A Letter from a Nephew . . . and POLISH PICKLE SOUP

*****

ZUPA OGORKOWA  (Pickle Soup)

8 cups vegetable stock (or broth from cooking vegetables)

2 beef bouillon cubes

2 carrots

1 small leek  (or onion)

2 stalks celery

1 small to medium parsnip

2 bay leaves

¼ tsp pepper

Salt to taste

1 tsp dried dillweed (or 1 tbsp fresh)

3 medium red potatoes

4 medium dill pickles

¾ cup dill pickle juice (some of this can be sauerkraut juice)

½ to 1 cup light cream

·        Peel and dice carrots.  Set aside in a bowl.

·        Wash leek well and slice finely.  Add to bowl.

·        Dice celery.  Add to bowl.

·        Peel and dice parsnip finely.  Add to bowl.

·        Grate pickles and set aside on a separate dish.

·        Scrape or peel potatoes and cover with water in a separate bowl.

·        Crumble beef bouillon onto stock in a large pot.  Bring to a boil.

·        Taste for salt and add more if needed.

·        Add the carrots, leek, celery, and parsnips.

·        Add the pepper, dill weed, and bay leaves.

·        Simmer for 10 minutes

·        Meanwhile, dice the potatoes.

·        Add the potatoes and simmer for 15 minutes.

·        Add the grated pickles and pickle juice.  Simmer 15 more minutes.

·        Taste for salt. 

·        Remove bay leaves.

·        Remove from heat and stir in the cream before serving.

For a very nice, light supper, I served the soup with Bryan's Rieska (Finnish Flat Bread) and a Brussels Sprouts Caesar Salad.

Thank you to Olga Gresiuk from Hafford, Saskatchewan, for sharing her excellent recipe!