Mixed Meat And Tomato SoupSolyanka Sbornaya Myasnaya -

Mixed Meat And Tomato Soup
Solyanka Sbornaya Myasnaya

Yet another type of slightly sour Russian soup, solyanka is great fun to eat, as each spoonful surprises the diner with a new taste sensation.

Ingredients

Makes 3 pints (1.7 litres)

2 ½ pints (1.5 litres) water
2 oz (60 g) olives, sliced
2 ½ lb (1.4 kg) beef shin or chuck with bones
2 tomatoes, peeled, seeded and chopped
¼ lb (120 g) cooked ham
1 teaspoon tomato paste
¼ lb (120 g) frankfurters
4 oz (120 g) marinated mushrooms
1 veal kidney, sliced
Flour
1 teaspoon salt
2 medium onions, chopped
freshly ground black pepper to taste
1 oz (30 g) butter
2 medium dill pickles, cut into julienne strips
1 bay leaf
2 lemon slices 1 in (2.5 cm) thick
1 tablespoon capers

Method

Cook the beef in the water for 1 ½ hours to make a rich broth (or substitute 2 ½ pints (1.5 litres) prepared beef stock).

Chop the ham and the frankfurters. Dredge the kidney slices in flour and brown in ½ oz (15 g) butter. Brown the chopped onions in the remaining butter. Stir the ham, frankfurters, kidney and onions into the beef stock. Cook for 15 minutes.

Then add the pickles, capers, olives, tomatoes, tomato paste, mushrooms, salt, pepper, bay leaf and lemon slices. Cook 10 minutes more.

This soup tastes best when made a day ahead and allowed to stand overnight.

Note:- As with most Russian soups, a dollop of soured cream tastes good in solyanka too.

Related food category:

• Russian Home Cooking