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Christmas Eve Beet Soup
(Barszcz Wigilijny)
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| What You Need: |
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MUSHROOM STOCK
3 ounces imported European dried mushrooms, preferably dried Polish mushrooms
4 cups boiling water
BEET STOCK
2½ pounds medium-sized firm young beets, peeled and coarsely grated
5 cups cold water
2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
2 teaspoons salt
½ teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon sugar
1 tablespoon strained fresh lemon juice
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| How To Cook: |
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1. Place the mushrooms in a 2- to 3-quart enameled or stainless-steel saucepan and pour the boiling water over them. Let them soak at room temperature for at least 2 hours.
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2. Then place the pan over high heat and bring the soaking water to a boil. Lower the heat and simmer uncovered for about 2 hours, or until the liquid is reduced to ½ cup.
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3. Drain the stock through a fine sieve set over a bowl and set the mushrooms aside to be used, if you like, for uszka, the tiny dumplings usually served with this soup. Reserve the stock.
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4. Meanwhile, in a 3- to 4-quart enameled or stainless-steel saucepan, bring the grated beets and 5 cups of cold water to a boil over high heat.
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5. Reduce the heat to moderate and cook uncovered for 10 minutes. Then reduce the heat to low, stir in the vinegar and 2 teaspoons of salt, and simmer partially covered for 30 minutes.
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6. Strain the beet stock through a fine sieve into a bowl, pressing down hard on the beets with the back of a spoon to extract all their juice before discarding them.
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7. Return the beet stock to the saucepan in which it cooked, add the reserved mushroom stock, ½ teaspoon of salt, the sugar and lemon juice, and bring to a boil over high heat.
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8. Taste for seasoning and serve at once, accompanied, if you like, by uszka.
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