Fortunatus S. Marchbanks' Quotidian Minutiae

The weather has turned cold at The Old Gray House, drafts are coming in around the baseboards (particularly in the corner where this desk sits, so my toes stay more or less refrigerated all winter).  L is still fighting a sinus infection that wants to become bronchitis or pneumonia, but it can’t decide which—so it’s neither.  I think I’ve still got some kind of middle ear thing going on; I have spells of vertiginous feeling pretty regularly.

But even with all that, the cool weather brought on a spell of wanting-to-cook-things, so that’s what I did.  Yesterday I made a batch of very good Swedish meatballs from scratch, using a recipe from M’s cookbook (There’s a Chef in My World! by Emeril Lagasse, 1987—and a remarkably good cookbook it is).  M pronounced it delicious, so I expect I’ll get to do it again.

And earlier in the week, I made a batch of щи.  щи is as close as you get to a Russian national dish—cabbage, sauerkraut, root vegetables, meat if you have it, all mixed into a huge pot to make a thick soup that lets you get out and face a Siberian winter day with a belly full of something that will stay with you.

щи

———————–STOCK———————–
10 dried black mushrooms, well rinsed
2 lbs brisket or beef shanks
2 lbs marrow bone, cracked (can be omitted if shanks are used)
10 cups water
1 large onion
1 medium carrot, peeled
1 celery rib with leaves, chopped
1 parsnip, peeled
Bouquet garni
Salt, to taste
2 Tbsp unsalted butter

————————-SOUP———————-
4 cups shredded cabbage
2½ cups packaged sauerkraut (not canned)
2 Tbsp tomato paste
1 medium carrot, julienned
1 choppped celery rib
1 lb turnips, peeled & diced
16 oz plum tomatoes
Salt, to taste
Black pepper, to taste
1 minced garlic clove
Finely chopped fresh dill
Sour cream

Soak the mushrooms in a cup of water for two hours. Drain them, pat dry with paper towels, them fine, and set aside.  Discard the liquid or save for another use.

To make the stock, in a large soup pot, bring the meat, bones, and water to a boil over high heat, periodically skimming off the foam as it rises to the top.  Add the remaining stock ingredients, and reduce the heat to low.  Simmer, covered, until the meat is tender; about two hours.

Meanwhile, melt half the butter in a deep skillet over medium heat.  Add the cabbage and sauerkraut and sauté for ten minutes, tossing and stirring regularly.  Add one cup of hot stock (it doesn’t have to be fully cooked) and the tomato paste.  Cover the pot, and simmer over low heat for 35 to 40 minutes.

Melt the remaining butter in another large skillet and sauté the carrot, onions, celery, turnip, and mushrooms until soft and lightly browned; about 15 minutes.  When the stock is ready, strain it into a clean pot.  Reserve the meat and discard the other solids.  Add the sauerkraut and cabbage, the vegetable mixture, and tomatoes to the stock.  Season with salt and pepper, stir, and cook, covered, over medium-low heat for 20 minutes.

Cut the meat into bite-size pieces and add it to the soup, along with the minced garlic. Simmer for another five minutes. Let stand for at least 15 minutes, and preferably a day and a night, before serving; refrigerate, covered, and reheat slowly if serving the next day. Serve garnished with fresh dill and a dollop of sour cream.

                    — Please to the Table
                        von Bremzen & Welchman