Loboda soup with cabbage brine, yogurt and sour cream

Ingredients

• 3 l poultry stock made with bones or hot water
• 1 level teaspoon salt
• 2 tablespoons sunflower oil
• 2 medium carrots (160 g)
• 2 medium onions (300 g)
• 1/2 large bell pepper (75 g)
• 3 medium floury white potatoes (600 g)
• 100 ml fresh tomato juice
• 1 piece celeriac root (3 x 3 cm) optional
• 1 small zucchini (200 g)
• 1 l clear fermented cabbage brine
• 1/2 teaspoon salt (if using borș)
• 450 g orache
• 2 bunches lovage (60 g)
• 200 g cultured sour cream (at least 20% fat)
• 200 g yogurt
• 2 egg yolks
• 1 small hot pepper optional
• 7 g fresh parsley optional

Preparation

1. Take the sour cream out of the refrigerator 15 minutes beforehand. Put the hot poultry stock or water in a pot with 1 level teaspoon of salt and bring to a boil in about 8 minutes. 2. Wash and peel the carrots, then dice them. Peel and chop the onion. Heat the oil in a pan, add the onion and carrots and cook for 3 minutes, until the onion turns translucent but doesn’t brown. 3. Add the sautéed vegetables to the pot and cook over medium heat for 8 minutes. Meanwhile, dice the bell pepper. 4. Peel the potatoes and cut them into 2.5-3 cm cubes. Add them to the pot with the bell pepper, tomato juice and the piece of celeriac, if using. Simmer over low heat for 10 minutes. 5. Wash and trim the zucchini, cut it into large cubes and add it to the pot. Cook for another 12 minutes, until a fork goes easily into the potato. 6. Wash the orache and cut the leaves into 2.5-3 cm strips. Add three quarters of the orache and the cabbage brine, then simmer over low heat for 5 minutes. If the cabbage brine is cloudy, add it with the potatoes. If using borș, a fermented bran liquid, instead, add 1/2 teaspoon of salt as well. 7. Chop the lovage, add half and let the soup bubble a few times, about 1 minute. Turn off the heat and add the rest of the orache. 8. Beat the sour cream, yogurt and egg yolks in a bowl. Gradually mix in 125 ml of hot soup, then pour the dressing into the pot. Heat over low heat for 1 minute without letting the soup boil. Sprinkle over the rest of the lovage and, if you like, the chopped parsley.