No. 16 — Spring Soup (Printanière)
An English translation of original recipe No. 16 from Elena Molokhovets’ Russian cookbook (1901), with historical quantities and Russian source.
Prepare medium-strength yellow broth No. 1, or double-strength broth No. 3 with a meat clarification mixture, using the basic browned roots, an onion and a bunch of greens. Chicken bones may be added if desired. Strain the broth.
An hour before serving, clean small young potatoes, young carrots (called karotel), young turnips cut into slices, asparagus, whole green pods, a spoonful of freshly shelled peas and a cauliflower divided into florets. Wash, put into salted boiling water and, as soon as the water returns to the boil, drain in a colander and rinse with cold water.
Transfer to a small saucepan, cover with strained broth and simmer until tender but not disintegrating. Add cauliflower and young carrots last, as the author says they need no more than fifteen minutes. Put chopped fresh dill into the soup tureen, add the vegetables with their cooking broth and pour in the remaining stock.
To provide
3–4 Russian pounds of beef; optional chicken bones; ¾ Russian pound of basic soup roots A bunch of greens and an onion; optionally 1 Russian pound of beef and other ingredients for clarification | 1 small cauliflower, a handful of green pods, 1 turnip, 1 spoonful of shelled peas 3–4 asparagus spears, 6–8 small young carrots (karotel), 12 potatoes, fresh dill |
Serving
Serve with any kind of small savory pies.