Potato and parsnip ciorbă with sour cream

Name: Potato and parsnip ciorbă with sour cream
Ingredients: 50 ml oil; 2 medium onions (300 g); 1 medium carrot (100 g); 1 red pepper (150 g); 1 yellow pepper (150 g); 1 hot pepper (10 g); 2 medium parsnips (300 g); 1 kg potatoes; 100 g smoked bacon; 3500 ml water; 1 bay leaf; 1 teaspoon whole peppercorns; 1 1/2 teaspoons salt; 200 g sour cream with 20% fat; 15 ml tarragon vinegar; 10 g fresh thyme

Soups - Potato and parsnip ciorbă with sour cream by Adela K. - Recipia

Potato and parsnip ciorbă with sour cream is a Romanian sour soup that simmers in no more than 25 minutes, with a little smoked bacon and pepper. The broth stays thin and slightly tangy from the tarragon vinegar, while the potatoes and parsnips soften without falling apart. I cut the potatoes into roughly two-centimetre cubes so they fit nicely on a spoon. Prep: 20 minutes. Cook: 50 minutes. Rest: 15 minutes. Total: 85 minutes. Serves: 6. About 430 kcal and 10 g protein per serving.

Ingredients

50 ml oil
2 medium onions (300 g)
1 medium carrot (100 g)
1 red pepper (150 g)
1 yellow pepper (150 g)
1 hot pepper (10 g)
2 medium parsnips (300 g)
1 kg potatoes
100 g smoked bacon
3500 ml water
1 bay leaf
1 teaspoon whole peppercorns
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
200 g sour cream with 20% fat
15 ml tarragon vinegar
10 g fresh thyme

Preparation

1. Take the sour cream out of the fridge 15 minutes before you start. Peel and wash the vegetables; slice the carrot, dice the onion, cut the peppers into cubes, and cut the potatoes and parsnips into roughly two-centimetre cubes. 2. Heat the oil in a pot and sauté the onion, carrot and peppers for 8 minutes, stirring now and then, until the onion softens. 3. Add the potatoes, parsnips, smoked bacon, water, bay leaf, peppercorns and 1 teaspoon of salt. Bring to a boil in about 15 minutes, then simmer for 25 minutes, until a fork slips easily into the potatoes. 4. Stir 3 tablespoons of hot broth into the sour cream, then pour it into the pot. Add 15 ml tarragon vinegar and the remaining half teaspoon of salt; let the soup simmer gently for 2 more minutes. Adjust the seasoning and sprinkle with fresh thyme.

Notes

Serve with a slice of bread, with fresh thyme sprinkled over the bowl. A cousin asked me on Saturday what I was cooking and was disappointed when I said potato soup; I hadn’t eaten it in about four months, and with everyday dishes I change a seasoning or add something new. Mealy potatoes soften quickly and can cloud the broth; for cubes that hold their shape, choose waxy potatoes. It’s easy to rush the sautéing, but the onion needs to soften well. If the tarragon vinegar is salty, taste the soup before adding more salt. It keeps in the fridge for up to 3 days and reheats over low heat. Sour cream contains dairy; if you leave it out, you can adjust the tang with a little tarragon vinegar.

Frequently asked questions

Why did the sour cream curdle?

This can happen if the broth is boiling hard when you add it. Ladle out some broth, stir it into the sour cream, then gradually mix the mixture into the pot.

What can I use instead of tarragon vinegar?

Use 10 ml lemon juice, then add a little more if the broth needs it.

What should I do if the broth is too thin?

Mash 2-3 cubes of cooked potato with a fork and stir them into the pot.