I just got back from a lovely couple of days in Chicago visiting my parents. It wasn’t the Bahamas or Iceland but it felt so nice nonetheless. Anytime we get away from our normal routine it is so refreshing. I used to come visit and get very anxious to get back to my life in New York and would feel that Chicago was so boring and lame. But I just welcome it so much now, because I’m pretty lame and Chicago is actually pretty cool. I do love the mid-west, I know mountains and oceans are better but the midwest is special, there is something in the air that floats around and makes you feel ok about yourself.
We celebrated Easter and it was lovely. Saturday we got our baskets blessed and I made a traditional Polish Easter dessert called mazurek, we dyed hard boiled eggs and had an array of sandwiches and babkas and cheesecake. I think Easter is my favorite holiday and I never come to Chicago for it and I’m so glad I did this year. We also went to the botanical garden and I got some glamour shots of how beautiful nature is! I wish I was as beautiful as a flower!
My mother’s garden is also starting to slowly show signs of life. The nettle and sorrel are the strongest and when I saw the sorrel I got so excited to make sorrel soup! I tried to make it last year in the summer and it is so hard to find sorrel in the city. I found some at the farmers market but it would be just small little bundles and only for part of the season. So I made this great soup yesterday. It is simple farm food, sorrel is easily found in Europe and a popular ingredient for soup and sauces. If you can find it here get it and enjoy it, or if you have a garden plant some! It is a sturdy plant.
Sorrel Soup
1 small onion, diced
4 garlic cloves, minced
2 tbsp butter
3-4 small potatoes, peeled and diced
6 cups vegetable broth
salt and pepper
1/2 pound or about 6 cups sorrel, chopped
1 cup sour cream
1 tbsp all-purpose flour
hard boiled eggs, cut 4 ways
parsley or dill for garnish
– Heat 1 tbsp of butter in a stock pot on medium. Add the onion until soft and fragrant. add the garlic. Add the potato with salt and pepper and cook about 1 minute. Add the broth and bring to a boil. Turn down the heat and simmer until potatoes are almost cooked, about 30 minutes.
– Meanwhile heat a skillet and add 1 tbsp butter. Add the sorrel until wilted, it will turn a muddy green. Turn off heat and add the sorrel to the soup once the potatoes are cooked. Continue simmering.
– Mix the sour cream with flour in a bowl and add about 1/4 cup of broth slowly until combined. This will insure it does not curdle and clump. Add it back to the simmering soup. Simmer a bit more, until the potatoes are cooked.
– S rve with pieces of hard boiled egg and chopped herbs. Season to taste.
– This can also be eaten cold.
cheers, julia
Babushka Training 