14 Dec 2024
Recipe of the Week: Christmas – Kapustnica (Slovak Republic)
Community Expat Cookbook

Recipe of the Week: Christmas – Kapustnica (Slovak Republic)

A festive soup made with dried plums, sausage, mushrooms and pork!  I recommend that you leave the soup for at least 1-2 days after it’s cooked so that it gains in depth and flavour.

 

The secret to this recipe is the sauerkraut, shredded cabbage that has been fermented by various lactic acid bacteria. It has a long shelf-life, and a distinctive sour flavour, both of which result from the lactic acid that forms when the bacteria ferment the sugars in the cabbage. If you can’t find it in your local store, check out the international grocery shops in Stockholm.

 

Ingredients

500 g smoked pork (can be either neck, shoulder or leg)

2 litres of lukewarm water

600 g sauerkraut

2 onions, sliced

8 cloves of garlic, peeled

100 g of prunes (dried plums)

2 paprika sausages, chopped

8 peppercorns

8 allspice berries

4 bay leaves

300 ml cream

2 tablespoon flour

2 teaspoons of sweet paprika powder

2 tablespoons of butter

Salt and pepper to taste

Directions

  1. Washed smoked meat and then let it cook in 2 litres of lukewarm water for 20 minutes. Drain and squeeze the sauerkraut, but retain the liquid for later; cut the cabbage and add it to the meat. Then add sliced onion, peeled garlic cloves, prunes, chopped sausage, spices and bay leaves, then simmer over a low heat for about two hours. Remove the soft meat and let it cool slightly.
  2. Mix the cream with flour in a cup. Melt the butter in a pan and fry red paprika powder – this develops the flavour and gives the soup its attractive colour. Add to pan with cream mixture and cook for another 15-20 minutes.
  3. Cut the meat into bite-size pieces and return to the soup. Season with salt, pepper and the retained sauerkraut liquid to taste. Serve with fresh bread and if you like, sprinkle some dill on top.

 

Want more fantastic recipes? Check out our Expat Cookbook!

 

Recipe by Ciz Inka

2 Comments

  • Antonin Vrabec 2 Dec 2012

    It sounds really really good. Hope I will find all the ingredients here in NYC. Děkuji za dobrý tip!

  • Liga Krista 17 Dec 2012

    Oh, this reminded me of Slovak good old times!

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