Chlodnik Food

POLISH COLD BEET SOUP CHLODNIK RECIPE

Steps:

• Wash all the veggies.
• Finely dice the beets, leave the beet leaves.
• Cover diced beets with water, add vinegar and ¼ tbsp of salt. Cook until soft.
• In the meantime, chop the beet leaves.
• Finely dice the radish and cucumber.
• When the cooked beets and water are cold, add kefir or buttermilk and mix.
• Add radish, cucumber, chopped beet leaves, and season with salt and pepper. If you want the soup to be sour, you may add more vinegar.
• Serve with fresh chopped dill and hard-boiled eggs. The soup tastes best the next day or at least 2 hours after making.

CHLODNIK (COLD BEET SOUP WITH SHRIMP AND POTATOES )

Steps:

• Grate the beets; place in an earthenware container with 2 tablespoons of vinegar; let marinate one hour.
• Peel and cut the vegetables (except the beets) into small dice; cook the diced potatoes in boiling water with a pinch of salt, drain and reserve.
• Place the beets in a saucepan and cover with 8 cups of water; bring to the boil; reduce the heat and let cook for 10 minutes.
• Add a pinch of salt and a teaspoon of sugar; cook 10 minutes longer.
• Drain the beets, reserving the cooking liquid.
• While the beets are cooking, bringing alarge pot of water to a boil.
• Peel the shrimp; place into boiling water and cook until they are pink (do NOT overcook).
• Drain and chop coarsely.
• Place the beet cooking liquid into a bowl, whisk in the sour cream, add the beets, radish, green onion, cucumber, potatoes, shrimp, lemon juice, dill and the remaining tablespoon of vinegar.
• Season with pepper, salt and ½ teaspoons sugar, cover and refrigerate for two hours.
• Pour into serving bowls, sprinkle each with dill fronds and chopped hard-boiled eggs, and garnish with lemon slices if desired.

CHILLED BEET SOUP WITH BUTTERMILK, CUCUMBERS, AND DILL (CHLODNIK)

Steps:

• Using a large knife, separate greens and stems from beets. Thoroughly wash greens and stems; set aside. Scrub beets, transfer to a medium pot, and cover with 1" water. Cover pot and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium, uncover, and cook until beets are tender when pierced with a knife, about 10 minutes. Drain beets; discard cooking liquid. Let cool.
• Meanwhile, chop beet greens and stems. Transfer to a large pot and add 1/2 tsp. salt and 4 cups water. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to medium and simmer, without boiling, until greens are tender, about 5 minutes. Let cool to room temperature, about 30 minutes.
• Peel and coarsely grate beets, preferably wearing gloves. Add to pot with cooled greens. Gently stir in cucumbers, pickle, pickle brine, buttermilk, sour cream, and scallions. Season with salt and pepper.
• Cover pot and chill soup at least 30 minutes. Adjust seasonings, if desired. Divide soup among bowls; top with eggs and dill.
• Do Ahead
• Soup can be made 2 days ahead; cover and chill.

CHLODNIK

Steps:

• Place veal in water to cover and poach gently 20 minutes, until cooked through. Set aside.
• Simmer beets in water to cover until cooked through, about 25 minutes. Remove beets from water, reserving liquid. Peel beets. Strain beet water through a colander lined with cheesecloth. In a blender or food processor, puree beets with beet liquid and set aside.
• Simmer shrimps in water to cover for 5 to 7 minutes, until cooked through. Peel shrimps and set aside.
• Peel and seed cucumber. Cut and dice. Combine cucumber, veal with its liquid and beets. Add yogurt, dill and chives. Taste, and add salt and pepper if necessary. Add shrimps. Place in refrigerator until very cold.
• When ready to serve, place soup in bowls and garnish with slices of hard-boiled eggs.

CHLODNIK

Steps:

• In a large, nonreactive bowl, whisk the sour cream, buttermilk, sauerkraut juice, garlic, salt and pepper until smooth.
• Stir in the shrimp, cucumbers, dill, fennel and scallions, gently but thoroughly. Cover and refrigerate 4 hours or overnight.
• To serve, taste for seasoning, ladle into bowls and sprinkle with chopped hard-cooked egg.