Probably everyone in their childhood tried a delicious thick soup prepared by their mother or grandmother - a hodgepodge. This hearty and very nutritious dish can simultaneously replace not only the first, but also the second. At the same time, hardly anyone thought that this wonderful soup is a truly Russian dish, which is known far beyond the borders of our country. This rich dish began to be prepared in Russia, around the 15th century.
In the old days, the hodgepodge was called a hangover. To the table of the Russian aristocracy, serving it was considered bad form.
A bit of history
In those days, hodgepodge was served with alcohol, as most often it was prepared not only thick, but also oily. Due to fatty foods, the process of intoxication slows down. And after three centuries, the rich inhabitants of Russia began to call the hodgepodge “a village”, adopted the rule of etiquette, which stated that serving the “village” to the table was considered bad form. Currently, there is nothing shameful in hodgepodge; it is cooked and served in expensive restaurants and cafes.
Why exactly is the "villager"? Because this soup was prepared in villages, villages from the remnants of food. The dish was rich and tasty, it was not necessary to collect any specific ingredients. The villagers did not understand what was wrong with the soup. In the 21st century, it will be wild to hear that once the hodgepodge was a soup of the poor and drunkards. Despite the fact that the hodgepodge has long ceased to be considered bad form, in some recipes the name "village woman" is indicated. Linguists and philologists are still arguing about the correct name for the rich soup.
Further consider recipes how to cook a hodgepodge.
Varieties of hodgepodge
If we move away from the historical facts of the soup, then in our time we can distinguish four main varieties:
- The meat.
- Fish.
- Mushroom.
- Vegetable.
They are named after the product on which the base is cooked - broth. It is he who gives the whole taste to the soup. It is worth mentioning that the broth should always be concentrated. A true Russian hodgepodge (how to cook we will consider later) can not do without onions, herbs and spices. These ingredients add spiciness, acid and a pleasant aroma. The numerous ingredients of the hodgepodge contain a large number of vitamins and elements necessary for the human body, so traditional Russian soup is considered to be a healthy dish rather than a harmful one.
How to cook a hodgepodge
- The products are placed exclusively in room temperature water and simmered over low heat. Also, an important rule in the preparation of soup is that the broth should be allowed to brew. Only after that the hodgepodge will get a complete taste and aroma.
- A bryoz is added to the hodgepodge - dressing prepared in advance from fried vegetables. 11 minutes before the soup is ready, pour the dressing into the total mass.
- Pickles must be peeled. If the seeds are too large, they should be removed. It is also recommended to add the brine, which must be boiled in advance.
- Experiment with the ingredients, not always recipes from the Internet will be able to please you. Having gained some cooking experience, you will learn how to combine products and create a recipe that will appeal to you.
Meat hodgepodge recipe
Consider how to cook a mixed meat hodgepodge. To cook it you will need:
- 100 grams of beef.
- 500 grams of smoked sausage.
- Salt and lemon juice at your discretion.
- Sour cream.
- Tomato Paste
- Pickled or pickled cucumbers.
- Onion.
- Vegetable oil.
- 12 olives.
A step-by-step recipe on how to boil a hodgepodge is as follows.
- The first thing to do is chop the onion. Fry for two minutes over high heat, then add tomato and mix. Brez is ready.
- Cut the meat products and cucumbers, divide the olives into two parts and remove the seeds.
- Bring the broth prepared in advance to a boil, then put the crushed ingredients in boiling water and cook for 10 minutes over high heat.
- After the soup is infused (20-40 minutes), you can put greens, sour cream, spices in it. The hodgepodge is ready to eat.
If you do not want to bother with the broth, in any grocery store you can find special cubes that will taste no worse than a broth prepared by yourself. They need to be crushed, added to water and boiled. The broth is ready.
Mushroom hodgepodge recipe
Before you cook the hodgepodge, you need to prepare the following products:
- 300 grams of champignons or other mushrooms.
- Add salt and lemon to taste.
- A few spoons of sour cream.
- A few tablespoons of tomato paste.
- Pickled or pickled cucumbers.
