Rassolnik

Ingredients

• 1/3 cup pearl barley
• 500g chicken thighs or beef kidney, trimmed
• 6 cups water or broth
• 1 onion, diced
• 1 carrot, diced
• 2 potatoes, diced
• 2 large dill pickles, grated or finely diced
• 1/4 cup pickle brine
• 2 tablespoons butter
• Salt and black pepper, to taste
• Sour cream, for serving
• Chopped dill, for serving

Before you cook

• Rinse the barley under cold water.
• Dice the onion, carrot and potatoes.
• Grate or finely dice the pickles.

Steps

1. Put the chicken or kidney and water into a pot and bring to a boil, skimming off any foam.
2. Add the barley and simmer for 25 minutes until the barley softens.
3. Melt the butter in a separate pan over medium heat.
4. Add the onion and carrot and fry for 5 minutes until softened.
5. Stir the fried onion and carrot into the soup.
6. Add the potatoes and simmer for 12 minutes until they're tender.
7. Stir in the grated pickles and pickle brine.
8. Simmer for 5 more minutes, then taste and season with salt and pepper, adding more brine if you want it sharper.
9. Ladle the soup into bowls.
10. Top each bowl with a spoonful of sour cream and a scatter of dill before serving.