Recipe: Rassol'nik (Kidney Soup)

the appetizer:

The Russian Heritage Cookbook by Lynn Visson, includes recipes like Shashlyk; Rassol'nik (including Rassol'nik with Spinach and Chicken Rassol'nik); Drachena Egg Pudding; Syrniki Trifunovich; and Tvorozhniki Chernyakhovskaya.

Cookbook

Rassol'nik

Serves 6

2 beef kidneys
8 cups beef bouillon
1 Tbsp. chopped parsley
1 stalk celery, chopped
1 small onion, peeled and chopped
1 turnip, peeled and chopped
4 Tbsp. butter
1 tomato, chopped
1 Tbsp. tomato paste
2 cloves garlic, peeled and minced
4 sour pickles, chopped
1/2 cup pickle juice
4 small potatoes, peeled and diced
1 bay leaf
Dill
Parsley
Salt and pepper Optional: sour cream

Clean kidneys of all membranes and fat. Place in water to cover, bring to a boil, drain off water, replace with fresh cold water, boil again, drain off water, replace with fresh water, and boil 10 minutes. Dice kidneys and add them with their cooking liquid to beef bouillon. Fry 1 Tbsp. parsley, celery, onion, turnip, tomato, tomato paste, and garlic in butter for 5-10 minutes. Combine with the kidneys in the bouillon and simmer 30 minutes. Add pickles, pickle juice and potatoes, bay leaf and salt and pepper to taste. Simmer for 20 minutes. Taste for seasoning and just before serving sprinkle with minced dill and parsley. Rassol'nik may be served with sour cream on the side.

Rassol'nik with Spinach

Serves 8

This rassol'nik is a relative of "Green borshch."

2 beef kidneys
6 cups beef bouillon
2 Tbsp. chopped parsley
1 parsnip, peeled and sliced
1 stalk celery, sliced
1 medium onion, peeled and sliced
1 medium turnip, peeled and sliced
2 Tbsp. butter
4 sour pickles, coarsely chopped
1/2 cup pickle juice
1 bay leaf
Salt and pepper
1/2 lb. spinach leaves, washed and shredded
1/2 lb. lettuce, washed and shredded
3 egg yolks
2/3 cup milk
1 Tbsp. minced dill

Clean kidneys of membranes and fat; boil kidneys in cold water, changing water as in recipe for Rassol'nik. Chop kidneys and add them with their broth to beef bouillon. Fry 1 Tbsp. parsley, parsnip, celery, onion and turnip in butter for 5-10 minutes. Add to soup. Simmer on low heat for 10 minutes. Add pickles, pickle juice, bay leaf and dash pepper, and simmer 15 minutes. Put in spinach and lettuce and simmer 5 minutes; taste for salt and add only if needed. Beat egg yolks well with milk; be sure soup is not boiling. Pour a cupful of soup into egg mixture and slowly stir back into soup, beating constantly. Before serving sprinkle with remaining parsley and dill.

Chicken Rassol'nik

This soup is identical to Rassol'nik with spinach with the following exceptions: substitute 8 cups of chicken bouillon for beef bouillon. Do not add the water in which the kidneys were cooked to the soup. Add a package of chopped chicken giblets (except for liver) to the bouillon, along with the kidneys and vegetables.

from:
The Russian Heritage Cookbook
A Culinary Tradition Preserved in 360 Recipes
by Lynn Visson
Overlook Press/Peter Mayer Publishers 2009
Hardcover; $28.95
ISBN-10: 1590201167
ISBN: 978-1-59020-116-9
Recipe reprinted by permission.

Buy The Russian Heritage Cookbook

The Russian Heritage Cookbook

Recipes
- Shashlyk
- Rassol'nik (including Rassol'nik with Spinach and Chicken Rassol'nik)
- Drachena Egg Pudding
- Syrniki Trifunovich
- Tvorozhniki Chernyakhovskaya