Romanian ciorbă with potatoes, green beans and pancetta

Ingredients

• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 2 medium carrots (160 g)
• 1 medium onion (150 g)
• 150 g pancetta
• 1500 ml water
• 300 g fresh green beans
• 3 medium potatoes (600 g)
• 1 medium zucchini (250 g)
• 30 ml bors
• 30 g tomato paste
• 1 teaspoon Maggi seasoning
• 1 teaspoon Vegeta
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon ground white pepper
• 1/2 teaspoon sweet paprika
• 1/2 teaspoon tarragon or dried lovage
• 200 g sour cream with at least 20% fat
• 10 g fresh parsley

Preparation

1. Take the sour cream out of the fridge 15 minutes ahead. Coarsely grate the carrots and finely chop the onion. 2. Heat the olive oil in a pan and sauté the carrots and onion for 8 minutes, until softened. Break the green beans into small pieces, peel the potatoes and cut them into cubes. 3. Bring the water to a boil in a pot. Add the sautéed vegetables, pancetta, beans and potatoes. Simmer over low heat for 20 minutes, until the potatoes are almost tender. 4. Coarsely grate the zucchini and add it to the pot, along with the bors, tomato paste, Maggi seasoning, Vegeta, salt, white pepper, paprika and tarragon or lovage. Simmer for another 8 minutes, until the zucchini softens. 5. Turn off the heat. Stir the sour cream with a ladleful of hot soup, then pour it into the pot and stir well. Sprinkle with the chopped parsley.