The Polish cuisine in the Middle Ages was based on dishes made of agricultural produce (millet, rye, wheat), meats of wild and farm animals and fruits, herbs and local spices. Above all, the fermented foods such as fermented cabbage, beets, pickles and rye flour/ and other grains played an important role in everyday Polish kitchen in preparation of breads, soups and entrees.

Żurek is a traditional Easter dish in Poland to celebrate and mark the end of Lenten fasting. This sour soup has 3 important standing out ingredients: rye flour starter, white sausage, and a boiled egg as a garnish. Żur, as the soup is sometimes referred to (“Żurek” is just a Polish diminutive of Żur), is probably derived etymologically from the Old High German “sur” (modern German “sauer,” a cognate of modern English “sour”), according to Aleksander Brueckner's etymological dictionary of the Polish language.

Historically, Żurek is a prime example of the ‘cuisine of the poor’, served in peasant homes. The soup was meat-free and therefore very fitting for those days of religious fasting (including Lent). This recipe is my personal interpretation, with minimum waste of vegetables as after all we are fully in charge in our kitchens. ABSOLUTELY NOTHING SHOULD GO TO WASTE!

This recipe could be also vegetarian if you just skip the meat part and it is still going to awake your taste buds.

Żurek Soup-Polish Sour Rye Soup Recipe

By Zosia Culinary Adventures | Date: April 13, 2023

Preparation Time: 30 minutes

Cook Time: 1 hour

Yields: 20 servings or 5 liters of soup

Ingredients: use all vegetables peels inside of your bouquet garni bundle

• 1 medium parsnip, peeled and diced into small pieces

• 1/4 pc parsley root, peeled and diced into small pieces

• 2 medium organic carrots( no need to peel) diced into small pieces if you have green tops and use some bouquet garni bundle

• 1/2 small leek, chopped into small pieces

• 4 medium yukon gold potato, peeled and chopped

• 1 celery stalk, chopped

• 1 medium onion chopped

• 3.5 litres of low sodium vegetable bouillon or just filtered water where you can just season with salt

• 1 tablespoon olive oil

• 1 tablespoon of cooked dried mushrooms, finely chopped- reserve the liquid from cooking

• Bouquet garni bundle: 2-3 peppercorns, 2 fresh or dry bay leaves, 1 spring thyme, parsley and carrot stem and peels from all vegetable, 1 tablespoon fresh or dry lovage plant from your garden or fresh nettles if available, 2 juniper berries, 2 teaspoons of marjoram plus 2 fresh garlic in its peel-crushed

• 2 cups rye flour starter

• 1 teaspoons marjoram, reserved for the final finish

• 1 teaspoon grated fresh horseradish, for the final finish

• 2 large garlic cloves- press the garlic through a garlic press

• 400 g Dubreton French Onion Roasted Sausage, or any local raw white sausage

• salt and white pepper to taste

• 1/2 cup 18% fresh cream

• 2 hard boiled eggs, cut with egg slicer into small

• Chopped parsley for garnish

Instructions:

1. Wash, peel and cut all vegetables. Heat up olive oil in the large 5 L stockpot. Add vegetables and sweat them for 5 minutes. Add vegetable bouillon, cooked dried mushrooms along with its liquid, and the bouquet garni bundle. Cover the pot with the lid.

2. Cook for 30-40 minutes or until all vegetables and potatoes are soft. Remove and discard the bouquet garni bundle.

3. Place the sausages in a pot and cover with cold water. Poach over medium-high heat for approximately 5 minutes.

4. Drain sausages and then sauté in a pan until golden brown.

5. Cut the sausages in small coins and add them to soup.

6. Add 2 cup of rye sourdough or as much as you wish the sourness to be. Season the soup with salt, white pepper, reserved 1 teaspoon of marjoram spice, pressed fresh garlic and grated fresh horseradish. Bring to boil.

7. Cook the soup until it gets an intense aroma from sausages and herbs.

8. Turn the heat off. Add 1/2 cup of 18% fresh cream and sliced eggs. You can also add an egg cut into wedges on each plate separately. I find it more practical to have eggs added to the entire soup at once. NOTE: You can skip adding the cream if you wish. Cream adds a delicate flavor to this soup.

9. Serve with the slice of rye bread for dipping and garnish with fresh parsley. This soup gets better over time. In fact when you are about to have its last bowl, it tastes the best!

Enjoy your probiotic soup full of nutriment! Smacznego!