Kharcho, Georgian (Russian) Soup

Kharcho, Georgian (Russian) Soup

Book: Steve' diabetic recipe book
Chapter: SOUP

Serves: 8

Credit to Bob Beer for the recipe. Original,as published recipe in body. Comment by Olga Timokhina of RusCuisine.com

I adjusted the spices slightly and recommend serving with a dollop of sour cream... Steve





2 pounds beef round steaks cut to cubes after almost freezing
1 teaspoon ground fenugreek seed (Purchase cracked ones. Seeds are like gravel to grind)
1 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
2 large garlic cloves, crushed
1/8 teaspoon sugar
1 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons ground coriander
1/2 teaspoon dried fenugreek leaves or sub methi/shenbalile powder
1/2 teaspoon paprika
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
1/4 teaspoon savory
1/2 teaspoon turmeric
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
1 onion, chopped
4 bay leaves
1/2 pound plum tomatoes, chopped
1 cup chopped walnuts
3 tablespoons lemon juice
1/4 cup chopped cilantro

1. In heavy casserole, cover beef with 2 qts water. Bring to boil over high heat and skim. Reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer till meat is tender, about 2 hours.
2. Meanwhile, place ground fenugreek seed in mortar. Add red pepper and pound well. Add garlic, sugar, and salt; pound to a paste. Stir in the ground coriander, fenugreek leaves, paprika, black pepper, savory, and turmeric, set aside.

3. In a medium skillet, heat oil over low heat. Add onion and bay leaves, cover and cook, stirring frequently, till onion is very soft, about 10 minutes. Stir in tomatoes and pounded spices, and cook, stirring, for 10 minutes. Remove from heat.

4. Remove meat from the casserole and strain soup through a colandar into a large bowl. Skim fat from the liquid. Remove and discard bones, gristle, and hard pieces of fat from the beef. Cut the meat into 1-inch pieces. Return the meat and strained liquid to the casserole (you can omit this step if using boneless meat of course; just skim the fat).

5. In a food processor, puree the walnuts to a smooth paste. Add 1/2 c of the beef cooking liquid and process till creamy and smooth. Add to casserole along with the onion-tomato mixture and bring to a boil over moderately high heat. Cook till the soup thickens slightly, about 5 minutes. Add lemon juice, and season with salt, black pepper, and crushed red pepper to taste. Sprinkle with the chopped herbs, cover and let stand for 5 minutes before serving.




Original recipe:

3 1/2 pounds trimmed beef short ribs, or 1 1/2-2 lbs round steak or lamb cut into 1-in pieces
1/2 tsp ground fenugreek seed
3/4 tsp crushed red pepper
2 large garlic cloves, smashed
1/8 tsp sugar
1 tsp salt
2 tsp ground coriander
1/2 tsp dried fenugreek leaves (methi in Indian stores, shenbalile in persian)
1/2 tsp sweet paprika
1/4 tsp freshly ground black pepper
1/2 tsp savory
2 pinches turmeric
1 tbsp vegetable oil
1 large onion, chopped
2 bay leaves
1/2 pound plum tomatoes, peeled, seeded, chopped
1 cup walnuts (I'd use 1 1/2 cups myself)
3 tbsp fresh lemon juice (or more to taste)
1/4 c mixed chopped fresh cilantro, celery leaves, and italian parsley

Note to Bob: "Having eaten some Circassian (expelled Georgians) and Georgian food in Turkey, I'd say this was a bit "watered down" a recipe. I usually add quite a bit more red pepper and lemon juice, as well as coriander and fenugreek leaves and black pepper. The combination of the lemon and the warmth of the black pepper really make this dish for me. I have also played with it a little in adding up to 2 cups of walnuts, making it a little more like a stew, a la Iranian fesenjan though nowhere as thick as that."

Anyway, I am sure you will love this dish! Enjoy. :-)

Bon appetit,
Olga Timokhina

NUTRITION FACTS
Amount per Serving
Calories 415 Calories From Fat 247
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 27g 42%
Saturated Fat 8g 38%
Cholesterol 107mg 36%
Sodium 352mg 15%
Total Carbohydrate 3g 1%
Dietary Fiber 2g 8%
Sugars 0g
Protein 36g
Vitamin A 6% Vitamin C 10%
Calcium 1% Iron 24%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.