Veal soup sour with sour cherry juice

I love to cook this soup, especially when I have frozen corcodușe from spring. It doesn't require many ingredients, but the final taste is different from any other sour soup. I've found that it turns out best if I follow the steps in order, without skipping anything and without rushing.

Quick Info

Total time: approximately 2 hours
Number of servings: 10
Difficulty: easy to medium
Recipe type: sour soup, family recipe

Ingredients

beef ribs and bones (enough for 10 servings)
2 white onions
1 bell pepper (frozen, if you have)
1 parsnip (frozen or fresh)
1 carrot
a sheet and a half of sour soup cubes (from the freezer)
salt
1 egg
two rounds of noodles
5 tablespoons of chopped tomatoes (from a jar)
fresh lovage (for finishing)

Preparation method

1. Wash the beef under cold water. Put it to boil in a pot with water and salt. When the foam starts to form on top, turn off the heat, drain the water, wash the meat and the pot.

2. Put the meat back in the pot with fresh water and salt. Let it boil over medium heat.

3. While the meat is boiling, clean the onion and wash it. Chop it finely. Prepare the bell pepper and parsnip (if they are frozen, just take them out and cut them). Peel the carrot and cut it into cubes or rounds.

4. After the meat has boiled halfway, add the onion, bell pepper, parsnip, and carrot to the pot. Let everything boil until the meat is fully cooked and the vegetables have softened.

5. When the meat is ready, add the chopped tomatoes. Stir and let it boil for a few minutes.

6. Towards the end, add the sour soup cubes (directly from the freezer) to the soup. Stir and let it boil a few more times until the soup takes on the sour taste of the sour soup.

7. Beat the egg and pour it gently into the pot, stirring slowly. Add the noodles and let it boil just long enough for the noodles to cook (2-3 minutes).

8. Sprinkle chopped fresh lovage at the end, to taste.

Why I make this recipe often

This soup is easy to adapt based on what I have in the freezer or in jars. The sour taste of the sour soup makes it different. It's also good the next day, and the ingredients are cheap and accessible.

Tips and variations

Tips

Do not let the sour soup boil too long – add it towards the end so it doesn't lose its acidity.
Beef cooks faster than mature beef. Check it after 45-60 minutes.
If you want a clearer soup, skim frequently and don’t rush the boiling at the beginning.

Substitutions

You can also use veal bones or just ribs, depending on what you have.
The bell pepper and parsnip can be fresh or frozen.
If you don’t have sour soup, you can use frozen corcodușe, crushed and strained quickly at the end. I don’t recommend vinegar or lemon, as it completely changes the taste.

Variations

You can also use chicken, but the taste won’t be as rounded.
If you don’t want to add the egg, feel free to omit it; it will be a clearer soup.

Serving ideas

I add lovage at the end, after I’ve turned off the heat. It goes well with fresh bread or spicy peppers, depending on preferences.

Frequently asked questions

What do I do if I don’t have sour soup in the freezer?
The soup won’t be as sour, but you can use fresh green corcodușe if it’s in season. Without sour soup, the result changes quite a bit.

Can I use beef instead of veal?
Yes, but the cooking time increases, and the meat will be tougher. Make sure it's tender enough before adding the vegetables.

Can it be made without noodles?
Sure, you can omit them or replace them with rice, but then add the rice a little bit before the end, so it doesn’t break down too much.

What can I substitute for lovage?
Lovage gives the classic taste, but if you don’t have it, use chopped parsley or celery.

How do I know when the meat is done?
It should be tender, easily separating from the bone, but not disintegrating completely.

Nutritional values

Approximately, one serving has around 120-150 kcal, with about 8 g of protein, 6 g of carbohydrates, and 7 g of fat. The values can vary depending on how much meat and noodles you use. It’s quite a light soup, with few fats if you choose leaner cuts of meat.

Storage and reheating

The soup can be stored in the refrigerator, covered, for up to 3 days. When reheating, the noodles may soften more, but the taste remains good. I don’t recommend freezing the finished soup, as the vegetables lose their texture. If you want to keep it longer, freeze only the broth without noodles and egg, adding them at the end after thawing.

 Ingredients: 10 servings of ribs and veal bones, 2 white onions, 1 bell pepper, 1 parsnip, 1 carrot, 1 and a half foil (of ice) with sour cherry juice, salt, 1 egg, 2 rounds of noodles, 5 tablespoons of chopped red peppers from the jar.

 Tags:  veal soup