Pickle Soup (Ogórkowa Zupa)
Published: 01:02 PM,Feb 04,2023 | EDITED : 04:02 PM,Feb 04,2023
Pickle soup (Og
A Polish classic, pickle soup can be creamy or brothy, depending on how you like it. There are as many variations as there are Polish cooks, but the key component — sour dill pickles — is always present. Here, the pickles are grated, rather than chopped, and their brine is added along with them. You can add sour cream, but leaving it out lets the vegetables’ flavor shine.
Yield: 6 to 8 servings
Total time: 45 minutes
Ingredients:
6 to 8 cups vegetable or chicken stock
3 large carrots, peeled and coarsely grated
3 large russet potatoes, peeled and cut into 1/2-inch pieces
1 small celery root, peeled and cut into 1/2-inch pieces
1 medium parsnip, peeled and cut into 1/2-inch pieces
7 sour dill pickles (8 to 9 ounces) with 1 1/2 cups brine from the jar (see Tip)
3 tablespoons unsalted butter
4 garlic cloves, finely chopped
3 dried bay leaves
Salt and black pepper
1/4 cup sour cream, for serving (optional)
Chopped fresh dill, for serving (optional)
Preparation:
1. In a large pot, combine 6 cups stock with the carrots, potatoes, celery root and parsnip. The vegetables should be covered with stock, so add more as needed. Bring to a boil over high heat. Cover and reduce the heat to medium-low. Rapidly simmer until all of the vegetables are fork tender, about 10 minutes. Reduce heat to low.
2. While the vegetables are cooking, coarsely grate the pickles. You should have about 1 cup densely packed grated pickles. Melt the butter in a small frying pan over medium heat until it starts to brown. Stir in the garlic and bay leaves, and cook until fragrant, about 1 minute. Add the grated pickles and reduce the heat to medium-low. Cover and cook, stirring once, until the pickles become softer, 8 to 12 minutes.
3. Add the pickle mixture to the pot with the vegetables, along with 1 cup pickle brine. Taste, then season with salt and pepper. The soup should already be salty from the broth, pickles and their brine, so add salt carefully. Add up to 1/2 cup more brine if you want a more sour taste. Remove and discard the bay leaves.
4. If using sour cream, temper the cream so it doesn’t curdle: In a cup, mix the sour cream with 1 to 2 tablespoons of cold water, stirring well after each addition, then repeat with 1 to 2 tablespoons of the soup. Add the tempered cream to the pot. Bring to a simmer and heat through, about 5 minutes. Taste and adjust seasonings.
5. To serve, ladle the soup into bowls. Top with chopped dill and black pepper.
TIP: If looking for Polish pickles, be sure to buy ogórki kiszone (cucumbers in brine), such as those sold by the Polonaise brand. Do not buy Polish dill pickles (ogórki konserwowe). If substituting other pickles, use dill pickles that are low in vinegar. — NYT
Yield: 6 to 8 servings
Total time: 45 minutes
Ingredients:
6 to 8 cups vegetable or chicken stock
3 large carrots, peeled and coarsely grated
3 large russet potatoes, peeled and cut into 1/2-inch pieces
1 small celery root, peeled and cut into 1/2-inch pieces
1 medium parsnip, peeled and cut into 1/2-inch pieces
7 sour dill pickles (8 to 9 ounces) with 1 1/2 cups brine from the jar (see Tip)
3 tablespoons unsalted butter
4 garlic cloves, finely chopped
3 dried bay leaves
Salt and black pepper
1/4 cup sour cream, for serving (optional)
Chopped fresh dill, for serving (optional)
Preparation:
1. In a large pot, combine 6 cups stock with the carrots, potatoes, celery root and parsnip. The vegetables should be covered with stock, so add more as needed. Bring to a boil over high heat. Cover and reduce the heat to medium-low. Rapidly simmer until all of the vegetables are fork tender, about 10 minutes. Reduce heat to low.
2. While the vegetables are cooking, coarsely grate the pickles. You should have about 1 cup densely packed grated pickles. Melt the butter in a small frying pan over medium heat until it starts to brown. Stir in the garlic and bay leaves, and cook until fragrant, about 1 minute. Add the grated pickles and reduce the heat to medium-low. Cover and cook, stirring once, until the pickles become softer, 8 to 12 minutes.
3. Add the pickle mixture to the pot with the vegetables, along with 1 cup pickle brine. Taste, then season with salt and pepper. The soup should already be salty from the broth, pickles and their brine, so add salt carefully. Add up to 1/2 cup more brine if you want a more sour taste. Remove and discard the bay leaves.
4. If using sour cream, temper the cream so it doesn’t curdle: In a cup, mix the sour cream with 1 to 2 tablespoons of cold water, stirring well after each addition, then repeat with 1 to 2 tablespoons of the soup. Add the tempered cream to the pot. Bring to a simmer and heat through, about 5 minutes. Taste and adjust seasonings.
5. To serve, ladle the soup into bowls. Top with chopped dill and black pepper.
TIP: If looking for Polish pickles, be sure to buy ogórki kiszone (cucumbers in brine), such as those sold by the Polonaise brand. Do not buy Polish dill pickles (ogórki konserwowe). If substituting other pickles, use dill pickles that are low in vinegar. — NYT