tbsp vinegar
  • about 1 cup of semolina flour + 2 eggs or bread croutons
  • dehydrated vegetable seasoning (optional)
  • parsley, chopped
  • Hot pepper to taste

DIRECTIONS FOR THE SOUP

  • Have 1/4 cup of cold water ready
  • Sauté the onion in a medium sized pot until translucent.
  • Add 1 Tbsp flour to make the roux. Stir for 3 minute or until it turns a beautiful orange color.
  • Add 1 tsp paprika and stir for 1 minute.
  • Add the water that was set aside from the first step, stir well.
  • Add stock, bay leaves, and caraway seeds. Bring to a boil and cook for 20 minutes covered.
  • Turn off the heat.
  • Separate 2 eggs. In a small bowl, lightly beat the yolks. Add a small amount of liquid from the soup, mix. Slowly add to the soup while stirring the soup in a circular motion. You can use the egg white for something else.
  • Add vinegar and dehydrated vegetable seasoning (optional)
  • Season with salt, black pepper and hot red pepper to taste.
  • Serve hot with semolina croutons or bread croutons.

DIRECTIONS FOR THE SEMOLINA CROUTONS (optional)

  • Lightly beat 2 eggs. Add 1/2 tsp salt, 1 Tbsp oil.
  • Add about 1 cup of semolina flour or as much what the eggs takes up. You should get a dough that is dry enough so you can pick it it up and make it into a circular shape. Make sure you don’t add too much because it will be too dry.
  • If possible let it sit for 1 hour.
  • Pan fry this dough in a lightly oiled frying pan on both sides until golden brown.
  • Take out of frying pan and cut up into small squares.

Enjoy!

SOURCE

Recipe, text and photo by twincitiesherbs.com.

Soup with sauerkraut, potatoes and beans (Jota)

In the summer when we were hiking in the Julian Alps in Slovenia, we found a quaint little restaurant that served simple and very tasty dishes. When we went hiking, we treated ourselves to a delicious lunch every time. Here, I found this interesting soup with sauerkraut, potatoes and beans.

Jota, the Slovenian soup with sauerkraut, potatoes and beans is just a simple dish that can warm your body and soul on a cold winter night or a cool, rainy day in the mountains in the summer.

RECIPE

Ingredients

  • oil
  • 1 large onion, diced
  • 2 strips of bacon
  • 2 cloves of garlic clove, crushed
  • 1 tsp of sweet paprika powder (optional)
  • 1 tsp caraway seeds, 2 bay leaves, 1 Tbsp black peppercorns (optional)
  • 2 cups of uncooked kidney beans or 30 oz canned kidney beans
  • meat stock
  • 1 fresh tomato, diced or canned
  • 1 tbsp tomato paste
  • 1 pound potatoes (diced)
  • 1 pound sauerkraut (drained and rinsed)
  • 1 heaping Tbsp of flour
  • sour cream
  • salt and pepper to taste
  • eggs or sausage
twincitiesherbs.com

Method

  • Clean and soak the beans overnight or for at least 8 hours. Rinse soaking water off. Add fresh cold filtered water, bayleaves and cook the beans for 1.5 hour or until soft but not mushy. Set aside.
  • In a large pot, sauté onion and bacon for 10 minutes. Add paprika, stir and add garlic, stir. Add a tomatoes, tomato paste, stir and cook for 10 minutes. Drain and rinse sauerkraut. Add potatoes, sauerkraut, caraway seeds, bay leaves, pork and stock. Bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer, uncovered and stirring occasionally, for at least 30 minutes or until potatoes and sauerkraut are very tender and the mixture is thick.
  • At the end, in a small bowl put 1 Tbsp of flour, mix it with some cooking liquid until smooth. Add into soup and cook for 5- 10 minutes.
  • If you like your soup to have a thicker consistency, you can take out the potatoes and put them in a blender with some of the cooking liquid.
  • Add the cooked beans with some of its liquid and warm up the pot so the beans are warm. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
  • Serve with bread, sour cream, eggs/sausage.
  • This can be served right away but will taste better the next day or even just a few days later.
The menu

enjoy!

Photos and text by twincitiesherbs.

White black bean chili soup

-can be vegetarian

This tasty soup is a fun twist to the regular chili soup. The difference is that the beef is replaced with turkey or chicken and the chili beans are replaced with white or black beans but otherwise it is very similar to the well known beef chili soup. Of course, you can add all your favorite ingredients that you would otherwise add to a chili soup.

