Ingredients:

  • 450g (1 lb) smoked ham steak, cubed into 1/2-inch pieces
  • 350g (1.5 cups) fermented Polish-style dill pickles, coarsely grated
  • 180ml (3/4 cup) pickle juice from the jar
  • 30g (2 tbsp) unsalted butter
  • 1.5 liters (6 cups) low-sodium vegetable or chicken stock
  • 500g (3 medium) Yukon Gold potatoes, peeled and cubed
  • 150g (2 medium) carrots, peeled and grated
  • 100g (1 small) parsnip, peeled and grated
  • 1 medium yellow onion, diced
  • 3 cloves garlic, minced
  • 240ml (1 cup) full-fat sour cream
  • 15g (1 tbsp) all-purpose flour
  • 30g (1/2 cup) fresh dill, finely chopped
  • 1 tsp black pepper
  • 0.5 tsp dried marjoram
  • Salt to taste

Instructions:

  1. Melt 15g of butter in your pot and add the cubed ham steak. Cook 5 minutes until the edges are browned and slightly crispy.
  2. Add the diced onion to the ham. Cook 4 minutes until translucent and fragrant. Add the garlic and marjoram for the last 60 seconds.
  3. Pour in the 1.5 liters of stock. Add the cubed potatoes. Simmer 12 minutes until a fork pierces them easily but they aren't falling apart.
  4. While the potatoes simmer, grate your carrots, parsnip, and pickles.
  5. In a separate small skillet, melt the remaining 15g of butter. Sauté the grated pickles for 5 minutes until they smell intensely savory and look slightly softened.
  6. Add the sautéed pickles, grated carrots, and parsnip to the main soup pot. Simmer for another 10 minutes.
  7. In a small bowl, whisk the flour into the sour cream until smooth.
  8. Add two ladles of hot soup broth into the sour cream mixture, whisking constantly. Keep whisking until the mixture is warm and fluid.
  9. Pour the tempered cream back into the pot. Stir in the pickle juice, fresh dill, and black pepper. Simmer 2 minutes until the soup thickens slightly and looks silky.