Hamburg Sour Soup Recipe

Origin: Germany      Period: Traditional

Ingredients

9 prunes (pitted)
9 dried apricots (pitted)
1 smoked ham bone (with ham rind) or 2 smoked ham hocks
3l water
2 carrots
1 small piece of celeriac
1 leek
7 tbsp butter
1 large onion
4 tbsp flour
1/2 tsp basil
1/2 tsp thyme
1/2 tsp marjoram
1 tsp savory
salt, to taste
600ml white wine
1 large bay leaf
6 peppercorns
450g eel, skinned and cut into 3 pieces
4 tbsp white vinegar
2 tbsp raspberry jam
140g peas (optional)

Hamburg Sour Soup Preparation:

Method:

Combine the prunes and apricots in a bowl, cover with warm water and set aside to soak for 2 hours. At the same time place the ham bones/hocks and rind in a large bowl and cover with 3l water. Allow to soak for 20 minutes then bring to a boil, reduce toa simmer and cook for about 90 minutes. Remove and discard the pork rind then remove the bones, allow to cool until you can handle them and chop any meat away. Discard the bones and retain the meat. Allow the stock to cool then skim any fat away from the top. Set aside.

Chop the celeriac and carrots. Heat 3 tbsp butter in a pan and use to fry the vegetables until they begin to soften (about 8 minutes). Turn the vegetables from the pan into the ham stock. Add 4 tbsp more butter to the pan and use to fry the chopped onion until coloured a deep brown (about 12 minutes). Scatter the flour over the butter and onion mixture and stir to combine. Cook gently for about 3 minutes, stirring constantly, then add the onion roux, the herbs and the chopped meat to the stock.

Return the stock to the hob, bring to a simmer and cook for 15 minutes. In th meantime add the white wine to a clean pan along with the bayleaf and the peppercorns. Bring just to a boil, add the eel pieces then reduce to a simmer and cook for 5 minutes, or until cookde throug. Remove the eel from the pan and set aside to keep warm then add the wine mixture (remove the spices) to the ham stock along with the soaked fruit, vinegar and raspberry jam. Bring to a simmer and cook for 5 minutes then adjust the seasonings. If using peas add these and simmer for 5 minutes more.

To serve, place a few pieces of eel in a warmed soup bowl and ladle the ham-based soup over the top (ensure each dish gets a prune and an apricot). Serve immediately.

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