The biggest change in the recipe is the meat. Many people prefer the lighter turkey or chicken meat. The chicken or turkey is very nice here, the thigh gives more flavor and is cheaper but the breast would work well too.

Perhaps it would be more accurate to call this soup black and white chili soup. The white makes sense with the white meat but I used black beans instead of white beans because I think it has more flavor. Of course, you can use either.

I decided to post this recipe now because beans especially black beans are great in the winter. The warming black beans have a sweet flavor and nourish the kidneys. They are antibacterial, anti-parasitic, detoxifying and have high levels of disease fighting antioxidants, numerous vitamins and minerals, protein and fiber. In addition, it has heart, skin protecting and anti-cancer properties. It also improves digestion and is great for overall health. It is native to the Americas and have been used for thousands of years. No wonder the natives ate it with almost every meal.

I like to make up my own chili spice, please follow the recipe below or buy it in a store already made.

You can experiment with the vegetables of course, I added corn, carrots and green beans. In the summer, I like to add zucchini too. But please feel free to add whatever you would like.

Vegetarian readers might be wondering if this soup could be made vegetarian. The answer is yes! – you can take out the meat and just use vegetarian stock and I also added eggs. I have made it without meat, it is tasty.

Surprise your guests at a party or just treat yourself. Honestly, we believe that this version is even tastier than the original soup.

RECIPE

Ingredients

  • 1 large onion
  • vegetable oil
  • 2 celery stalks, chopped
  • 3 medium sized carrots, sliced
  • 2 strips of bacon (optional)
  • 1 lb ground chicken or turkey thigh or breast
  • 2 large tomatoes or 29 oz canned chopped tomatoes
  • 5 tsp of chili seasoning (please see recipe below)
  • 2 garlic cloves
  • 8 cups chicken stock
  • 4 oz corn (frozen)
  • 8 oz vegetables. I used green beans. Also zucchini would be fine
  • 2 cups of uncooked black beans or 28 oz of canned beans
  • 1 jalapeño pepper, chopped
  • salt and pepper to taste
  • yellow cheddar cheese
  • chips
  • sour cream
  • cilantro

Chili seasoning ingredients

  • 1 Tbsp (3 tsp) chili powder
  • 2 tsp cumin powder
  • 1 tsp oregano
  • 1 tsp smoked paprika
  • 1 tsp coriander powder
  • 1/4 tsp cayenne pepper (optional)

Preparation

  • Wash and soak beans in cold water for 8 hours or overnight. Pour off the liquid and wash well. Add cold filtered water and cook for 2 hours or until soft but not falling apart. Omit if using canned beans. The home-made beans are well worth the extra effort though, they taste so much better.
  • Make the stock. Omit if using ready made stock.
  • Heat oil in a large pot with a large surface area. Sauté the chopped onion for 5 minutes. Mix. Add the celery. Sauté for 10 more minutes.
  • Render the bacon.
  • Add the chili seasoning and the crushed garlic cloves for 1 minute. Stir.
  • Quickly add the tomatoes, stir. Cook for about 10 minutes or until the tomatoes make a nice sauce.
  • Add the carrots, vegetables and jalapeño pepper. Add enough stock so the liquid covers the soup well. Cook for 1 hour or until the carrots are soft.
  • Add the black beans with its liquid and more stock if needed to cover everything.
  • Season with salt and pepper to taste.
  • Serve hot with sour cream, chips, cilantro.

enjoy!

Text and photo by Twinctiesherbs.

Potato leek soup with kale

The combination of the leeks, potatoes and kale is magical. The synergy of all these vegetables creates the soup’s unique flavor. The pungent leeks pair nicely with the neutral potatoes and the bitter kale brings all the ingredients together. It can be served with or without sausages. This simple tasty soup quickly became a family favorite and the recipe stayed in our recipe box.

Leeks (allium porrum) have been used for thousands of years but have been kind of forgotten in the United States. They belong to the allium family like onions and garlic and are considered to be very good for health. They are mild but have a unique flavor. Leeks have cardiovascular protecting properties, are antiviral and bacterial and help combat the dangerous free radicals. Also, they help the body against cancer and chronic diseases. Not to mention, they are a significant source of vitamins A, B and K, folic acid, niacin, riboflavin, magnesium and thiamin. In natural medicine, they are also used for lung problems. The leeks are available between the early fall and early winter.

