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Schav #1 - dairy

Posted by : Karen Selwyn

I'm happy to share the recipe from Claudia Roden's cookbook, THE BOOK OF
JEWISH FOOD.  Roden writes: "Sour flavors were much favored by Jews in
Eastern Europe.  Sharp sorrel soup was a favorite in Poland, Hungary,
Transylvania and, especially, Lithuania."

I love schav, and when I saw it on the menu at the Catskills hotel where
our family gathered for my in-law's 50th anniversary I thought life was
complete.  Then reality intervened.  Try to imagine green dishwater and
you've got this hotel's rendition of schav.  Ugh!

But back to the present.  Wynn, you must promise if you find a source
for sorrel, you'll let us know.  A few days ago, I posted a recipe for
Salmon with Sorrel Sauce with the sad commentary that I haven't been
able to make for a long time since I lost my source for sorrel.

Karen Selwyn

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Schav

1 lb old mealy potatoes
9 cups stock
7 ounces sorrel leaves, chopped
salt
1 teaspoon sugar (or to taste), optional
2 eggs

Wash the sorrel leaves and cut off only the thick stalks, saving the
thin, tender ones.

Boil the potatoes in the stock until they begin to fall apart. Using a
fork or a potato masher, mash the potatoes lightly.  Add the sorrel,
salt and optional sugar. Simmer 5 minutes.

Beat the eggs.  Add a little of the soup broth to the eggs and continue
beating.  Pour mixture egg-soup mixture into the saucepan with soup. 
Simmer, beating occasionally, until the soup thickens.  Do not let the
soup boil.  As soon as the soup thickens, remove from heat.  

Serve hot or cold.

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