Poland · Central Europe
Żurek
Sour rye soup — tangy, smoky, and traditionally served in bread.
40 min Serves 4 mediumsoupeasterfermented
Ingredients
- 300ml rye sourdough starter (zakwas)
- 1L stock
- 200g smoked sausage
- 2 garlic cloves
- 1 bay leaf, marjoram
- 2 boiled eggs
- Cream
Method
- 1
Simmer the stock with sausage, bay and garlic for 20 minutes.
- 2
Whisk in the zakwas and bring back to a bare simmer — do not boil hard.
- 3
Add marjoram, crushed between the fingers.
- 4
Loosen with a spoon of cream.
- 5
Serve with half a boiled egg in each bowl.
Budget note
The sour base is rye flour and water left on the counter for five days — free.
Cooking this way every week? Read our guide to the Mediterranean diet on a budget for the pantry list, cost-saving swaps and a 7-day plan.
From the book
The Milk Bar Handbook
This recipe is one of six in the printable ebook — the same recipes, collected as a PDF you can cook from offline or print.
See the ebook