The leeks are paired with potatoes (solarium tuberasum). The healthy potatoes are native to the Andes in South America and help the digestion, lubricate the intestines and nourish the kidneys. Furthermore, potatoes neutralize acids in the body thereby helping against so many degenerative diseases. Also, they give cardiovascular protection, improve bone health and protect against cancer. If these were not enough, they also contain potassium, iron, niacin, phosphorus, calcium, zinc and magnesium.

Out of all these vegetables, kale (Brassica oleracea) gives the most interesting flavor to the soup. It is a unique hardy cold-weather green that grows from the fall until the early spring. It gets sweeter with a touch of frost. It is a valuable vegetable in the fall and the winter especially because there isn’t much else growing. It is more warming with a slight bitter pungent flavor and benefits the stomach and the lungs. It also contains calcium, iron, and vitamin A and has a very high chlorophyll content.

TIPS

  • Never bring the soup to a full, rolling boil! Turn soup down right when it starts bubbling but before it starts to boil. Cook slowly for a half hour.
  • Add enough liquid to barely cover the vegetables. A few vegetables can even be ‘peaking’ out. Once the soup is done, you can add more liquids.
  • These are my personal discoveries. I keep getting excellent results every time I cook the soup this way or don’t get if I don’t follow these suggestions.
  • Russet or Yukon potatoes? I can’t decide which type of potato I like more. The Russet potatoes are softer and are milder in flavor and supposedly is preferred for this soup traditionally. The Yukon potatoes that holds their shape better and have more flavor. Your choice!

RECIPE

Serves 4 people

INGREDIENTS

  • 8 medium sized Russet or Yukon potatoes (about 1.5-2 pounds)
  • 3 medium sized leeks, peeled and sliced
  • butter or home-made ghee (I prefer ghee because it doesn’t burn easily like butter).
  • 2 large slices of bacon or to taste (optional)
  • stock (vegetable or chicken)
  • 1 Italian sausage (optional)
  • 1 tsp paprika powder
  • 1/2 tsp of fennel seeds
  • 1-3 thyme sprigs
  • 2 dried bay leaves
  • couple of stems of kale to taste (I used 5)
  • 1/2-1 cup of cream
  • salt and freshly ground pepper
  • crushed hot red pepper flakes to taste
  • Parmesan cheese

DIRECTIONS

  • Wash and slice up leeks. Slice leeks thin with a sharp knife. Use more the white part (cook the greenish part in the stock or discard). Put the sliced leeks in a bowl of cold water for 1/2 hour. This will get all the dirt out of the leeks. Clean well. Strain the liquid using a colander or pat dry.
  • If you decide to keep the peel on the potatoes, clean and soak potatoes in some cold water for 1/2 hour. Scrub off any dirt. If you decide to peel potatoes, you can skip this step. Slice the potatoes thin.
  • Sauté leek slices in some butter or ghee for 5-10 minutes or until you can smell the aroma of the leeks. Add 1 tsp of paprika and fennel seeds to activate for 1 minute and stir. Add 1/4 tsp cold water, stir.
  • Fry up some sliced bacon if you decide to use it.
  • Add potatoes and bacon to the leeks. Pour in the stock enough to barely cover the vegetables. Add the thyme and bay leaves. Start heating the soup carefully until it starts gently boiling but not rapidly boiling. Quickly, turn the heat down and slowly cook for 30 minutes covered or until the potatoes are cooked.
  • Meanwhile cook the sausage for 15 minutes in a little oil. Add to the soup at the end.
  • Clean and take stems off the kale. Cut the leaves up into bite sizes.
  • When soup is done, add the kale. It doesn’t need to cook any longer.
  • Add cream, salt, black pepper, hot red pepper flakes.
  • Serve with a little Parmesan cheese.

enjoy!

Sources

https://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2014/02/08/leeks-benefits.aspx

https://healthbenefitstimes.com/potatoes

Paul Pitchford: Healing with Whole Foods

Recipe, photo and text by twincitiesherbs.com.

