No. 201 — Polish Chłodnik with Sour Cream
Complete English translation of Molokhovets recipe No. 201 from the 1901 Russian cookbook, retaining original quantities, preparation and source.
Pound a handful of dill and chives (young green onion) with salt. Wash young beet greens and several very small young beets, cook and drain in a colander. Chop finely and put into a soup tureen.
Add two to four glasses of the freshest sour cream and dilute, in proportion, with previously boiled beet kvass or cooled boiled water, until the entire soup amounts to nine glasses.
Add hard-boiled eggs cut into pieces, fresh cucumbers cut into small cubes, crayfish tails, dill, slices of lemon, salt, a little pepper and a piece of ice.
At serving time provide a separate plate of finely crushed ice so that each diner may put some into their own bowl.
The soup may also contain strained, cold, thoroughly defatted strong meat stock No. 1. In the south, according to the author, even cooked meat cut into small cubes was added.
To provide
1½ Russian pounds of young beets and beet greens A handful of dill; 2–4 glasses of sour cream Beet kvass, see Nos. 48–49 | 3 cucumbers, 15–30 crayfish and 4–6 eggs ½ lemon, salt, dill, optionally pepper Young green onion or chives |