Heilich Pennsylfaanisch Reich

Polish Pickle Soup

Zupa Ogórkowa - a cucumber soup utilizing the leftover brine, potatoes, and cream. Similar soups are found in other western/eastern Slavic and Baltic cooking. I like to add sausage to this one, but I don't believe it is traditional.

It's very important not to curdle any cream you add to the soup. It needs to be tempered to the soup's temperature before being added. Introduce small portions of the soup to the cream, stiring vigorously, until tempered, and then add all of it back into the main pot of soup.

Ingredients

  • 6 cup chicken broth/stock
  • 2 lb potatoes (bite size cubes)
  • 2 large carrots (bite size pieces)
  • 1 shallot (diced)
  • 1-2 leeks (thinly sliced)
  • 1 lb (or more) smoked sausage (kielbasa, andouille, dry chorizo, etc) (halved and sliced) (optional)
  • 1 rib of celery (halved/quartered and sliced)
  • 6 decent sized dill pickles (shreddred or diced)
  • 3/4 cup dill pickle juice
  • 1 cup sour cream
  • fresh dill weed (optional)

Instructions

  1. In a large pot, bring broth to a boil. Add vegetables and sausage.
  2. Reduce heat and simmer for 20 minutes.
  3. Add pickles and pickle juice and combine well.
  4. Temper the sour cream, and add it into the soup (see above)
  5. Serve, optionally garnishing with fresh dill.