Shurpa An Eastern European Lamb Soup Recipes

SHURPA - AN EASTERN EUROPEAN LAMB SOUP

Steps:

• Heat the oil in a heavy soup pot over high heat. Add the lamb and brown lightly, stirring occasionally, for 5 minutes. Add the onions and continue to cook until the lamb is thoroughly browned and the onions are softened and colored, about 7 minutes more.
• Spoon off all the fat from the pot, then add the stock, and bring to a boll. Reduce the heat to low, cover, and simmer until the lamb is tender, about 1-1/4 hours.
• Refrigerate the soup, uncovered, until the fat rises to the surface, about 40 minutes. Skim the fat away.
• Bring the soup to a boil over medium heat and add the turnip, zucchini, carrots, peppers, tomatoes, cumin seeds, chilis, and coriander. Cook, covered, for 20 minutes. Add the chick-peas and cook for 10 minutes more.
• Remove the chili peppers from the soup and add salt and 2 tablespoons vinegar. Taste and add more salt and vinegar, if desired. Let stand, covered, for 10 minutes.
• Serve the soup garnished with plenty of cilantro.

SHURPA - MIDDLE EASTERN LAMB SOUP

Steps:

• Sear the lamb chops in your choice of fat in a large pot (I used my dutch oven) until it easily comes off the surface. Flip over and sear the other side.
• Add enough water to cover 2/3 of the pot.
• Add bay leaves, peppercorns, and salt and allow the lamb broth to come to a boil on medium-high heat.
• Spoon the fat and impurities rising to the top with a slotted spoon. Reduce heat to slow simmer. Cook for 1 1/2 hours until lamb is tender and falls off the bone easily.
• Optional step: remove cooked lamb from pot.
• Add potatoes and diced onions and let them cook for about 15 minutes.
• While the vegetables are cooking in the rich broth, I use this time to pick the meat off the bones. Add the lamb meat back to the soup after the vegetables have cooked and I usually throw the bones into the freezer for some crock-pot bone broth later.
• Check for salt and add more as necessary. Top with chopped parsley and give the soup a stir.

LAMB SHURPA SOUP

Steps:

• Wash lamb chops and pat them dry. Set a large skillet with 2 TBS olive oil on medium heat. Add the lamb chops. Season lamb chops on both sides. I seasoned with salt and onion & garlic seasoning on one side and Montreal chicken seasoning on the other side.
• Fry lamb chops until they are completely cooked through and seared.
• Set a large pot with 17 cups water on high heat. Bring to a boil. Once it comes to a boil, lower to medium heat. Add in the lamb chops and let lamb chops cook for 30 minutes. Skim off impurities (foam) that rises to the top.
• After 30 minutes add the salt, spices of choice and potatoes. Meanwhile move on to the next step.
• Set a pan with 2 TBS olive oil on medium heat. Add in the carrots and bell peppers. Cook for a few minutes, then add in the onion and tomato. Season with salt and any seasoning of choice. Cook until veggies are a tender, about 10 minutes (they'll finish cooking in the soup).
• Add 1 can of tomato paste to the skillet with veggies and let it cook a few minutes to thin out the tomato paste.
• Add the cooked veggies/tomato paste into the pot of soup and cook until potatoes are cooked through.
• If you want some pasta in the soup you can cook 8 oz. pasta of your choice in a small pot, according to package instructions and set it aside.
• Once potatoes have cooked through and soup is done, turn off the burner and add 3 minced garlic cloves and optionally dill and parsley to taste. Add more salt or seasoning if needed!
• To serve put pasta into bowls, ladle soup over pasta.