Slovak Christmas Sauerkraut Soup with Mushrooms, Prunes and Smoked Meat

What you need

• 30 g (1 oz) dried mushrooms, porcini or mixed forest mushrooms
• 500 g (1 lb) sauerkraut, with its brine
• 2 tbsp lard
• 2 medium onions, diced
• 400 g (14 oz) smoked pork, ribs or shoulder, cut into 2 cm cubes, bones removed
• 6 cloves garlic, crushed
• 1 tsp caraway seeds
• 2 bay leaves
• 2 tsp sweet paprika
• 6 dried prunes, pitted, halved
• 250 g (9 oz) smoked sausage, klobása, sliced 1 cm thick
• 1 tsp black pepper, freshly ground
• salt, to taste, go lightly
• 150 g (2/3 cup) sour cream, to serve

Method

Restated from the original video

1. 1

   Cover the mushrooms with 500 ml (2 cups) of hot water and soak 30 min.

2. 2

   Lift the mushrooms out, chop them and strain the soaking water through a fine sieve. Keep both.

3. 3

   Drain the kraut over a bowl and save the brine. Chop the kraut coarsely. If it is very sharp, rinse it briefly under cold water.

4. 4

   Melt the lard in a large pot over medium heat. Add the onions and cook until soft and golden, 6-8 min.

5. 5

   Add the smoked pork and stir for 2-3 min until it takes on color.

6. 6

   Stir in the garlic, caraway, bay, pepper and a small pinch of salt. Take the pot off the heat and stir in the paprika for a few seconds.

7. 7

   Add the kraut, mushrooms and prunes. Pour in the mushroom water and 1.5 l (6 cups) water, stir and bring to a boil.

8. 8

   Cover and simmer on low heat for 1 hour, until the pork is tender and the kraut is soft.

9. 9

   Add the sausage and simmer 20 min more, until cooked through.

10. 10

    Taste and add brine for more tang, water if too sour, and salt if needed. Remove the bay leaves.

11. 11

    Rest off the heat for 15 min, or chill overnight and reheat, as the flavor improves by the next day.

12. 12

    Ladle into bowls and top each with a spoonful of sour cream.

Imported from predajne.kaufland.sk. Recipe Grab pulled out what you need to cook it; the video stays where its author put it.