Butternut squash soup with a Midwestern flare

As the fall season is arriving, I feel like a little squirrel trying to get ready for the colder months: eating the great variety of fruits and vegetables, storing up foods, making last minute repairs and just mentally getting ready. By now we are aware that summer is gone and a new season is coming with all its beauty and challenges. It was the Autumnal Equinox a couple of days ago, when the days and nights are equal and from now on the days are going to get shorter and colder as well.

Warm up to the fall with this delicious squash soup. My recipe is made with a little Midwestern twist. I added wild rice, a Midwestern staple but it can be served with some hearty bread like rye bread instead. I enjoy squashes in all shapes and forms. Many of us think of squashes when we hear the word fall cooking so I will start off my fall recipe collection with a squash dish.

The warming sweet butternut squash is simmered with the white onion, garlic, potatoes and is balanced with the bitter celery root and the lovely pungent spices. At the end, it is topped with cream and the sweet almond slivers for a bit of crunchiness.

RECIPE

Ingredients

  • 1 medium sized butternut squash- about 3 lbs
  • 1 medium sized Russet potato, peeled and cut into cubes
  • 1 finally chopped large onion, white is the best
  • vegetable oil (sunflower)
  • 2 slices of smoked bacon (optional)
  • 1 Tbsp fresh ginger, about 1 inch long
  • 1 tsp of sweet Hungarian paprika (make sure it is authentic)
  • 1 smaller celery root, peeled and chopped up into 4 pieces
  • 5 cup stock (vegetable or chicken)
  • 2 garlic cloves, crushed
  • 1/4 tsp freshly ground nutmeg
  • 1 thyme spring
  • 1 tsp salt or to taste
  • 1/4 cup of heavy cream
  • freshly ground black pepper
  • red hot pepper to taste
  • 1 cup of almond slivers
  • 1 cup of uncooked wild rice or rye bread to serve

Directions

Preparing the squash. Peel and cut squash lengthwise, take out the seeds. Cut them into cubes. Warm up some oil on medium high heat and brown the cubes for a good 10-15 minutes.

Make the soup base. Have 1/2 cup of cold water ready. Warm up the oil. Sauté the onion, and the bacon(optional). When translucent and you can smell the aroma of the the onions and the bacon, add the chopped ginger for a few minutes, stir. Add the crushed garlic and 1 tsp paprika, stir for 30 seconds to activate. Add the little cold water that you had set aside earlier, stir.

Put the browned squash, potatoes, thyme spring, the freshly ground nutmeg and the celery root in the pot. Add the stock, enough to cover by about 1 inch above everything and cook for 30 minutes.

Cooking the wild rice (optional). Cook 1 cup of wild rice with 3 cups of water, partially covered for about 20 minutes or until the rice is soft and crunchy.

Roast the almond slivers. Preheat the oven to 350 F. Lightly oil a baking sheet and spread the almond pieces evenly on the sheet. Bake for 5 minutes. Be careful not to burn it. Serve on top of the soup.

When ready, let the soup cool for about 10 – 20 minutes. Add the cream and black pepper. Stir.

If you want the soup to be a little chunky, set aside about 20% of the cooked squash pieces. Use a hand held blender and puree the rest of the soup. Make sure you blend the celery chunks. Transfer the whole pieces back to the rest of the pureed soup. (If you prefer a smooth soup, just puree everything).

Check to see if more salt, black pepper, red hot pepper are needed.

Serve with wild rice/bread and the almond slivers.

enjoy!

Recipe, photo and text by twincitiesherbs.com.

Hungarian sour cherry soup (meggyleves)

When I was a little girl I used to go to the farmers’ market with my grandmother to sell her goods. I was in charge of the fruits. Whatever I was able to pick the day before, I could sell. I loved climbing up the tree and picking the fruits. We took the train to the nearest town where the market was. So of course I sold the cherries and the sour cherries too. I remember I used to wonder though why the heck people got so excited about sour cherries, why not just buy the delicious sweet cherries. Well, try this soup and you will understand too :).

Honestly, nothing tastes as good as a bowl of cold sour cherry soup on a hot day. Sour cherry soup is popular in many Central European countries. I added a small amount of ginger, cloves and cinnamon to offset the sweetness and sourness of the cherries and orange peel and salt to balance it out nicely. At the end, I thickened the soup with egg yolks. Oh and I added a bit of alcohol, more exactly white wine and brandy (pálinka). The alcohol content will boil away so no worries, kids can have it too. 

