LONG WALKS and HETMAN SOUP

Rain or shine, a long walk-and-talk with my daughter is lovely.

Blackie Spit, February, 2012

Raccoons, pheasants, eagles, herons, loons, amazing  ducks, an escaped parrot  . . .  we never know what we'll see.

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30 below on the Prairies or 6 above on the West Coast, soup is the answer.

         From The New Ukrainian Cookbook by Annette Ogrodnik Corona

Start making Hetman soup a day ahead of when you want to serve it so that you can degrease the broth.  It will taste great and be so much better for you.  J

HETMAN SHORT-RIB SOUP  (Yushka z reber, po-het’mans’ky)

             

2 lbs beef short ribs

2 cloves garlic

¼ cup flour mixed with 1 tsp salt and ½ tsp pepper

2 tbsp bacon fat (or vegetable oil)

½ cup finely chopped ham

1 ½ cups dry red wine  (or vegetable stock or water)

½ cup vegetable stock  (or water)

1 large onion

2 cups sliced mushrooms (6 or 7 mushrooms)

1 large potato

2 cups meat stock  (from boiling chicken, duck, pork, or beef bones)

1 cup stewed tomatoes

½ tsp salt

½ tsp pepper

DAY ONE:

·        Crush the garlic and rub into the ribs.

·        Using a plastic bag, toss the ribs to coat in the seasoned flour.

·        In a Dutch oven, over medium high heat, brown the ribs in the bacon fat or oil.

·        Preheat the oven to 325 degrees.

·        Add the ham, wine, and vegetable stock (or water).         

·        Bring to a boil. 

·        Cover and cook in the oven for 90 minutes.

·        Let cool.  Separate the meat from the broth.  Refrigerate both overnight.

DAY TWO

*Preheat oven to 325 degrees.

*Remove the congealed fat from the broth and pour into Dutch oven.

* Add the additional 2 cups of meat stock.

* Add the meat to the broth.

* Chop the onion.

* Slice the mushrooms.

* Blend the stewed tomatoes in a food processor.

* Add onion, mushrooms, salt, pepper, and tomatoes to the Dutch oven. 

* Bring to a boil.

* Meanwhile, chop the potato in one inch squares.

* Add potato to the Dutch oven.

* Cover and cook in preheated oven for  another hour.

* Taste for seasoning.

I served this in bowls first as a stew.    

This left enough broth to serve later as a soup.

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P.S.   According to Wikipedia, a hetman was a commander of the Zaporozhian Cossacks at the end of the 16^th century.  In 1764, the position was abolished by Catherine the Great of Russia.

 Ukraine:  Outdoor Museum

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“Love is like a good horse; it carries the man.”

(Old Ukrainian Proverb)