Spinach Soup

Name: Spinach Soup (Schi)
Yield: Makes 8 cups (2 l) without sorrel, 12 cups (3 l) with; 8 first-course servings without sorrel, 12 with
Cuisine: Russian
Ingredients: 1 scant tablespoon (15 g) unsalted butter, if using sorrel; Kosher salt, to taste; ¼ teaspoon peeled, freshly grated horseradish; One 12- ounce (575- ml) bottle beer; 1 medium scallion, white and light green parts only, thinly sliced across ½ pound (225 g) good-quality dill pickles, cut into ¼-inch (.5-cm) dice (or substitute peeled, seeded cucumbers); ¼ cup (15 g) loosely packed dill fronds; 2 pounds (900 g) spinach, stemmed and washed well but not dried; 1 tablespoon cider vinegar; Use 1½ cups (360 g) sour cream, if using sorrel, or ½ cup (120 g) if not; Use 1½ cups (375 ml) heavy cream, if using sorrel, or ½ cup (120 g) plain yogurt, if not; 6 bunches sorrel, leaves only, cut across into narrow strips, optional

Schi

Preparation info

Makes 8 cups 2 l ) without sorrel, 12 cups 3 l ) with;
8
first-course servings without sorrel, 12 with

Difficulty
Easy

Appears in

Soup

By Barbara Kafka

Published 1998

About

There are many different Russian soups called schi. This pleasantly tart (particularly if sorrel is available), cold version has an added snap from diced dill pickles. If that is too freaky for your taste, just substitute cucumbers for crunch. The beer stands in for kvass.

Ingredients

2 pounds (900 g) spinach, stemmed and washed well but not dried
¼ cup (15

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Method

In a large frying pan, cook the spinach, covered, over medium heat for 10 minutes, stirring once or twice, just until wilted. Drain.

In a food processor, finely chop the spinach with the dill. Scrape the mixture into a metal bowl. Stir in the scallion, pickles, beer, 1½ cups (