Oy, I have been crap at blogging this past week-sorry friends!! Been busy busy busy here. Hope this recipe makes up for it a little though!
This is another delicious Polish family recipe from Alex's house that has been converted. As kids my Pops used to take all of us down to Hamtramck (Detroit) to the Polish Bakery & our favorite restaurant (Polonia Restaurant and order this to start our meals. Now I got the recipe from a Polish manager of mine at a restaurant I worked at (Thanks Jacek!) who had his Mama fax it from Poland to me, he translated it, and then when I went vegan I converted the recipe to what you will see below! It makes my Polish heart (and tummy) so so happy!!!
Zupa ogórkowa or Dill Pickle Soup!
RECIPE [for 1.5 gallons of soup]:
4 leeks,
7 carrots
3 celery
5 potatoes
vegan butter (we use Earth Balance buttery spread)
3/4 bunch fresh dill
1/4 bunch fresh parsley
3 quarts water
4 tbsp Better Than Bouillon's No Chicken bouillon
1 64 oz. dill pickle jar (all the pickles & 1/4 to 1/2 cup brine)
tofutti sour cream
Chop carrots, celery, & leeks. Throw in pot with water. Bring to boil, reduce heat to simmer until veggies are fork tender.
In separate pot, cook finely diced pickles (3/4 of the amount) in Earth Balance. Simmer & cover for 1/2 hour (add water if needed).
Peel & cut potatoes in small cubes (we chopped into about 1/2" cubes). Remove cooked veggies from water & add in potatoes & bouillon. Stir in bouillon to dissolve. Cook potatoes until fork tender. Add in cooked pickles to potatoes & cook together.
In separate bowl, scoop 1/2 a container of Tofutti sour cream. Add a little of "soup" mixture & mix with it to bring temperature up without "curdling". Slowly add sour cream mixture into large pot of "soup".
Add other veggies back into pot. Process until smooth with an immersion blender. Add freshly minced dill & parsley as well as remaining pickles & brine. Add salt and pepper to taste. Cook together another 2-5 minutes. Serve & enjoy with friends (like my pal Sarah whom I know from college who visited LA last week)!!
REVIEWS:
Joe: When I first heard about this soup from Alex, I was put off. I am not the biggest fan of pickles! So I wasn't sure how I would feel about a pickle soup. But this soup has a really nice flavor & I really enjoy it!
Alex: I love, Love, LOVE this soup!!! It tastes like childhood and straight up yumminess to me. Amazingly creamy and dilly. How can a Polish gal go wrong with potatoes, pickles, and fresh dill?! The answer is that she can't friends, she can't! I hope you all enjoy this soup as much as I do :D
Obviously this recipe can be made in smaller batches but as most things in good home-made recipes there are no measurements so feel free to add more (potatoes Alex thinks) or less depending on your tastes and group size. Enjoy!
