Name: Żurek
Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: 45 min
Total time: 65 min
Yield: 4 servings
Cuisine: Polish
Ingredients: 1.5 l Water (divided); 120 g Smoked bacon (diced); 400 g white sausage (left whole); 500 g Potato (peeled and cut into 2 cm cubes); 1 piece Onion (peeled and finely chopped); 3 cloves Garlic (finely chopped); 400 ml fermented rye starter (shaken well); 120 ml sour cream (at room temperature); 2 tsp dried marjoram (crumbled between the fingers); 1 tbsp horseradish (prepared horseradish); 4 pieces Egg (hard-boiled, peeled, and halved); 1 tsp Salt (plus more to taste); 1/2 tsp Black pepper (freshly ground)

Come preparare

Put the eggs in a small saucepan, cover with water, and bring to a boil. Cook for 9 minutes, cool under cold running water, peel, and halve.

Place the bacon in a large heavy pot over medium heat and cook for 5 minutes, stirring, until lightly browned and its fat has rendered. Add the onion and sauté for 4 minutes until translucent, then stir in the garlic for 30 seconds.

Add 1.5 liters of water, the whole white sausages, potatoes, salt, and pepper. Bring to a gentle boil, then reduce the heat and simmer uncovered for 20 minutes, until the potatoes are nearly tender and the sausage reaches 74°C at the center.

White sausages and potatoes simmering in the broth for Żurek

Immagine generata dall'IA

Transfer the sausages to a plate. Shake the fermented rye starter well, pour it into the pot, and simmer for 8 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the soup smells pleasantly sour and lightly coats a spoon.

Slice the sausages into thick coins. Whisk the sour cream with 150 ml of hot soup in a bowl, then stir the mixture back into the pot. Add the marjoram and horseradish, warm for 2 minutes without boiling, and adjust the seasoning.

Ladle the hot Żurek into four bowls and divide the sausage among them. Top each serving with two egg halves and a small extra dab of horseradish; serve immediately with rye bread.

A bowl of Żurek topped with sausage and halved eggs

Immagine generata dall'IA

Perché questa ricetta funziona

Fermented rye starter supplies a bright, complex acidity, while sausage and bacon build a smoky broth. Potatoes add body, and sour cream rounds the tang without masking it.

Conservazione e riscaldamento

Come conservarla

Refrigerate the cooled soup in a covered container for up to 3 days. Store boiled eggs separately if possible. The soup may thicken as it stands.

Come riscaldarla

Reheat gently in a saucepan over medium-low heat until steaming throughout, stirring frequently. Do not boil after adding sour cream, as it may split.