Good soup is a hallmark of Polish cuisine. Drawing from every imaginable ingredient — including beets, cabbage, tripe, chicken, mushroom and even summertime berries — Poland’s list of soup recipes is long enough to serve a different type for every season and at every occasion.
Zurek, a sour and savory soup thickened with rye flour, is one recipe that’s been successful enough in New York to be a staple at local Polish diners and restaurants. Often listed on English-language menus as “white borscht” (a related soup with slightly different ingredients), the blend of fermented rye stock, horseradish, spices, kielbasa and hard-boiled egg is hearty enough to be its own meal.
In this episode of 1 Minute Meal, Derek Rudnik — who has managed the front house of Greenpoint’s Lomzynianka for 20 years — describes what goes into the complex yet comforting flavor of this soup, one of many he relies on to connect with his roots.
© soundtrack by Gray Whale and James Boo.
