Russian Schi

Schi took a special place among national soups. Historians suppose that this dish was known long time ago before Baptizing of the Rus. Once all soups were called Schi. Later Schi were meant as cabbage soups. But even now you can find the recipes of Schi with sorrel, spinach and young nettle. There are so many proverbs about favourite dish. "Boil schi to have guests in the house", "People don't go away from good schi", "Good wife is not the one who speaks well, but who cooks schi well". Tastes changed, but love of Russians towards Schi was eternal. Schi was eaten in tzar mansions and in poor houses as well. The only difference is that poor people had "empty schi", without meat where the base was cabbage and onion. Schi was one of the principal meal in monasteries. Russian man couldn't live a day without schi. It was testified, that Russian men got so accustomed to schi that soldiers, being in France, during the war 1812 pickled grapes leaves and cooked schi from them. By the way, it was possible to travel to France with your own schi. However, you need good frost for it. Travelers in order to provide themselves with homemade meal, took frozen schi with them. And the taste of schi after freezing was even better. The famous French writer was admired by the splendid smell and taste of schi, took original recipe and included it in his cookbook. Schi are cooked on meat, fish or mushroom broths. Schi with meat are served with a meat piece in the plate. Pies and Koulebyaki are very good with Schi. In spring schi are often cooked with sorrel, spinach and young nettle. This is «Green Schi» - Zeleny Schi. Zeleny Schi are served with chopped hard boiled eggs in the plate. I'd like to suggest you to taste famous Russian Schi:

700 g beef with bone
2 l water
700 g cabbage
2 average potatoes
1 little turnip
1 large carrot
2 fresh tomatoes
2 tb fat
1 onion
1 parsley root
parsley, pepper, salt

Put meat in the cold water to make broth tastier. Bring to boil; reduce heat. Remove the grease and froth from the broth surface with a spoon. Cook at a low heat for 1 hour. Pour cold water in to keep the same quantity of broth. Add chopped carrot, shredded cabbage, salt. Bring to boil again. Then add potatoes cut in cubes. Chop onion, parsley root, turnip, tomatoes finely and fry in the pan with fat. Put everything in the pan and boil at a low heat for 30 minutes. Five minutes before finishing, put pepper, salt, 2 bay leaves. Schi is served with sour cream, fresh bread or pies.

Bon appetit,
Olga.

By Olga Timokhina