Russian cuisine is famous for its soups. In third place in popularity among Russian borscht soup after boiling and is pickle - original dish with the addition of cereals and pickles. The dish is an old and, therefore, recipes rassolnik there are so many: they are united by the presence in the soup of cucumber brine.

A large family

The name "pickle" is derived from the word "pickle" - the main ingredient of this soup. Interestingly, however, it is not always just called pickle soup: Nikolai Gogol's "Dead Souls" is mentioned, for example, a pie-pickle. So it was called pies with minced meat, which before baking for juiciness pour the brine from the cask cucumbers.

Cucumber pickle as soup bases have started to apply as early as the fifteenth century. Initially soups called kalyami brine; Over time, some varieties of soups got its own name - so there soups and rassolnik. Today kaley called fish soup with the addition of brine, the name stuck for solyanka sour soup and pickle called brackish-sour soup with vegetables. As a rule, used rassolnik broth of meat or poultry, although there are also recipes for fish and even vegetarian (mushroom) pickle.

Initially, for the preparation of soups used exclusively pickle: cucumbers themselves began to add in rassolnik much later. At one time, for acidification soup in rich houses began to be used not cucumber pickle and lemon juice, but lemons could not make savory food such as rich taste as vigorous drum cucumbers.

Despite the fact that the pickle - a purely Russian dish, similar dishes have in other nations. For example, a "family" rassolnik include Moldovan, Romanian and Bulgarian soups ciorba on acid basis. Pickle, however, can not be called a sour soup - in this dish are woven spicy, sour and salty flavors.

Principles of preparation

As a rule, for the preparation of pickle meat is not used as such, but a variety of by-products - feet, tails, kidneys, heart. The most delicious rassolnik boiled broth from the kidneys. Sometimes they used and bird guts.

Pickle is usually run by the dealer. Contrary to popular belief, cereal can be used is different. Classical barley perfectly complement the taste was made with beef or offal, pickle chicken or turkey is good with rice groats, buckwheat is suitable for a vegetarian soup, barley and barley used for the preparation of pickle waterfowl.

This pickle is produced only from pickles. It is desirable to use a strong well-salted with dill, horseradish Horseradish: vigorous root , Garlic and cucumbers currant leaves. Replace pickles pickled extremely undesirable: if you wish to do so, of course, possible, but to get the soup can hardly be called pickle. Pickled gherkins when cooked become flabby and tasteless, and the addition of acetic solution is not decorated with broth. Whether it real pickles, pickled still old-fashioned way: they generously give their amazing savory meat flavor.

To prepare rassolnik first need a strong beef broth to cook. If the soup is brewed from the kidneys, they must first be thoroughly rinsed, then boil in water five to ten minutes, pour the broth, and kidney rinse with cool water. After that offal is cooked until done already.

Degrease the broth is not necessary: ​​as many classical Russian soups, pickle should be quite bold. Acid cucumber brine successfully neutralize increased fat soup dish so do not get too "heavy" for the stomach.

The pickle is required to add the onion and carrot, sometimes in the case are other spicy roots, such as parsley. You can fill with soup and potatoes. It is important to do this before adding the brine: in the acidic environment of the potatoes do not fall apart, it remains firm. Usually in boiling broth potatoes fall asleep, and only fifteen minutes from zazharku add pickles, onion and carrots, as well as brine. Pearl barley is better to cook separately, otherwise the pickle may acquire not too attractive bluish-gray.

Large pickles purified from the seeds and peel, then cut into thin strips or cubes. Sometimes, cucumber skin, too, is the cause: it is cut into smaller and add to the soup. Small cucumbers with soft cloth can be used untreated.

Shredded cucumber lightly fried with onion over low heat, and only then, just until cooked, add to the soup. At least in a pot of pickle should be added to the main ingredient - the brine. It calculates the number of every woman to your liking, but usually two liters of broth it is enough to take five hundred milliliters of brine.

Replacing dinner

Many cooks tried to experiment with the recipe rassolnik. For example, at the end of the XIX century French chef Auguste Escoffier offers a very original recipe for this dish in his "Cooking Guide". According to the Frenchman, pickle based on chicken broth with the addition of roots and spicy pickles should thicken at the end of cooking cream, whipped with egg yolks. In addition, it was recommended to add delicate dish quenelle of chicken meat.

Modern chefs are often attempting to cook pickle pickled cucumbers. But the taste of pickle, unfortunately, much inferior to classical models.

Traditionally pickle served to the table hot with herbs, sour cream Smetana: untold riches of Russian cuisine   and fresh rye bread. And in the old days rassolnik accompanied by cakes of unleavened dough stuffed with offal, which is well in harmony with spicy sour-salty soup. Hot plate with a pair of thick rassolnik pies Patties. Hospitable dish   It will be an excellent replacement for the whole dinner.

Maria Bykov

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