Molly Goldberg Jewish Cookbook (4 page)

Combine the beets, onion, water, and salt in a saucepan. Bring to a boil and cook over medium heat for 1 hour. Add the lemon juice
and
sugar and cook for 30 minutes. Correct seasoning; the soup may require a little more sugar or lemon juice, depending upon the sweetness of the beets.

30

Soups

Beat the eggs in a bowl. Gradually add 3 cups of the soup, beating constantly to prevent curdling. Return this mixture to the balance of the soup, beating steadily. Remove all of the beets from the soup. Grate 5 of the beets and return them to the soup. The remaining beets may be used in a cold salad. Chill the soup, and serve very cold with a spoonful of sour cream in each plate.

note: If a very thick soup is desired, place the remaining beets in an electric blender with 2 cups of the soup, and run the machine until the mixture is smooth. Add the mixture to the soup.

HOT MEAT BORSCHT

hot beet soup
                                 
8 large beets, peeled

2 onions, chopped

2 cloves garlic, minced

3 quarts water

2 pounds short ribs or breast flank

Beef bones

2V2 teaspoons salt

Vi
teaspoon freshly ground black

pepper i cup coarsely shredded cabbage
^l
A
cup lemon juice

4 tablespoons sugar 2 eggs, beaten

Grate half of the beets. Combine the grated beets with the whole beets, onions, garlic, water, meat, and bones in a large saucepan. Bring to a boil; skim off the top. Cover, and cook over medium heat for
1V2
hours. Add the salt, pepper, and cabbage, and stir. Cook uncovered for 45 minutes. Add the lemon juice and sugar. Cook for 15 minutes. Correct seasoning. The soup should have both a sweet and sour taste, so add more lemon juice or sugar if necessary. Remove the whole beets and the bones.

3
¹

The Molly Goldberg Cookbook

Beat the eggs in a bowl. Gradually add about 3 cups of the soup, beating steadily to prevent curdling. Return this mixture to the balance of the soup, mixing steadily. Reheat, but do not allow to boil.

Serve the soup with the meat on thq side in a separate dish. When served with boiled potatoes, this constitutes a complete meal in one dish.

VEGETABLE SOUP

4 tablespoons shortening 2 onions, sliced 2 carrots, sliced

1 cup shredded cabbage

2 stalks celery

Vz
pound green peas, shelled

V4
pound string beans, halved

V4
pound lima beans, shelled

7 cups water

2 teaspoons salt

Va
teaspoon freshly ground black

pepper
Vz
teaspoon sugar 2 tomatoes, peeled and chopped 2 potatoes, peeled and diced
V4
pound fine noodles, cooked

and drained l tablespoon chopped parsley

Melt the shortening in a saucepan. Add the onions and saute for 10 minutes, stirring frequently. Add the carrots, cabbage, celery, green peas, string beans, and lima beans. Cover and cook over low heat for 10 minutes. Add the water, salt, pepper, sugar, tomatoes, and potatoes. Cover, and cook over medium heat for 30 minutes. Add noodles and parsley. Cook for c; minutes additional.

3
²

Soups

BARLEY AND BEAN SOUP

1 cup lima beans

4 tablespoons pearl barley 8 cups water

2 onions, chopped

1 carrot, grated

2 teaspoons salt

Vi
teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

3 tablespoons butter l cup light cream

Wash the beans thoroughly. Cover with water; bring to a boil and soak for 2 hours. Drain.

Soak the barley in water to cover for 2 hours. Drain.

Combine the beans, barley, the 8 cups of water, onions, and carrot in a saucepan. Cover and cook over low heat for
%Vi
hours, or until beans are tender. Add the salt, pepper, butter, and cream. Cook for 10 minutes additional. Correct seasoning.

note: If a very smooth soup is desired, pur6e the mixture in a food mill or electric blender.

WINE SOUP

3^i cups sweet red wine

1Y2
cups water

3 tablespoons lemon juice

4
^e
gg
^s

5 tablespoons sugar

1 teaspoon salt

Combine the wine, water, and lemon juice in a saucepan. Bring to a boil, and cook over low heat for 10 minutes.

33

The Molly Goldberg Cookbook

Beat 2 of the eggs and 2 egg yolks (reserving the 2 egg whites). Add 3 tablespoons of the sugar and the salt. Gradually add the wine mixture, stirring constantly to prevent curdling. Chill.

Before serving, beat the egg whites until they begin to stiffen. Add the sugar gradually, beating constantly until stiff.

Serve the soup with a heaping tablespoon of the egg-white meringue on top.

SPLIT PEA SOUP

2 cups split peas
zVi
quarts water

1  pound beef (plate flank, breast flank, or chuck)

Beef bones

2 onions, chopped 1 carrot, grated

1 stalk celery

3 sprigs parsley

2 potatoes, peeled and sliced 2& teaspoons salt

Vi
teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

Soak the peas in water to cover overnight if presoaked variety is not used. Drain.

Combine the peas, water, beef, beef bones, onions, carrot, celery, and parsley in a saucepan. Cover and cook over low heat for
\Vi
hours. Add the potatoes, salt, and pepper. Cook for 45 minutes additional, or until the peas are very soft. Remove the meat. Force the soup through a food mill or pur£e it in an electric blender. Correct seasoning. If too thick, add a little water.

The meat should be cut into small pieces and served in the soup.

Soups

My mother-in-law, Jake's -mother, taught me a trick. To her it was more than a trick, it was confidence. When she made cabbage soup it lasted her three days. How? The first day it was a meal by itself, with the meat. The second day she served it with the smaller pieces of meat cut up in it, and on the third day it was just soup. When she told me her trick I was flattered, but how could I tell her that's what my mother did also?