The main ingredient is the sour cherries. If you have a tree growing in your back yard, it is the best source for sure. I have seen it in health food stores, farmers’ markets and some specialty shops too but otherwise it will be most likely hard to get fresh. You can get frozen sour cherries, they will work well as long as they are tasty, of course. Also, you can use soft cherries too but the harder kind, the bing cherries will not work. I leave the pits in but take the stems off. In addition to the cherries, I like to add some goose berries or currents to the soup, too.

Enjoy some Hungarian folk music while you are having the soup … https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aiv06rzysaU

RECIPE

INGREDIENTS

  • 2 lb sour cherries or soft cherries (Please see note above).
  • 1 cup goose berries, currants (optional)
  • water
  • 1/2-1 cup sugar (depending on your taste)
  • 1 lemon, sliced
  • 1 Tbsp dried orange peel or 2 Tbsp dried
  • 1 Tbsp fresh ginger (chopped)
  • 1-3 whole cinnamon sticks
  • 3-5 pieces of cloves
  • 1-2 cup of white wine (Vermouth is fine)
  • water
  • 2 Tbsp of brandy (cherry would be ideal but others are fine too)
  • 1/8 tsp of salt
  • 2 egg yolks, lightly beaten
  • whipped cream for serving

DIRECTIONS

  • Wash the cherries.
  • Put them into a medium sized pot along with the sugar, orange peel and lemon slices. Add water, wine and brandy. (The liquid should be about 1-2 inches above the cherries).
  • Bring to a boil and cook for about 10 minutes on medium heat with the lid. Continue cooking as you add the cloves, cinnamon, ginger and and cook for 10 more minutes on low heat with the lid on. We add the ginger, cinnamon and cloves in later because they only need 10 minutes of cooking.
  • Turn off the heat and take the cover off. Wait for 5-10 minutes before adding the egg yolk to the soup.
  • Add the egg yolk. Mix the yolk with a little liquid from the soup. Stir in gently so it is mixed nicely in the soup.
  • Let the pot cool on the counter.
  • Chill the soup in the refrigerator overnight but at least for a couple of hours.
  • Take out the cinnamon sticks, lemon slices and cloves.
  • Serve cold with whipped cream.

enjoy!

Text, photos, recipe by twincitiesherbs.

Kohlrabi soup (karalábé leves)

Yes Kohlrabi soup! … a simple and tasty soup! I am vacationing at my parents’ house and rediscovering this interesting vegetable. My mom apparently used to make it when we were kids but somehow it didn’t get my attention back then. I do throw it into soups in the summer but have never thought of using it as a main ingredient. What an amazing soup with an interesting flavor.

Honestly, when I heard she made kohlrabi soup, I can’t believe but I actually told her that the kids will not eat it. Well, to my biggest surprise, my kids loved it and asked for seconds! So I think I can add, it is a kid friendly soup as well.

Kohlrabi (Brassica oleracea) is in the Brassica family as its Latin name also suggests and is related to cabbages, broccoli. Yes, they do look different but they are in the same family. Kohlrabi is popular in the Northern European countries. The word has a German origin and the Germans have brought it over to the US back in the 1800’s.

Kohlrabi is a cross between wild cabbages (kohl) and turnips (rabi). It has a distinct earthy, nutty flavor and is mildly sweet and pairs well with the sweet carrots. There are several varieties and can be purplish and white greenish in color. I personally like the purple ones for its beautiful vibrant color but there is no difference in flavor.

They tend to be ready late spring and early summer. If they are left on the vine too long, they get too big and woody. Try to pick them on time to avoid this as it can effect the flavor and also buy the smaller or medium sized ones avoiding the larger ones. The meaty part above the ground is used in general but the leaves are edible, too. In fact, the leaves have even more vitamins and minerals than the meaty part.

