No. 40 — Green Shchi from Young Nettles
An English translation of original recipe No. 40 from Elena Molokhovets’ Russian cookbook (1901), with historical quantities and Russian source.
Prepare white broth with trimmings of roots and a bunch of herbs, then strain. Cook the shaped roots separately in some stock.
Take 2 Russian pounds of young nettles, sort and wash. Put them into salted boiling water and bring to the boil twice without covering the pot. Drain, rinse cold, squeeze as dry as possible, check them again and chop finely.
Melt one spoonful of butter and, if desired, lightly fry a finely chopped onion in it. Add the chopped nettles and fry, stirring with a spatula so that they do not burn. Add a little cooked sorrel and butter, cover and leave at the edge of the stove. Mix in flour fried in butter.
Half an hour before serving, dilute with stock and boil. Add a little sour cream and sliced boiled meat or sausages, bring to the boil once and pour into the soup tureen over the prepared shaped roots, parsley and dill.
To provide
2 Russian pounds of beef; ½ pound of ham or sausages Soup roots, 1 onion and a bunch of herbs; 2 spoonfuls of flour; 1 spoonful of butter 2 Russian pounds of young nettles; ½–1 glass of sour cream | ¼ Russian pound of sorrel; optional 5–10 allspice berries and 1–2 bay leaves Fresh parsley and dill |
Served separately
Sour cream; hard-boiled or stuffed eggs; croutons made from buckwheat or Smolensk-groat porridge; small cottage-cheese tarts; thin pancake pies; or puff-pastry pies with brains or beef.