CABBAGE SOUP

3 pounds beef (plate flank, breast flank, or brisket)

Beef bones

1Y1
quarts water

1 can ($2^2) tomatoes

2 onions, chopped

4 pounds cabbage, coarsely shredded

2 teaspoons salt

Vi
teaspoon freshly ground black

pepper
Vi
cup lemon juice 4 tablespoons sugar
Yi
pound sauerkraut, drained

(optional) 2 slices rye bread, trimmed

Combine the beef, beef bones, water, tomatoes, and onions in a saucepan. Bring to a boil. Skim the top. Cover and cook over medium heat for i hour. Add the cabbage, salt, and pepper. Cook over low

35

The Molly Goldberg Cookbook

heat for 1 hour. Add the lemon juice, sugar, and sauerkraut. Cook for 15 minutes.

Soak the bread in water for 5 minutes. Drain and add to the soup. Correct seasoning. The soup should have a more sour than sweet taste. Cook for 15 minutes longer, or until the meat is tender.

Serve the soup and meat at the same time. This makes a complete meal in one dish.

DRIED MUSHROOM SOUP

8 dried mushrooms

4 tablespoons fine barley

8 cups water

2 teaspoons salt

Vi
teaspoon freshly ground black

pepper 4 tablespoons shortening 2 onions, chopped fine 2 tablespoons flour
V2
cup heavy cream (optional)

Wash the mushrooms thoroughly. Cover with water and soak for 2 hours. Drain and chop.

Combine the mushrooms, barley, water, salt, and pepper in a saucepan. Bring to a boil. Cover and cook over low heat for
1Y1
hours.

Melt the shortening in a skillet. Add the onions, and saute for 10 minutes, stirring frequently. Add the flour, stirring until brown. Add to the soup, stirring constantly. Cook over low heat for 30 minutes. Correct seasoning.

Add the cream if desired and serve hot.

36

Soups

FRESH MUSHROOM SOUP

6 tablespoons shortening 2 tablespoons grated onion
³
A
pound mushrooms, chopped
iVz
teaspoons salt

2 teaspoons chopped parsley l teaspoon caraway seeds

(optional)

3 tablespoons flour

3 cups water and 3 cups milk, or 6 cups water

Melt half of the shortening in a skillet. Add the onion, mushrooms, salt, parsley, and caraway seeds. Saut6 for 15 minutes, stirring frequently.

Melt the remaining shortening in a saucepan. Add the flour, stirring until smooth. Add the water and milk gradually, stirring constantly until the boiling point. Add the mushroom mixture. Cook over low heat for 10 minutes, stirring frequently. Correct seasoning.

COLD SCHAV

COLD SORREL SOUP

\Vi
pounds sorrel (sour grass) 6 scallions (green onions), sliced 2V2 quarts water 2V2 teaspoons salt 4 tablespoons sugar

1 tablespoon lemon juice

2 eggs

V2
pint sour cream

Wash the sorrel very thoroughly in several changes of water. Coarsely chop the sorrel, discarding the stems. Combine in a saucepan with the scallions, water, and salt. Bring to a boil. Cover and cook over

37

The Molly Goldberg Cookbook

medium heat for 30 minutes. Add the sugar and lemon juice.
Cook
for 15 minutes. Correct seasoning. Cook 15 minutes additional.

Beat the eggs in a large bowl. Gradually add the soup to the beaten eggs, stirring constantly to prevent curdling. Chill.

Serve with a tablespoon of sour cream in each portion.

note: If a very smooth soup is desired, the sorrel may be pureed in a food mill or an electric blender before combining it with the eggs.

CABBAGE AND POTATO SOUP

3 tablespoons shortening 2 onions, chopped 7 cups water

1 pound boneless beef Beef bones

2 pounds cabbage, shredded

3 potatoes, peeled and diced 2& teaspoons salt

Vi
teaspoon freshly ground black

pepper
Vz
teaspoon paprika

Melt the shortening in a saucepan. Add the onions, and saut6 for 10 minutes, stirring frequently. Add the water, beef, and beef bones. Bring to a boil. Cover and cook over medium heat for
1Y4
hours. Add the cabbage, potatoes, salt, pepper, and paprika. Cook over low heat for 45 minutes. Correct seasoning. Serve with small pieces of the beef in each plate if desired.

38

Soups

SAUERKRAUT SOUP

1 pound sauerkraut

2 pounds beef Beef bones

7 cups water

3 tablespoons shortening 2 onions, chopped

Vi
pound mushrooms, chopped

(optional) 2 potatoes, peeled and diced 2 teaspoons salt
Vz
teaspoon freshly ground black

pepper

Combine the sauerkraut, beef, beef bones, and water in a saucepan. Cover, and cook over medium heat for 1V2 hours.

Melt the shortening in a skillet. Add the onions. Saut6 for 10 minutes, stirring frequently. Add the mushrooms, and saut6 for 5 minutes. Add to the soup, together with the potatoes, salt, and pepper. Cook for
Vi
hour additional.

Cut the meat into small pieces and serve in the soup.

MEATLESS SAUERKRAUT SOUP

Yi
pound sauerkraut

Vi
pound mushrooms, chopped

2 quarts water

2 teaspoons salt

Yi
teaspoon freshly ground black

pepper 4 tablespoons shortening 2 onions, chopped 2 tablespoons potato starch or

cornstarch

Wash the sauerkraut and drain well. Combine it in a saucepan with

39

The Molly Goldberg Cookbook