Editor's note: This article is part of a winter series exploring the soups of the world. Today, we're jumping across the pond to Europe, an incredibly diverse continent with dozens of distinct cuisines. From the hearty potato soups of the U.K. to the decadent seafood stews of the French coast, the old world has something for everyone. Here are a few of our favorites ...
Polish Zurek: For many, Polish cuisine isn't much more than a sausage. But a trip to Polish Cottage, 4520 E. Broadway, reveals an exciting variety of pickled and fermented things, sweet tomato sauces, soft pierogi filled with mashed potatoes, crispy pork cutlets and honey flavored beer. (It took me a significant amount of time to order ... ) But when you go, you've really got to start off with the Zurek, a hearty sausage soup with a tangy kick. The soup is made by taking rye flour and mixing it with water, then letting it ferment for a couple days until the water separates off the top and it becomes a thick paste. The base then gets a good dose of house-made vegetable broth, garlic, marjoram and sour cream. Then they tuck in some white boiling sausages and hard boiled egg. Owner Robert Stawicki says the soup is typically served during holidays, and I can understand why: It's absolutely incredible.
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Matzo Ball Soup: As the nights get colder, my thoughts begin to turn to my kitchen at 16, and that intoxicating smell of herbs and chicken broth wafting from the giant pot. My mom would buy an entire chicken and slow cook it in water with a bouquet garni for what seemed like hours, then tear off the meat and make what's obviously the best soup known to mankind. But even with that beautiful broth, the dumplings were the star of the show. Who can explain the allure of those billowy balls of dough, savory and wonderful in your mouth as you take a monster bite. I sure can't, but I do know this fact: Matzo Ball soup isn't from Israel, but from Eastern Europe, where it was most likely adapted to fit Jewish preferences and dietary restrictions. While I'm partial to the mish mosh soup with noodles at Chompie's in Tempe, an excellent bowl can be had at the Tucson deli Shlomo and Vito's, 2870 E. Skyline Drive.
German Kale Soup: Hands down, my favorite soup to make at home during the winter is a warm kale and sausage soup known in Germany as Grünkohleintopf. The winter green kale is very popular in the northern regions of Germany. In fact, an article on aboutfood.com talks about a winter tradition called a "Gruenkohlfahrt," where people drink schnapps and go on a brisk hike, then top the evening off with a warm kale dinner. (Sounds pleasant?) I found this recipe in a cookbook given to me for Christmas a few years back, and have been making it ever since. One suggestion: Because the soup feels like a special occasion, I like to use high-quality sausages rather than the oily, packaged kielbasa you get at the supermarket.
Recipe originally from "Spoonfuls of Germany" by Nadia Hassani
Available online at germanfoods.org/recipes/kale-stew-with-smoked-meat-and-sausages/
- Ingredients
- 2 1/2 – 3 pounds of kale, washed, stems and ribs removed
- 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
- 2 medium yellow onions, peeled and chopped
- 2 tablespoons rolled oats
- 1 lb smoked pork loin
- 1 Pinkelwurst or other smoked boiling sausage, such as kielbasa
- 2 smoked boiling sausages
- Salt and freshly milled black pepper
- Generous pinch of ground nutmeg
Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Plunge the kale into the water and blanch for 1 to 2 minutes. Drain the kale well in a colander and chop it coarsely.
Heat the oil in a large saucepan and add the onions. Sauté until translucent. Add the kale and 2 cups water. Stir in the oats and bring to a boil, then reduce the heat and simmer for 30 minutes. Add 1 cup water in ¼-cup increments, if necessary. The stew should be very moist but not soupy.
Add the pork loin and the Pinkelwurst, and cook over low heat for 30 minutes. Add the smoked sausages and up to 1/2 cup water, if necessary. Cook for 30 minutes. The smoked sausages should only be added for the last 30 minutes of the cooking time, otherwise they will burst.
Season with salt, pepper, and nutmeg. Serve with boiled or caramelized potatoes.
Other soups:
Fabada Asturiana, a slow-cooked fava bean and chorizo soup from the northern Asturias region of Spain. Served at Casa Vicente, 375 S. Stone Ave.
Still waiting to try the Mediterranean specialty Avgolemeno, a creamy egg and lemon soup that can include chicken or rice. Apparently it's popular at Athens on Fourth Avenue, 500 N. Fourth Ave., which ran out during yesterday's lunch rush.
Where would we be without French cuisine? Maynard's Market and Kitchen does some of the best in town with their rich, sherry-spiked French Onion, as well as the Provençale fish stew Bouillabaisse, with fresh fish, mussels, prawns, scallops and more in a lobster-saffron broth. 400 N. Toole Ave.
And who can forget Minestrone soup, everyone's favorite Italian American specialty? For an authentic experience outside the Olive Garden, try the old school Tucson pasta house Mama Louisa's, 2041 S. Craycroft Road. Since 1956!
