This hearty Polish Sour Soup, Żurek, is made with fresh Polish white sausage, smoked meats, fermented rye flour starter, eggs, and spices. Popular throughout Poland, it is a traditional favorite, especially at Easter.
6teaspoons horseradish, (prepared in a jar) to taste
fresh dill
Instructions
Prepare the vegetable and meat stock: Start by gathering all your ingredients for the stock. In a large soup pot, add the smoked bacon, carrot, parsnip, celery root, onion, dried mushrooms, bay leaves, garlic, allspice berries, black peppercorns, salt, black pepper, and water. Give everything a good stir. Place the pot over medium-high heat and bring the mixture to a boil. As it heats, foam may rise to the top—skim this off with a spoon. Once the stock is boiling, reduce the heat to low and let it simmer gently for about 40 minutes.
Cook the sausage: Add the white sausage to the pot. Continue cooking the mixture for an additional 30 minutes over low heat.
Remove solids and prepare the meat: Carefully remove all the vegetables, bacon, and sausage from the pot using a slotted spoon. Set aside the sausage and bacon, but discard the vegetables. Remove the casing from the white sausage and cut it into 1–2 inch pieces. Cut the smoked bacon into small pieces. Return the sausage and bacon to the pot.
Add the rye starter (zakwas): Next, prepare the rye starter. Stir the strained rye starter to remove any lumps. Bring the stock back to a gentle boil, then reduce the heat to low. Slowly pour the rye starter into the pot while stirring continuously to prevent clumping. Add the dry marjoram, rubbing it between your fingers to release its aroma and flavor. Allow the soup to come to a boil again.
Add sour cream and finish cooking: In a small bowl, combine the cream with 3-4 tablespoons of the hot soup stock; this tempers the cream so it won’t curdle. Stir until smooth, then slowly pour it into the soup while stirring constantly. Cook for a few more minutes to blend the flavors. Taste and adjust the seasoning with salt, black pepper, or marjoram as needed. Keep in mind: smoked meat can vary in saltiness, so seasoning at the end is best.
Serve: When ready to serve, ladle the hot soup into bowls and include pieces of sausage and smoked bacon. Top with hard-boiled egg halves or quarters and a small amount of horseradish to taste (be careful; it is powerful and a little goes a long way). Garnish with fresh dill and serve each bowl with bread on the side to complete this traditional Polish meal.
Notes
Sausage Substitute: Polish white sausage is important in this recipe, but if you cannot find it, you can use any type of smoked Polish sausage instead.
Sour rye starter alternative: If you don’t want to make a homemade sour rye starter or cannot find a store-bought one, you can use a mixture of sour cream and flour instead. Omit the heavy cream in the recipe. In a small bowl, whisk 1 cup of cold sour cream with 1/3 cup of flour until smooth. Gradually add a couple of tablespoons of warm soup to the mixture, whisking until fully combined. Stir this mixture into the soup, bring it to a boil, and cook for 1–2 minutes. If the soup is not sour enough, adjust the flavor with a little white vinegar, freshly squeezed lemon juice, or extra horseradish.