Soljanka or as a dish called earlier peasant woman - traditional Russian national dish, is a fairly spicy soup with meat, fish or mushroom broth. In addition, the-bag is also called the second dish - stewed cabbage with meat, mushrooms or fish that has the same name with the soup quite a bit in common.

History courses

Classical halophyte (peasant woman) - traditional Russian folk dish that has many options for cooking. Like many other masterpieces of world cuisine, solyanka came to light by chance when someone decided to unite in one dish remains of different products. It is interesting that in this way have been invented and are well-known dishes such as Spanish paella or the Italian pizza. There is also a version that was originally prepared villager chipped, the whole village (hence the name of the dish) each brought home the remaining products, and the result is a new tasty dish.

Initially hodgepodge served as an appetizer Low calorie snacks   vodka - this bold and spicy soup is excellent combined with strong drinks, and helped get rid of a hangover. For this reason solyanka quickly became an instant classic tavern cuisine, prepared it at home. It was considered a peasant dish, in aristocratic houses he was not served. Over time, the situation has changed, thanks to the taste of a dish of capers, olives and lemon juice became more noble, and it began to include in its menu, not only "popular" restaurants, but also luxury restaurants.

By its composition, soups close to pickle: in the number of components have to be pickles. Another popular ingredient was cabbage, Rodney hodgepodge of cabbage soup. Late-bag even became known as cabbage, stewed with tomatoes, onions and meat products. And after Russia's tomatoes have become available, they also began to be used for the preparation of this dish fresh or in the form of tomato paste.

Solyanka is good because it brings together in one dish remains of food that would otherwise not be used. Because-and coveted dish cooks in restaurants, and later - and gourmet restaurants. Soljanka made a fantastic "career" - a popular dish served today in the most luxurious restaurants, and it is certainly not cheap. However, this does not mean that you can not cook a dish on their own, on the contrary, home solyanka may well vary the daily menu.

The main varieties

Soljanka can be cooked in a saturated meat or fish broth. There is also a recipe for vegetarian soups mushroom. The options are many preparations as ingredients: not for nothing that the phrase "hodgepodge" became winged and usually used to describe a mixture of various components.

This technology is used cooking soups, usually alone. Please be strong broth to cook meat (traditionally in Russia it has been used for beef on the bone), fish (usually used for soup bones, cartilage, head and other waste noble fish) or fungi (usually dried white).

The broth is poured cooked diced potatoes and cook until tender. When the potatoes are cooked, the broth is combined with separately boiled cucumber pickle. Proportions may be arbitrary, but usually for one part of the brine taken three parts broth. Add the brine, as well as any other additives with a sour taste, it is possible only after the cooked potatoes, or potatoes will turn hard and tasteless.

The next step - adding a hodgepodge of zazharki onions and pickles (optional) carrots. Please be until transparent fry finely chopped onion and grated carrot, and then add the contents of the pan finely chopped pickles, put the mixture for about ten minutes and put in a pot of boiling soup.

After that comes the turn add to the soup of the main components: meat products, fish and mushrooms. Mushrooms are usually used salt, a few species. Marinated mushrooms are not recommended.

Then add the broth chopped olives or sliced ​​black olives, capers, spices and tomato paste or fresh tomatoes, cut into small pieces. At the end of cooking the soup should dosolit if necessary, add lemon cut into thin slices and greens. To the table solyanka served with sour cream Smetana: untold riches of Russian cuisine   and greens. Ready solyanka should be fragrant and spicy. Typically, this dish is prepared thicker than regular soups.

Meat or fish

The secret to tasty meat soups in its multi-component. Beef from which the broth is cooked, can be combined with any smoked meat and gourmet products (commonly used language of the kidneys and, rarely - liver), ham, sausages, sausages. The more meat products and how they varied so successful the soup.

Before adding to the soup meat products cut into strips or small pieces and fry. Frying should begin with the most fatty components, such as bacon, and then at the same fat to cook the other components. Sometimes in a pan directly mixed with the meat portion of tomato paste, and then added to the broth.

For the soup base can be used not only beef Beef - Meat Guide But also any other meat, but in the bag of perfectly combined beef, lamb, pork and even poultry. From spices to the meat-bag approach bay leaf and black peppercorns.

Hodgepodge fish are usually prepared from fatty and aromatic varieties of fish. Ideal sturgeon, sturgeon and salmon. It is allowed and even encouraged a combination of several kinds of fish. Fish before adding the broth cut into small pieces, fry it does not need. Exquisite taste fish-bag attached to the olives and capers, also need to add the bay leaf and black pepper. When a fish decorated with lemon solyanka sure.

Maria Bykov

Related Articles

Gumbo soup - a delicacy from Louisiana

Soup kharcho: jewel of Georgian cuisine

Chowder - a classic clam chowder

Shurpa - lunch oriental