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Shchi Soup

This rather unpronounceable soup is believed to be the most popular dish in Russia, spanning Tsarist, Soviet and post-Soviet times. Consisting of a few basic ingredients – cabbage or sauerkraut, onion, carrot and potatoes – it somehow manages to taste complex and rich. While it is usually made with beef, I love this vegetarian version of shchi with mushrooms. A perfect soup for autumn or winter, it works equally well in the summer, consumed at room temperature. And, like any soup that contains fermented vegetables, the good old shchi has rescued me from a bad hangover on more than one occasion. Make a big batch and keep in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. It will taste even better each time.

SERVES 4

1 tablespoon sunflower oil 1/2 onion, thinly sliced
1 carrot, peeled and grated
200g chestnut mushrooms,roughly chopped
250g sauerkraut in brine
1.3 litres vegetable stock
4 bay leaves
4 potatoes, peeled and cubed handful of dill, finely chopped
salt and freshly ground black pepper
soured cream, to garnish

Heat up the oil in a medium-sized stockpot and fry the onion and carrot with a teaspoon of salt over a medium heat for 5 minutes. Once the onion has softened, add the mushrooms and sauerkraut and cook for a further 5 minutes.

Next, add the vegetable stock, bay leaves and another small pinch of salt. Cover the pot with a lid and bring to the boil. Then reduce the heat and simmer for 30 minutes.

Add the potato cubes to the pot and cook for a further 15 minutes. Turn off the heat and let the soup rest for 20–30 minutes. To me this is the most difficult part of the recipe – oh, the wait!

Serve hot with freshly ground black pepper and a dollop of soured cream, along with a slice of rye bread.

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Alissa Timoshkina