- Onion.
- Vegetable oil for frying.
- Black pepper and bay leaves at your discretion.
First you need to boil champignons in three liters of water, and leave the resulting broth. As well as for meat hodgepodge, you can buy cubes for the broth. Mushrooms should be cut into strips, chopped herbs and onions. Peel and chop pickles, if necessary, remove large seeds.
Next, you need to boil the resulting broth, add all the chopped ingredients and spices, cook for 30-40 minutes. Turn off the heat and let the soup brew. Mushroom broth solyanka is ready. When serving, you need to add olives, sour cream, pepper and other spices to taste.
Fish hodgepodge
Fish such as sturgeon or sterlet are ideal for preparing fish soup. Before you cook the hodgepodge, you must prepare:
- 400 grams of fish fillet of your choice.
- 12 olives.
- Pickles.
- A few tablespoons of tomato paste.
- Onions to taste.
- Butter for frying.
- Greens, peppers and other spices to taste.
First, cut the fish fillet into cubes. Peel the cucumbers and remove the seeds from them, chop the onion. Fry the onions and tomato paste in a skillet in butter. Boil the previously prepared broth, add the ingredients and cook for 30-35 minutes. After the soup is infused, you can add lemon, herbs and spices.
Vegetarian hodgepodge with rural mushrooms
List of what you will need during the cooking process:
- A few small potatoes.
- Onions to taste.
- Carrot.
- Pepper or other spices to taste.
- 400 grams of champignons or other mushrooms.
- A few pieces of pickles.
- 12 olives or olives.
- A couple of tablespoons of tomato paste.
- 350 grams of cabbage.
Consider the recipe (step by step) how to cook a hodgepodge. Chop cabbage and fry, then add chopped onions, peppers, mushrooms and cucumbers (previously peeled). Simmer for 20 minutes. Add potatoes and tomato paste, fry for 10-20 minutes.
Such a hodgepodge contains only 160 calories. Being on a diet, you do not need to adhere to strict rules at all. A nutritious hodgepodge will fill you with a charge of energy for the whole day. Vegetarian soup is suitable for losing weight people.
No need to be surprised at the "dry" hodgepodge. This dish, as well as a regular combined soup, can be found in restaurants. Due to its composition, the hodgepodge can easily be called both the first dish and the second. It should contain a little broth.
Spicy hodgepodge with sausage
Essential Ingredients:
- 5 potatoes.
- 350 grams of any sausage.
- Onions to taste.
- 7 carrots.
- 1 can of pickles.
- 1 can of canned tomatoes.
- 12 olives or olives.
Let’s take a look at how to cook a hodgepodge with sausage. First peel the tomatoes and cucumbers, cut. Fry the carrots, onions, sausage and tomatoes in a pan. Next, you need to cook the potatoes, add roasting for 20-30 minutes before the hodgepodge is ready. After five minutes, top up the container with cucumbers, olives and their marinade. Add pepper or lemon to taste. Solyanka is ready.
Solyanka with stew
To prepare such a hodgepodge, you need to have such ingredients as:
- 3 potatoes.
- 200 grams of pearl barley.
- 1 carrot.
- 1 onion.
- 650 grams of stew.
- 200 grams of tomato paste.
- A couple of pickles.
The first thing to do is cook pearl barley for 10 minutes. Next, make a brez - stew the onions and carrots, chop the potatoes. In the prepared broth add potatoes and pearl barley, bring to a boil. Then add tomato paste, spices to taste and fry.
Homemade hodgepodge
Ingredients:
- 400 grams of pork.
- 400 grams of beef.
- Onion head.
- 3 carrots.
- A few pickles.
- 200 grams of sausage.
- 12 olives.
To prepare this wonderful dish, you need to peel the cucumbers, cut them and carrots, add tomato paste and olives. Then fry these products in butter. Chop the sausage and cooked beef. Add everything to a container with boiling broth and cook for 16 minutes.
In the books with recipes you can find many different ways how to cook a hodgepodge team, fish, with sausage, etc. Each recipe is correct, there is no restriction on the preparation of rich soup.