Horseradish Soup

• Zupa chrzanowa – horseradish soup  – this is one I came across recently when I found it on a list on favourite Polish soups.
• It is often made at Easter* time however it is NOT one my mother ever made!
• It is a “white” soup due to its use of white vegetables and soured cream.
• You could call it a “cousin” of zurek – sour rye soup.
• The original recipes use fresh grated horseradish but this is not so easy to come by in England so I used 2 small jars of creamed horseradish sauce instead.
• Parsley root is also not to easy to find but the amount of celeriac can be increased slightly.
• White turnip can be used if you cannot find any celeriac in the shops.
• The soup is served with halves of hard boiled eggs and sometimes skwarki – crispy bacon bits.

INGREDIENTS

• 3 or 4 slices of streaky smoked bacon – optional
• 4 -5 Frankfurter style sausages – chopped into small lengths.
• 2 -3 medium onions
• Butter to fry 

• (1 parsley root – if available – chopped)
• ½ of a celeriac – chopped into small cubes
• 2-3 medium sized potatoes – chopped into small cubes**
• 2  litres of chicken stock
• ½ teaspoon of dried marjoram
• 2 bay leaves
• 4 grains of allspice
• 4 peppercorns
• 2 small jars of creamy horseradish sauce
• 4 hard boiled eggs – halved – 1 egg per serving
• Salt & pepper to taste – if needed
• ** You can use already boiled potatoes – cubed and added at a later stage of the soup making.

METHOD

• Chop the bacon into small pieces and fry gently to remove the fat and make skwarki. These will be used to garnish the soup.
• Chop the onions into small pieces.
• Fry these gently in the butter till soft – do not brown.
• Put the stock into a large pan and add the onions, the parsley and celeriac.
• Also add the marjoram, bay leaves, allspice and peppercorns.
• Heat gently until the vegetables are becoming soft.
• Add the sausages and horseradish sauce and heat for another 5 minutes or so.
• Season to taste.
• *
• Served with the bacon pieces and the halved hard boiled eggs.

Served in Royal Doulton Carnation soup plates.

*Horseradish is in the Easter basket that is blessed. It is a symbol of the bitter sacrifice of Christ.