Beef Solyanka Soup
One portion, 30 minutes, and only 10 minutes of chopping. Roughly £3.70 a portion.
Per portion
Calories from protein 33%, carbs 14%, fat 53%. Estimated from the ingredients.
Roughly £3.70 a portion.
Method
- 1
Heat a little oil in a pan over high heat and sear the beef strips for 1 minute until browned, then tip onto a plate. Cooking for three or more? Do this in batches so the pan stays hot and everything browns, then put it all back.
- 2
Lower the heat to medium and fry the onion in the same pan for 8 minutes until soft and translucent.
- 3
Add the salami and fry for 2 minutes.
- 4
Stir in the tomato puree, cook for 1 minute, then add the stock, cabbage, gherkin, capers and bay leaf. Simmer for 12 minutes until the cabbage is tender, then return the beef and any juices for 1 minute until just cooked.
- 5
Taste before adding any salt, as the salami, gherkin and capers are already salty, then season with black pepper. Ladle into a bowl and top with a slice of lemon, a spoonful of soured cream and a scattering of dill.
Cook's notes
- Sizes. Vegetables, fruit and eggs are medium unless the recipe says otherwise. A tin is a standard 400g tin.
- Dairy. Salted or unsalted butter both work; with salted, go easy on any extra salt. Use full-fat soured cream, crème fraîche and yoghurt in anything hot, as low-fat versions split.
- Stock. A cube or pot made up as the packet says. Cubes are salty, so taste before adding more salt.
- Heat. Medium means a gentle sizzle, not spitting. High means the oil shimmers before the food goes in. A simmer is a few lazy bubbles, not a rolling boil. Leave the lid off unless the recipe says to cover.
- Pans. A small saucepan is about 16cm and a frying pan about 24cm. Sauces reduce faster in a wider pan, so go by how it looks rather than the clock.
- Doneness. Chicken and turkey should reach 75°C in the thickest part, pork 65 to 70°C, and beef steak 55°C for medium-rare. Rest steaks and chops for a few minutes before slicing.
- Finishing. Taste before serving. Most dishes want a pinch more salt, and a squeeze of lemon or a splash of vinegar lifts anything rich.
- Leftovers. Cool quickly, cover and keep in the fridge for up to 2 days, then reheat until piping hot. Cooked rice keeps for 1 day and should only be reheated once.
solosupper.co.uk/recipes/beef-solyanka-soup/
