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Shchi is a traditional Russian soup made with cabbage, meat, and vegetables, and can be made with fresh cabbage or sauerkraut. It has been enjoyed for at least 11 centuries and is considered a lower caste recipe. The soup is nutritious and flavorful, and can be served hot or cold with sour cream and dill.
Over the centuries, Russia has developed a range of traditional soups to make good use of its most popular resources, from borscht beets to shchi cabbage. The latter recipe literally translates to “cabbage soup,” but it actually contains more than just kale. This soup often contains meat, but can also be vegetarian. It can also be made with fresh, green cabbage or the pickled version known as sauerkraut, or both.
Russians have enjoyed shchi for at least 11 centuries. Although many famous residents, from Ivan the Terrible to Joseph Stalin, have admitted to being fans, it is generally considered a lower caste recipe. It holds well, is cheap to make, and cooks quickly, although some even prefer it as a cold soup, called gazpacho.
While shchi can be made on the fly with just a few ingredients, most modern cooks prefer several ingredients to make the soup nutritious and flavorful. These may include mushrooms, potatoes, turnips, carrots and celery, in a beef or vegetable stock thickened and made slightly tart by tomato paste. While shredded cabbage or sauerkraut can be added, many chefs use equal parts of both to make the soup both sour and sweet.
The process of making shchi is as simple as most broth-based soups. One method involves boiling the meat in a pan of hot water, along with garlic, diced onions, bay leaf, salt, and pepper. The meat may be covered and steamed until cooked through, then shredded off the bone for later placement in soup. This also creates the stock that will form the soup. Most types of meat are acceptable, including lamb, beef, pork, or even chicken.
As the broth is brought to a boil, with the meat shredded and set to one side, vegetables such as chopped onions, celery, potatoes, carrots, shredded cabbage, and sauerkraut are tossed into the mix. The heat is then reduced to a simmer. After about 15 minutes, the chopped tomatoes or tomato paste are mixed into the broth, together with the meat, which is left to blend with the other flavorings for at least five minutes. Before serving, the chef will taste the final product, adding salt and pepper if necessary.
Using cabbage alone will create a shchi with less of its signature tart flavor, while using sauerkraut alone will intensify that component. In any case, it is usually served hot, with a few exceptions. Many also pick up some sour cream as a side dish, along with a few sprigs of dill.
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