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Tart Sorrel Soup With Kidneys
(Rassolnik)
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| What You Need: |
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1 medium dill pickle
6 tablespoons butter
1 cup thinly sliced onions
½ cup finely chopped celery
1 cup finely chopped parsley
2 pounds fresh sorrel leaves, stripped from their stems, washed and coarsely chopped
¼ pound fresh spinach leaves, stripped from their stems, washed and coarsely chopped
2 teaspoons salt
Freshly ground black pepper
2 quarts beef stock, fresh (see Shchi) or canned
1 pound veal or lamb kidneys, well trimmed of their fat
½ cup flour
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 egg yolk
2 cups sour cream (optional)
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| How To Cook: |
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1. Cut the pickle in half lengthwise and run a small spoon down its length to remove the seeds and pulp. Place the seeds and pulp in a fine sieve set over a small bowl and press them firmly with the back of a spoon to extract all their juices before throwing them away. Set the juice aside, and chop the pickle as finely as possible.
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2. Melt 4 tablespoons of the butter in a 3- to 4-quart casserole over moderate heat. When the foam has almost subsided, stir in the onions and celery and cover the pan. Reduce the heat to low and simmer gently for at least 10 minutes, or until the onions are soft but not brown.
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3. Add the pickle, parsley, sorrel and spinach and stir in the salt and a few grindings of pepper. Pour in the beef stock, stir, and bring to a boil over high heat. Then reduce the heat to low, partially cover the pan, and simmer about 20 minutes.
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4. While the soup is simmering, prepare the kidneys. With a small, sharp knife cut away their knobs of fat and slice the kidneys crosswise into pieces ½ inch thick. Dip the slices in the flour one at a time and shake them vigorously to rid them of any excess flour.
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5. Heat the remaining 2 tablespoons of butter and the 2 tablespoons of oil in a heavy 10- to 12-inch skillet set over high heat. When the fat begins to turn light brown, add the kidneys. Stirring frequently, fry them briskly until they are lightly browned (the lamb kidneys will take 2 or 3 minutes on each side, the veal kidneys 4 or 5 minutes).
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6. Do not overcook. With a slotted spoon, transfer the kidneys to the simmering soup. Pour off the fat in the skillet and in its place add 1 cup of the soup. Bring the soup to a boil, meanwhile scraping into it any browned bits clinging to the bottom of the pan. Pour the mixture into the soup and stir in the pickle juice.
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7. In a mixing bowl, beat the egg yolk lightly with a fork. Slowly beat in 1 cup of the hot soup, then pour the egg mixture slowly into the casserole, stirring constantly. Simmer a moment or two without letting it come to a boil. Taste for seasoning, then serve the rassolnik directly from the casserole or in a large tureen.
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8. You may either stir the sour cream into the soup directly before serving it or present it in a separate bowl to be added to each serving at the table.
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