Ciorbă de pipote (Romanian chicken gizzard soup)

Ingredients

• 500 g chicken gizzards
• 2000 ml water for the first boil
• 1/2 teaspoon salt for the first boil
• 30 ml oil
• 2 medium carrots (240 g)
• 1 medium onion (150 g)
• 1 large potato (300 g)
• 1 medium red pepper (150 g)
• 1 medium green pepper (150 g)
• 1 small celery root (300 g)
• 5 celery stalks (100 g)
• 2500 ml water for the soup
• 1 teaspoon salt for the soup
• 1/2 teaspoon ground pepper
• 10 g parsley
• 5 g lovage
• 1 medium lemon (45 ml juice)

Preparation

1. Trim the membranes and fat from the gizzards, then pat them dry with paper towels. Put them in a pot with 2000 ml water and 1/2 teaspoon salt. Bring the water to a boil, then simmer the gizzards over low heat for 60 minutes, until tender. 2. Drain the gizzards and discard the water. Finely chop 2 carrots, the onion, potato, peppers, celery root and celery stalks. Add 30 ml oil to the same pot and sauté the vegetables for 8 minutes, until slightly softened. 3. Add the gizzards to the pot and sauté them with the vegetables for 2 minutes. 4. Pour in 2500 ml water, add 1 teaspoon salt and 1/2 teaspoon pepper. Cover and simmer for 20 minutes, until the vegetables are tender. Chop the parsley and lovage, scatter them over the top and add the lemon juice.