The recipe

Ingredients

  • oil (I used sunflower seed)
  • 1/4 cup of water
  • 2 medium sized kohlrabi or 4 smaller ones, shaved with a cheese grader
  • 1 medium sized carrot cut into long or circular pieces
  • 1 tsp curry powder or 1 tsp caraway seed, 1 tsp thyme, 1 tsp marjoram
  • 1 tsp Hungarian sweet paprika powder (make sure it is authentic)
  • 6 cup chicken or vegetable stock
  • 1/4 cup of millet or rice
  • croutons or twice baked bread pieces
  • parsley
  • salt to taste

Directions

  • Make the stock. Omit if you already have the stock.
  • Peel the kohlrabi and shave it on a grader, – this is my mom’s secret. She claims that the shaved pieces make this soup pleasant instead of cutting them into chunks. You can keep the leaves from the top and put them in the soup as well.
  • Peel the carrots and cut them into small pieces.
  • Satué the kohlrabi in a little oil for 5-10 minutes. Add the curry and the paprika in for about 20 seconds, stir and add a little cold water, stir. If you don’t use curry, you can add caraway seeds, thyme and marjoram here.
  • Add the carrots and the millet and cover well with the stock. Bring to a boil and cook on low heat for 20 minutes. (The millet needs 20 minutes to cook).
  • Serve hot with the croutons, parsley and hot pepper.

Enjoy!

Source:

https://www.hazipatika.com/taplalkozas/zoldseg_gyumolcs/cikkek/karalabe_az_eltekozolt_levelek/20080110163701?autorefreshed=1

Hungarian sugar snap pea soup (zöldborsó leves)

twincitiesherbs.com

We just celebrated the Summer Solstice and suitably sugar peas are ready!  When I can make pea soup, I know summer is here. So why is pea soup so special? We can buy frozen peas all year long. Yes, it is true but we cannot make Hungarian pea soup with frozen peas alone, we need the fresh shells as well. 

This soup brings back some very nice memories. My mother and my paternal grandmother also made it. We had it regularly in the summer. It is such a tasty soup, looks it a big favorite in my family now too. This nourishing soup is mildly sweet, filling and refreshing.

Unfortunately, these vegetables are becoming harder and harder to find. You will not be able to find them at supermarkets easily. However, they should be readily available at farmers’ markets and health food stores. Or just simply grow them in your garden. Again, the tastier your vegis are, the better your soup will be!

pea flower

RECIPE

Ingredients for the soup

  • 2 lbs of sugar snap peas with the shells, divided
  • oil (I like sunflower)
  • 1 tsp of sweet Hungarian paprika (make sure it is authentic)
  • 6 stalks of fresh carrots, sliced
  • 1-2 kohlrabies
  • 1 tsp of salt or to taste
  • parsley for serving
  • red hot pepper to taste (optional)
soup stock
dumplings

Ingredients for the dumplings (csipetke)

  • 1 large egg
  • 1/2 tsp of salt
  • 1/2 cup semolina or white wheat flour – possible a bit more
  • 1 tsp of oil

Directions

  • Start shelling the peas. Put the shells and the peas in separate bowls.
  • Wash the shells and put them into a larger pot. Add 3 stalks of carrots and 1 kohlrabi and enough water to cover all vegetables. Bring to a boil and cook on medium low heat for about 20 minutes.
  • Meanwhile, prepare the dumplings (csipetke). This can be a little tricky. Lightly whisk the egg, add the salt and the oil. Start slowly adding the flour, enough so a ball is formed. You don’t want it to fall apart in the soup but you also don’t want it to be hard as rock either. Try to find something in-between. The amount of flour really depends on how much the egg takes up. Once you find the right consistency, keep kneading it for about 5 minutes. Let the dough rise for 1 hour if possible. Set aside.
  • Have 1/4 cup of cold water ready for the soup.
  • Start preparing the soup. Heat the oil in a medium sized pot with a thicker bottom. When ready, put in the peas and stir. Sauté the peas for 5-10 minutes (the younger ones for less, the older ones longer). Make sure there is enough oil for the flour. Add 1 Tbsp flour and stir. This thickens the soup. Then in 5 minute you can add the paprika and stir. (This activates the paprika). In 1 minute add the cold water and stir making sure there are no lumps in the soup.
  • Add the pea shell stock made earlier. Make sure the solids are strained from the liquid.
  • Wash and scrape the outside of 3 carrots. Cut them up into bite sizes.
  • Peel the kohlrabi and cut it into small, bite sizes (optional).
  • Put the carrots and the kohlrabi in the soup.
  • Bring to a boil and cook on medium low heat for about 20-30 minutes.
  • While the soup is cooking, we will make the dumplings. Cut the dough (made earlier), into 6 long pieces and roll each to finger thickness. Each will make about a 6 inch long dough. With your thumb and index finger you can pinch a little piece off the dough or you can use a knife for this too. ‘Csipet’ means ‘pinch of’ in Hungarian hence where the name csipetke for this dumpling came from. When the soup is done, you can put the little dumpling pieces in the soup. They should be ready in a few minutes when they come up to the surface of the water.
  • Add the salt and red hot pepper to taste.
  • Serve hot with parsley.

enjoy!

