Recipes from Hungary – Night owl soup

This soup should be served after an all-night party, around dawn, because it is supposed to prevent a hangover!

Ingredients:

• 10 oz/300 g smoked ham shank (or 14 oz/400 g smoked pork ribs)    

• 10 oz/300 g sauerkraut

• 2 1/2 tbsp/40 g butter

• 1 large onion     

• 2 tbsp sweet paprika        

• 4 cups/1 liter sauerkraut pickling liquor 

• salt, pepper

• 3 tbsp flour       

• 3/4cup/200 ml sour cream

• 5 oz/150 g Debrecen or other spicy sausage, sliced    

Boil the meat until tender . Rinse the sauerkraut under cold, running water, then drain and chop. Melt half the butter in a saucepan, and saute the finely diced onion in it until golden brown. Take the pan off the heat and stir in the paprika, 1—2 tbsp of water, and the sauerkraut. Blend the sauerkraut liquor with some of the smoked meat stock to produce an acidic stock that is not too salty. Pour it over the sauerkraut. Dice the smoked meat and add it to the pan. Bring to a boil, and season with pepper.

Melt the remaining butter in a saucepan, add the flour and cook, stirring all the time, until the flour foams and turns golden. Blend the roux into the stew, and stir well until the sauce thickens. Add the sour cream, and bring the stew to the boil again. Finally add the sliced sausage. Add a little salt if necessary.