Muscovite Solyanka Recipes

SOLIANKA OR RUSSIAN BEEF SOUP

Steps:

• Soak mushrooms in 3/4 cup water until tender, 20 to 30 minutes. Set aside.
• Melt half the butter and saute the onions, meats, and rehydrated mushrooms. Add the stock and liquid from the mushrooms and bring to a boil. Make a bouquet garni by tying the bay leaves and peppercorns tightly in cheesecloth. Lower the heat and add the bouquet garni, pickles, capers, and marinated mushrooms. Simmer 10-15 minutes.
• Melt remaining butter in a skillet and cook the tomatoes and tomato paste for a few minutes, then add the flour and saute for another few minutes. Add a cup of the soup to the skillet and stir in well, then return pan ingredients to the soup pot.
• Add the olives, dill, marjoram, garlic, pickle juice, and paprika. Adjust soup's seasoning with salt and pepper; simmer another 10-15 minutes.
• Remove pot from heat and remove bouquet garni. Adjust seasonings and serve with sour cream and lemon.

MUSCOVITE SOLYANKA

Steps:

• Cut fish into large pieces.
• Bring the stock to a gentle simmer in a large pan; add fish and cook for 4 minutes.
• Remove with a slotted spoon.
• Reserve 2/3 cups stock and set aside, leaving the remaining stock in pan.
• Pour water into pan of stock.
• Bring to a boil; add cabbage. Simmer for 2 minutes then strain well.
• Melt half the butter in a pan.
• Fry onions for 5 minutes.
• Stir in the strained cabbage and reserved stock into butter, bring to a boil.
• Cover with a tight fitting lid and cook on low heat for 1 hour, until tender. Season with salt and pepper.
• Preheat the oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit.
• Spoon half the cabbage into a baking dish.
• Top with the fish and the pickles.
• Spoon over remaining cabbage and if there is any remaining buttery stock.
• Scatter the olives, capers and the breadcrumbs over the top.
• Melt the remaining butter and drizzle over the top.
• Bake for 25 to 30 minutes or until lightly browned.
• Serve with boiled potatoes.

RUSSIAN MEAT SOLYANKA

Steps:

• Preheat a pan with oil or butter.
• Cut onion in thin semi rings and stir until transparent, but not browned.
• Cut pickled cucumbers in strips and add to onions.
• Add tomato paste and stir until mixed - 2-3 minutes.
• Add meat chopped into fine pieces (you can actually use any variety of meat you prefer, but above is what I chose to use).
• Add to Crock pot.
• Add can of stewed tomatoes and water to just the top of mixture.
• Cook on high for 4 hours.
• About 1 hour before serving add olives, mushrooms and capers.
• Add flour to thicken.
• Serve with a dollop of sour cream and lemon slice for garnish.

RUSSIAN MEAT & VEGETABLE SOLYANKA SOUP

Steps:

• THE BROTH:.
• Put water and Minor's Beef Stock Conentrate into large pot and heat to boiling. Put peppercorns, bay leaves, and allspice into cheescloth satchel and place into pot. Once boiling, add shredded cabbage, sliced celery, reduce heat, and simmer for a minimum of 30 minutes.
• MEAT and VEGGIES:.
• Put oil into large frying pan and heat. Cut sausage into slices no thicker than 1/8"and put into pan. Cut pre-cooked chicken into thin long slices and put into pan. Cut onions into half-rings and put into pan once meat has been slightly browned. Slice pickles into thin strips and add to pan along with the tomato paste. After two minutes put into pot.
• PUTTING IT TOGETHER:.
• Put all of the pan-fried ingredients into the pot, add the sliced olives, stewed tomatoes, capers, and heat to a slight boil. DO NOT RAPIDLY BOIL - or the flavor will be killed. Add the white wine and simmer the pot for 20 minutes.
• SERVING:.
• Remove the cheescloth satchel from the pot and ladle the soup into bowls. Provide your dining guests the garnish of lemon slices, chopped dill, and sour cream. Enjoy as I am sure you will!