This traditional Romanian sour soup with pork and vegetable is a recipe that is made in some regions of Romania. The recipe uses a variety of basic vegetables, like carrots, celery, potatoes and pork meat. The broth of this soup is dressed with sour cream and lemon juice or vinegar.
2-3celery sticks or a small piece of celeriac root, diced
1medium onion diced
2tomatoes diced
2-3garlic cloves minced
1red bell pepperdiced
1-2potatoes mediumcubed
1teaspoonsalt
1-2tablespoonsvegetable oil
1tablespoondried tarragon
½lemonwe use the juice from it or 1-2 tablespoons vinegar or to your taste
4tablespoonssour cream
8cupswater or chicken stock
Instructions
Cube the pork meat and place it in a soup pot over medium heat on the stove, along with the vegetable oil.
Brown the meat on all sides, then toss in the cleaned and diced vegetables – carrots, celery sticks, onion, garlic, and pepper – holding back the potatoes and tomatoes for later.
Sauté the vegetables with the meat until they release their flavors, then add enough water to cover them completely.
Bring the soup to a boil, then reduce the heat, letting it simmer until the meat is cooked and the vegetables are semi-soft. It might take about 25 minutes. Stir in the small-cubed potatoes and the chopped tomatoes.
Add salt to taste.
Simmer the soup 10-15 minutes more until the potatoes are cooked.
Add the dried tarragon and the juice from the lemon(or vinegar).
Place the sour cream into a soup bowl.
Add a small amount of hot soup to sour cream; stir to mix. (this process is called "tempering"). Gradually add the mixture to the soup, stirring constantly. Do not bring back to boil.
Serve hot with fresh bread, pickles or hot peppers.