No. 103 — Turnip Purée Soup with Duck
Complete English translation of recipe No. 103 in Elena Molokhovets’ 1901 Russian cookbook, preserving the historical preparation, quantities and sources.
Make and strain white stock from 1–2 Russian pounds of beef without roots. Meanwhile, melt butter in a saucepan, put in a cleaned duck and fry it on the stove, turning frequently.
Wash the turnips without cutting them with a knife. Put in warm water and bring to the boil once, or blanch, to remove bitterness and the raw flavor; drain on a sieve. Peel off a fairly thick outer layer, wash again and chop as finely as possible.
Put the chopped turnips with the duck, add some stock, cover and simmer until tender. Remove the duck and keep it warm over steam in a saucepan set over boiling water, replenishing the water as needed. Rub the turnips through a sieve.
Fry one spoonful of flour with ½ spoonful of butter, dilute with a glass of stock, mix and boil. Combine with the turnip purée, warm and dilute with more hot stock. Salt, add ½–1 glass of Málaga wine and bring once to the boil. Cut the duck into portions, put them into the tureen and pour over the hot soup.
To provide
1–2 Russian pounds of beef One small domestic duck; 2½ Russian pounds of turnips | 1 spoonful of butter; 1 spoonful of flour and ½ spoonful of butter Optional: ½–1 glass of Málaga |