Zupa Ogorkowa Polish Pickle Soup

Cut the onion in half, peel it and then cut it into a 3-5mm (¼-⅛") dice.

Heat a 20cm or 8" saucepan over a medium heat, add the oil, bacon lardons, and the onions, then sweat them down gently over a low heat for 12-15 minutes while preparing the remaining ingredients. Stir the onions occasionally and make sure they are not getting any colour.

Peel the parsley root and cut it into a 1cm (½") dice.

Peel the potato, cut it into a 1cm (½") dice and then rinse it under cold water to get rid of some of the starch.

Remove the knobbly outer skin from the celeriac, then cut it into a 1cm (½") dice.

Add the parsley root, potato and celeriac to the pot, then pour over the vegetable stock, add the bay leaf and sprinkle in the allspice and black pepper.

Have a taste of the stock, add salt to taste, and remember that the pickles will add quite a lot of saltiness. Turn up the heat to medium-high, bring the soup to a boil, then reduce the heat to medium-low and simmer for 15 minutes or until the root vegetables are almost cooked.

Grate the Polish cucumbers and the carrot.

When the root vegetables are very nearly cooked, add the grated carrot and sour cucumbers, taste and once again, add salt if required, then cook for 3-4 minutes.

Finely chop the dill.

Pour in the cream and add most of the dill (keeping a little back for garnish), then bring the soup back to serving temperature and dish up.

Equipment Needed

Allergens