Polish Żurek ✅

Ingredients

Ingredients for the Żurek Starter

• 500ml (0.52 quart) bottled or boiled water at room temperature (no chlorine)
• 5tbsp rye flour (you can use wholemeal wheat flour as well)
• 5 garlic cloves, peeled and slightly crushed
• 4 bay leaves
• 10 allspice berries

Ingredients for the Żurek Soup

• 1,5 litre (1.58 quart) of vegetable bullion
• 500ml (0.52 quart) of Żurek starter
• 4 small pork sausages (you can also add smoked sausage Kielbasa)
• 250g (8.8oz) uncut smoked bacon (Boczek)
• 1tsp marjoram
• 3 tsp of double cream (soured cream works too)
• Salt to taste

To serve

• Boiled diced potatoes
• Hard-boiled eggs cut in half
• Sourdough Bread
• Fresh parsley or dill
• Cracked black pepper

Steps

1. How to prepare Żurek Starter:

2. To prepare the starter, it is important to avoid using water that contains chlorine as it can kill the microbes. To do this, simply boil the water first and then let it cool down to room temperature.

3. Once the water is ready, add all of the starter ingredients to a clean jar and stir them together using a spoon.

4. Cover the jar with a paper towel or cloth and secure it in place with a tie. This will allow the starter to breathe while also keeping it protected.

5. Place the jar in a location that is away from direct sunlight and at room temperature. After approximately 5-7 days, your starter should be ready to use. You can either use it immediately or store it in the refrigerator for up to 2 weeks. If you choose to store it in the fridge, make sure to remove and discard the spices from the starter. If you use it right away, you can add the starter to your recipe as is.

   How to prepare Bouillon:

6. To prepare a vegetable broth, start by combining 1 liter of water with a few diced carrots, 2 medium-sized onions, a piece of celery, and a leek. Bring the mixture to a boil, then reduce the heat to a simmer and cover the pot with a lid. Set a timer for 1 hour.

7. After the broth has simmered for an hour, strain the liquid from the vegetables. Save the carrots to use in your soup and discard all the remaining vegetables.

   How to prepare Żurek Soup:

8. Begin by dicing the bacon and pan-frying it over high heat for 4-5 minutes in order to render the fat.

9. Next, add the fried bacon, cooked carrots, whole or sliced sausages, and 1 teaspoon of marjoram to the hot stock. Bring the mixture to a boil and then reduce the heat to a simmer for 5 minutes.

10. Whisk the Żurek starter with the sediment (remove spices) and pour it into the soup. Allow the soup to simmer until it thickens.

11. Remove the soup from the heat and take out the sausages. Slice the sausages and then return them to the pot.

12. In a separate bowl, combine the cream with a ladle of the soup. Mix the ingredients together and then pour the mixture back into the pot. This step will help prevent the cream from curdling.

13. Finally, serve the Żurek with hard-boiled eggs and fresh sourdough bread. Smacznego!

Notes