1 md Dill pickle -washed & coarsely chopped
6 tb Butter 2 ts Salt
1 c Onion; thinly sliced Black pepper; freshly ground
1/2 c Celery; finely chopped 2 qt Beef stock, fresh or canned
1 c Parsley; finely chopped 1 lb Veal or lamb kidneys, well
2 lb Sorrel leaves, fresh, -trimmed of fat
-stripped from stems, 1/2 c Flour
-washed & finely chopped 2 tb Vegetable oil
1/2 lb Spinach leaves, fresh, 1 Egg yolk
-stripped from stems, 2 c Sour cream; optional
Recipe by: Recipes: Russian Cooking – Foods of the World – Time-Life
Cut the pickle in half lengthwise and run a small spoon down its
length to remove the seeds and pulp. Place the seeds and pulp in a
fine sieve set over a small bowl and press them firmly with a back of
a spoon to extract all their juices before throwing them away. Set
the juices aside, and chop the pickle as finely as possible. Melt 4
Tbs of butter in a 3- to 4-qt casserole over moderate heat. When the
foam has almost subsided, stir in the onions and celery and cover the
pan. Reduce the heat to low and simmer gently for at least 10 mins,
or until the onions are soft but not brown. Add the pickle, parsley,
sorrel and spinach and stir in the salt and a few grindings of
pepper. Pour in the beef stock, stir, and bring to a boil over high
heat. The reduce heat to low, partially cover the pan, and simmer
about 20 mins.
While the soup is simmering, prepare the kidneys. With a small, sharp
knife cut away their knobs of fat and slice the kidneys crosswiae into
pieces 1/2 inch thick. Dip the slices in the flour one at a time and
shake them vigorously to rid them of any excess flour. Heat the
remaining 2 Tbs of butter and the 2 Tbs of oil in a heavy 10- to
12-inch skillet set over high heat. When the fat begins to turn light
brown, add the kidneys. Stirring frequently, fry them briskly until
they are lightly browned (lamb kidneys- 2 to 3 mins each side, veal-
4 to 5 mins). Do not overcook. With a slotted spoon, transfer the
kidneys to the simmering soup. Pour off the fat in the skillet and in
its place add 1 cup of the soup. Bring to a boil, meanwhile scraping
into it any browned bits clinging to the bottom of the pan. Pour the
mixture into the soup and stir in the pickle juice. In a mixing bowl,
beat the egg yolk lightly with a fork. Slowly beat in 1 cup of hot
soup, then pour the egg mixture slowly into the casserole, stirring
constantly. Simmer a moment or two without letting it to a boil.
Taste for seasoning, then serve the rassolnik directly from the
cassrole or in a large tureen.
You may either stir the sour cream into the soup directly before
serving it or present it in a separate bowl to be added to each
serving at the table.
from my kitchen toyours….. Dan
Klepach
Yields
6 servings