FOOD LEAGUE

This is a vegan version of the sauerkraut soup traditionally served on Christmas in Slovakia.  Even sauerkraut skeptics (ehem, dear brother) agree that kapustnica (ka-poo-stnee-tsuh) does something to transform sour pickled cabbage into hearty, comforting stew.  The broth is spiced with paprika, coriander and caraway seeds, cloves, bay leaves, and peppercorns. Dried porcinis also add flavor, and my favorite spoonfuls include equal parts potato, mushroom, and sauerkraut.

With a handful of hearty sourdough or rye, this soup can work as a complete meal.  Regional variations take the soup in different directions — some folks add cream and dried plums. Paprika and dried mushrooms seem to be common threads across regions and families.  This recipe calls for spicy Hungarian paprika — check out an explanation over at The Kitchn if you’re not quite sure about Spanish vs. Hungarian vs. smoked paprika.

I left Slovakia with a rough idea of how to prepare this classic fare, but I’m indebted to Betty for her hands-on tutorial. Recipe and photo documentation after the jump.

Ingredients

Instructions

1. Soak the dried mushrooms in two cups hot water and set aside. Put all of the sauerkraut, juice, and water (or broth) in an 8-quart stockpot and heat over medium-high heat. Put the peppercorns, coriander seeds, cloves, bay leaves, and chilies in a tea or cheesecloth pouch and add to the pot. Add about 1/4 cup of the sliced onions and 5 cloves of garlic, skins on.

2. Drain the mushrooms, keeping the soaking water, which should be a deep brown. Squeeze the mushrooms to release extra moisture. Chop the mushrooms roughly and add to the soup. Measure 2 tablespoons of the mushroom water into the soup. Add the potatoes.

3. Heat 4 tablespoons of the butter and 1 tablespoon oil in a large, heavy-bottomed skillet over high heat. (The oil protects the butter from burning.) After the butter has foamed, add the mushrooms. Saute for 6-8 minutes until the mushroom have started to release moisture and brown. Salt and pepper the mushrooms and add to the soup.

4. Keep the soup over medium-high heat, stirring occasionally. Let the soup come to a boil but reduce the heat immediately to keep it at a low simmer.

5. Mix the flour and paprika. Mince the remaining 5 cloves of garlic. Prepare the roux by heating the remaining 1/4 cup butter and 1 tablespoon oil on high in the same skillet used for the mushrooms. When the butter has foamed, add the onions and garlic. Saute for 3-5 minutes until just translucent. Sprinkle the flour-paprika mix over the onions, stirring quickly. Cook until the flour is integrated completely  and the the mixture is moist and lumpy. Salt and pepper and add to the soup, stirring to mix in the roux.

6. Let the soup cook for 20-30 more minutes until the potatoes are tender. Add the sherry and salt and pepper to taste.

Me, my culinary tutor, and the giant jar of sauerkraut, acquired from Edelweiss German Deli. I use close to half that jar for one pot of kapustnica.

Tags: recipe, Slovakia, soup, vegan

This entry was posted on Sunday, February 28th, 2010 at 12:04 pm and is filed under Recipes. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.