Do you know what a hodgepodge is? This term often means several different dishes. From the point of view of classical culinary, this is a thick, spicy and sour soup, widespread in Russia and other countries of the former Soviet Union.
In addition to post-Soviet countries, hodgepodge is also popular in some regions of Germany, where it can usually be found for sale in restaurants, as well as in the form of canned goods in food stores.
What is a hodgepodge: types
There are three main types of hodgepodge, the main ingredients of which are meat, fish or mushrooms. All these variations contain pickles and often cabbage, mushrooms, sour cream (cream) and dill. Soup is prepared by pre-cooking cucumbers, and then other ingredients are added to the broth.
For a meat hodgepodge, all ingredients (beef, ham, sausage, chicken breast, cucumbers, tomatoes, onions, olives, capers, allspice, parsley and dill) are chopped finely and mixed in a pan. Then the broth is added to the mixture and the soup is heated for a short time without boiling.
Fish hodgepodge is prepared similarly, but soup vegetables are cooked in the broth. The meat is replaced by fish such as sturgeon, salmon, or freshwater crayfish. Finally, lemon juice is added to the soup.
For mushroom hodgepodge, chopped cabbage is fried in butter along with cucumbers, tomatoes and a small amount of cucumber pickle. Mushrooms and onions are fried separately, which are then mixed with vegetables. The mixture is quenched for some time. This is the thickest version of the dish, more reminiscent of the second than soup.
What is a hodgepodge team?
The recipe with a photo of this dish is presented below. As already noted, this is a soup with a sour and smoked meat taste. Despite the prevalence of fish and mushroom options, it’s considered a meat hodgepodge as a classic. How is it cooked?
Experienced chefs always use pickled cucumbers (not pickled!), Which give the soup a characteristic salty and sour taste. Sometimes brine is also added. In meat hodgepodge you should use several types of meat (at least 3 different types), most of which you need to boil.
What is usually included?
Usually in Russia this soup is prepared on the basis of a classic meat broth, to which other ingredients are added. Of the meat products, the classical hodgepodge usually includes all kinds of semi-finished products: ham, sausages, sausages, chicken, bacon and so on. In addition, often cooked sausage of the doctor’s type is added to the dish. It is assumed that this is due to a shortage of good meat in Soviet times. Nowadays it is not difficult to purchase various products, so the choice is only yours.
How to cook this soup?
We offer you the most popular recipe for hodgepodge meat team - classic. It implies the use of the following ingredients.
For 4 servings of soup you will need:
- 1.2 liters (about 5 cups) of lean meat or chicken broth. If you wish, you can use only water or dilute the broth with half of it.
- 1 large onion, finely chopped.
- 1 large carrot grated.
- 70 grams of bacon or brisket (chopped).
- 100 grams of any smoked pork sausage.
- 160 grams of chicken breast (or other chicken) chopped into cubes.
- 3 large pickles, finely chopped.
- 3 tablespoons of tomato paste.
- 1/2 teaspoon of tea paprika (preferably smoked).
- 1 large potato, cut into small cubes.
The list and quantity of required meat ingredients for soup is advisory. Do not be afraid to replace the components and mix them to your liking. Or just use what you have.
To serve, save:
- 1/2 large lemon;
- Your favorite green, red or black olives (to taste).
- Finely chopped dill and / or parsnip.
- Black pepper.
- Sour cream (optional).
Cooking process
From the list of ingredients you should understand what a hodgepodge is. It is assumed that this name arose from the word "salt", which hints at the taste of the dish. To make this soup, first pour the broth into a large pot and heat it.
In a deep frying pan (such as a wok), fry the bacon, sausage, ham (and all purchased meat products that you use) over medium heat. When the fat has melted, add chopped onions and grated carrots. Fry for a while, but do not let them turn brown. Add then chopped pickles, simmer another 5 minutes. Put tomato puree, paprika and capers in the mixture, mix well and turn off the stove. It is with these requirements that a delicious classic meat hodgepodge is obtained.
The recipe then proposes to bring the broth to a boil, add chopped potatoes to it. Let the liquid boil again, and then cook for 5 minutes over low heat. Now add the toasted mixture, then put the meat products - chicken breast, beef tongue and so on. Let the soup simmer for 5-10 minutes, then taste it. If the dish is not salty enough, add brine to it. Turn off the heat, cover and let the hodgepodge infuse for several hours. This will make the soup better, as you can see for yourself. The hodgepodge (photo of which is presented in the article) becomes even tastier the next day.
How to serve a dish?
Serve a classic hodgepodge with a thin slice of lemon, chopped dill and / or parsnip and a few olives in each plate. You can add sour cream to taste. The soup is perfect for refreshments on a winter evening, especially if served with freshly baked bread, best homemade.
Another option
When discussing what a hodgepodge is, one must not forget that this dish has been around for centuries. Accordingly, there are several recipes for cooking. Another variation of meat hodgepodge is as follows.
Ingredients:
- 10 glasses of water;
- 4 tablespoons finely chopped beef tenderloin;
- 1/2 head of chopped cabbage;
- 1 cup chopped celery;
- 1 tablespoon of oil;
- 2 medium onions;
- 2 peeled and chopped carrots;
- 0.5 kg of smoked sausage;
- 2 boiled chicken breasts, diced;
- 1 cup chopped ham;
- 3 large salty stalks of dill;
- 200 grams of tomato paste;
- 2 tablespoons capers;
- 3/4 cup chopped olives;
- 450 grams of stewed tomatoes;
- 1 cup dry white wine;
- salt and pepper.
Cooking process
Add water and beef to the pan and bring to a boil. Put chopped cabbage and chopped celery, boil, reduce heat and cook for 30 minutes.
Place the butter in a large skillet and heat. Add onions and carrots, then fry until translucent. Put sausage, chicken, ham, pickles and tomato paste. Bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer for 2 minutes. Transfer the mixture to a pot of meat and cabbage.
Add capers, olives, stewed tomatoes to the soup and bring to a boil. Pour in the wine and cook for another 20 minutes. If necessary, adjust the taste with salt and pepper.
Pour the hot soup into portioned bowls and season with sour cream and dill. As a complement, serve brown bread or warm rolls to the table.
As you can see, this is a more simplified version of the meat hodgepodge. But in any case, you should not be afraid to experiment and add your favorite components. For example, put sausages or pork sausages, or fried bacon. If desired, you can use a little lemon juice for additional acidity.