Sources

George Lang: George Lang’s Cuisine of Hungary

Paul Pitchford: Healing with Whole Foods

Hot and sour burdock soup

Spring is here! In the Midwest, one of the first edible foods in nature is Burdock root. A great way to include burdock in your diet is to make a soup with the roots. Asian cooks rave about their burdock soups that they make in the spring. I’m presenting a delicious burdock root soup here that is inspired by Rosaleedela Foret’sblog. There is really nothing exotic about this soup, all the ingredients can be found here in the US.

We tend to eat heavier foods during the winter months but our body is ready to embark on something lighter and easier to digest. As we transition from the winter into spring, it is important to pay attention to our Liver. Heavy foods consumed during the winter might be burdening our livers that can lead to some health problems in the spring, like fevers and tiredness.Our body tends to cleanse itself naturally as we eat less in the spring. In addition, it is nice to add some bitter plants that aids the liver to accomplish this process. Our ancestors ate a lot of bitters in the spring. One of these spring bitters is burdock.

The burdock’s earthy, heavier flavor pairs nicely with the carrot’s sweet and light flavor. In addition to the bitter flavor, the liver also needs the sour flavor for support. It gets the sour flavor from this sour dish as well. This soup is a big favorite in our family, yes even the kids like it. Perhaps, it is because of its interesting, well balanced flavors. In fact, it has all five flavors: sweet, salty, bitter, sour, and pungent!

The main ingredient in this recipe is burdock root. If you are familiar with burdock, you can harvest it yourself. Otherwise, it might be difficult to get at the stores. If you don’t have it in your backyard, it is available at farmers’ markets, health food stores or also from Harmony Valley in Veroqua, WI.

Instructions for boiling the eggs

Make sure the eggs are at room temperature. Eggs straight out of the fridge need to warm up otherwise the cooking time needs to be changed.. You might have to experiment with the exact cooking time as there are many variables that can effect it. It should be somewhere between 7 and a half and 8 minutes for 1 egg and more for additional eggs. The eggs should be semi-hard on the outside and be ‘semi-runny’ in the middle.

RECIPE

4 servings

INGREDIENTS
  • 10 cup stock (vegetable or chicken, pork).
  • 1 cup burdock root, cut into match stick pieces
  • 2 cup carrots, peeled and cut into match stick pieces
  • 2 clove of garlic, chopped
  • 1 Tbsp of ginger, minced
  • 2 handfuls of mushrooms (like shiitake)
  • 3 Tbsp cornstarch mixed + 4 Tbsp of water
  • 4 Tbsp of rice or white vinegar
  • 2 lightly beaten egg yolks
  • 1 Tbsp sesame oil
  • 1 bunch scallions, chopped
  • salt to taste
  • soy sauce
  • 4 hard boiled eggs
  • hot red pepper or sriracha sauce (optional)
  • 1 pkg ramen noodles (I used HakuBaku Organic Ramen )

METHODS

  1. Bring stock to a boil.
  2. Add carrots, burdock roots, mushrooms, crushed garlic and ginger. After it boils, turn it down to low medium heat and cook for about 5 minutes covered.
  3. In a smaller bowl mix vinegar, the cornstarch and water. Add it to the soup and continue to simmer while stirring until the mixture is thickened, about 2 to 3 minutes.
  4. Turn off the heat and stir egg yolk in gently. Add sesame oil, salt and hot red pepper. Mix.
  5. Make hard boiled eggs. Make sure the eggs are at room temperature. Bring some water in a pot to a boil. Add the 4 eggs at room temperature. Boil them for 8 minutes. Take them out and put them into cold water. Peel the shells.
  6. Cooking the ramen noodles. In a medium sized pot, bring cold water to a boil and cook the noodles. according to its cooking instructions. Strain and discard water.
  7. Serve in a deep bowl. Add ramen noodles and eggs. Garnish with scallions and add soy sauce to taste.

Enjoy!

Sources:

Text and photo by Twincitiesherbs.