Lithuanian Cottage Soup

Lithuanian Cottage Soup

You didn’t know that I was an expert on Lithuanian food, did you? Have you ever tried Lithuanian food? Actually, I haven’t either. This, however, does not stop me from proclaiming myself an expert on Lithuanian cuisine. 

How can I be so confident that this soup is an authentic representation of the soup served in Lithuanian cottages? Very simple, if I was a Lithuanian living in a cottage, this is the way I would make soup. You really shouldn’t doubt me on these things. 

I'm not sure I believe him. 

Some ethnic stores carry Lithuanian sausage. If you can not find any, you can use Polish sausage (fresh, not smoked). If you use the Polish sausage, you will have to call this Polish Cottage Soup. I’m sorry, that’s just the way it is. 

1 cup red beans

2 large Lithuanian sausages, about a pound

1 large onion, chopped

2 stalks of celery, chopped

2 carrots, chopped

1 cup chopped cabbage

1/2 cup of chopped parsley

1 large tomato, chopped

1/2 tsp. oregano

1/2 tsp. paprika

1 tsp. white pepper

2 quarts of chicken stock

2 tbs. barley

1 cup broken spaghetti or other pasta

Preparation

Sort the beans and place them in a small pot and cover them with water. Bring the water to a boil and then let them soak for at least an hour in the hot water. Drain them and they're ready to use. (If you want to cheat, you can use a can of red beans.)

Take a large soup pot and heat it over high heat. Add olive oil to coat the bottom. Cut the sausages into bite sized pieces and brown them on all sides. Add the onion, celery, cabbage, carrots and parsley. Let them cook down for about ten minutes until the onions soften. 

Add the chopped tomato, the oregano, paprika and white pepper. Stir and cook until the tomato starts to break apart. Add the chicken stock and the barley. Bring to a boil and simmer covered for an hour or two until the beans are soft. Add the pasta and cook for another fifteen minutes.

Don't forget to make some homemade bread too!

Serving

Serve this soup as a first course, with fresh baked brown bread and lots of butter.  Make a salad too, why not? For your main course, serve braised pot roast, stewed tomatoes, and roasted potatoes. Now open a bottle of Petite Sirah and ring the dinner bell