Pork and potato ciorbă (Romanian sour soup)

Ingredients

• 3500 ml water
• 800 g pork leg
• 350 g smoked pork ribs
• 300 g celeriac
• 2 medium onions (300 g)
• 4 medium carrots (400 g)
• 75 ml oil
• 1/2 hot pepper (10 g)
• 5-6 medium potatoes (750-900 g)
• 2 egg yolks
• 3 tablespoons sour cream (20% fat)
• 3 tablespoons vinegar (45 ml)
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon ground pepper
• 15 g lovage

Preparation

1. Take the sour cream out of the fridge 15 minutes before using it. Pour the water into a large pot and bring it to a boil in about 15 minutes. 2. Add the pork leg, cut into cubes about 3 cm across, and the smoked pork ribs. Boil for 5 minutes, skimming off the foam as it forms. 3. Peel the celeriac, add it to the pot with one whole onion and simmer over low heat for 60 minutes, until the meat is tender. 4. Cut 3 carrots into cubes and add them to the soup. Boil for 5 minutes. 5. Finely chop the other onion, grate the remaining carrot and chop the hot pepper. Heat the oil in a pan and cook the vegetables over low heat for 5 minutes, until softened. 6. Take the celeriac and whole onion out of the pot, then add the cooked vegetables. Let the soup bubble gently for 3 minutes. 7. Peel the potatoes, cut them into bite-sized cubes and add them to the pot. Boil for 20 minutes, until the potatoes are thoroughly cooked. 8. Mix the egg yolks with the sour cream. Gradually stir in 3 ladles of hot soup, then turn off the heat and pour the mixture into the pot. Season with vinegar, salt and pepper, then add the chopped lovage.