European Soups Inspired By Travel

Czech-Style Dill & Mushroom Soup “Kulajda”

Kulajda (coo-lie-duh) is one of the most interesting soups you’ll discover when visiting Czechia. It’s such a dynamic, often brightly-coloured soup (thanks to all the dill) and hits a nice balance of tangy, sweet and salty.

It’s the kind of thing I’ve eaten countless times while working remotely from Prague, and it’s often served with a soft egg on top which makes it more filling than a simple bowl of soup.

This version stays true to the classic preparation more or less, aside from pan-frying some oyster mushrooms until golden and meaty (texture!), and I also am using some sour cream and a touch of dill pickle juice (very me), rather than relying on white vinegar alone.

Ingredients

• 1 Tbsp canola oil
• 2 cups hand-torn oyster mushrooms
• 2 Tbsp salted butter
• 1 yellow onion, diced
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 1/2 cups roughly chopped cremini mushrooms
• 2 Tbsp all-purpose flour
• 6 cups good quality chicken stock (or vegetable stock)
• 3 white potatoes, peeled and finely diced
• 1 bay leaf
• 1 tsp chili flakes salt, to taste
• ¾ cup full-fat sour cream
• 2 Tbsp dill pickle juice (plus more if you want)
• ¼-½ cup finely chopped fresh dill
• 4 soft-boiled eggs, peeled and halved (optional but traditional!)

Directions

1. Start by cooking the mushrooms. Heat the oil in a wide pan over medium-high heat. Add the oyster mushrooms in a single layer and cook, stirring occasionally, until deeply golden and slightly crisp at the edges, about 6 to 8 minutes. Season lightly with salt and set aside.
2. In a large pot, melt the butter over medium heat. Add the onions and cook until softened, about 5 minutes. Stir in the garlic and cook for another 30 seconds, just until fragrant. Add chopped mushrooms and allow to cook for another few minutes, stirring occasionally.
3. Sprinkle in the flour and stir well to coat the vegetables. Once it has been incorporated by the vegetables, whisk in stock, then add the potatoes, bay leaf, and chili flakes. Bring to a gentle simmer and cook until the potatoes are tender, about 12 minutes.
4. Turn to low heat. Combine pickle juice and sour cream then stir into soup. Add salt and pepper to taste.
5. Add most of the fresh dill, reserving a little for finishing. Keep the soup warm until ready to serve.
6. To serve, ladle the soup into bowls, top with the pan-fried oyster mushrooms and one soft-boiled egg per bowl. Garnish with the remaining dill.

Avgolemono (Lemony Chicken & Rice Soup) From Irene Matys’ Cookbook ‘The Cypriot Table’

Ingredients

• 1 1/2 lbs chicken breasts, bone in and skin on
• 1 cup uncooked short grain white rice, rinsed
• 2 cubes chicken bouillon or 2 tablespoons chicken bouillon paste
• 1/3 cup celery leaves, finely chopped
• 2 large eggs, room temperature
• Juice and zest of 2 fresh lemons, about 1/2 cup + extra wedges
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt
• Extra-virgin olive oil and fresh ground black pepper for garnish

Directions

1. Rinse the chicken and place in a large soup pot.
2. Place the chicken in a large soup pat. Fill pot with 8 cups of water and bring to a boil, skimming off fat from top with a spoon. When water comes to a rolling boil, reduce heat to medium-low and simmer for 45 minutes. The chicken is fully cooked when the meat pulls from the bones easily. Transfer chicken to a large bowl and set aside to cool.
3. Add the rice, celery and bouillon to the pot. Continue cooking while stirring to break down the bouillon cubes. Turn off heat and cover.
4. Remove bone and skin from chicken and discard. Shred chicken meat and set aside.
5. Whisk the eggs and lemon juice in a bowl. Whisk one ladle full of hot broth into the eggs slowly so the eggs do not curdle. It’s important to temper the eggs. Gradually whisk in 2 more ladles of broth until the egg mixture is heated. Then pour the egg mixture back into the pot, whisking briskly.
6. Turn the heat to medium-low, add the chicken and continue to cook the soup until the rice has softened, about 6-7 minutes. Cover and let stand for 10 minutes to thicken slightly.
7. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
8. Pour into soup bowls or cups and drizzle with olive oil and fresh ground pepper. Serve with extra lemon wedges.

Tip: You can refrigerate this soup in an airtight container for up to 2 days. The soup will thicken with the rice in the refrigerator. To reheat, place in a soup pot and add a ½-cup of water or more for your preferred consistency, and warm over medium-low heat.

Norwegian-Style Fish Soup

This Norwegian-style fish soup is something I’ve become really smitten with over the past year or so, especially when visiting friends in Trondheim. It’s, well I don’t want to say “a lighter version”, but perhaps a more balanced version of cream and roux-heavy chowders Canadians may be familiar with.

The versions I’ve eaten in Norway there tend to be gentle, creamy, and very seafood-forward. This is my take on that style, with a subtle Canadian twist: cold-water shrimp from our own waters, a bit of rutabaga for sweetness, and a tin of smoked mussels stirred in at the end to boost flavour without driving up the cost. Fennel is key here, so don’t leave it out, otherwise your Norwegian friends will be disappointed in you!

Here, I am finishing the soup with egg yolks for silkiness and a splash of apple cider vinegar instead of lemon, it’s still very much Norwegian in spirit, just filtered through my Canadian culinary lens.

Ingredients

• 2 Tbsp salted butter
• 1 leek, trimmed, cleaned and thinly sliced (approximately 1 ½ cups)
• 1 small carrot, finely diced (approximately ½ cup)
• 1 small celery stalk, finely diced (approximately ½ cup)
• ½ cup finely diced rutabaga
• 1 Tbsp all-purpose flour
• 6 cups good quality fish stock (best option) or vegetable stock
• 1 cup heavy cream
• 1 bay leaf
• Salt, to taste
• 1 small fennel bulb, halved and thinly sliced (approximately 1 cup)
• 250–300 g white fish (cod is a great option here), cut into bite-size pieces
• 250 g thawed Canadian cold-water shrimp
• 1 small tin smoked mussels (85–100 g), drained, patted dry and roughly chopped
• 2 egg yolks¼ cup whole milk
• 1 Tbsp apple cider vinegar¼-½ cup finely chopped fresh dill
• ¼-½ cup finely chopped parsley
• 1 Tbsp finely chopped tarragon, optional

Directions

1. Melt the butter in a large pot over medium heat. Add the leek, carrot, celery, and rutabaga and cook stirring often, until the vegetables are softened, approximately 8 to 10 minutes.
2. Stir in the flour and cook for about 1 minute, then gradually whisk in the stock, followed by the milk and cream. Add the bay leaf and bring the soup to a gentle simmer.
3. Let it cook for about 5-6 minutes before adding the fennel, white fish, shrimp and smoked mussels. Continue to simmer gently for 4-5 minutes, just until the fish turns opaque and is barely cooked through.
4. Reduce to low heat. In a small bowl, whisk together the egg yolks and milk or cream.
5. Slowly whisk in one ladle of hot soup to temper the yolks, followed by one more ladle.
6. Pour the tempered mixture back into the pot, whisking constantly.
7. Return the pot to very low heat and while stirring gently, the soup will thicken slightly in the next minute or so. (Do not let it simmer or boil!)
8. Remove the bay leaf, then stir in the apple cider vinegar and chopped herbs to desired amounts.
9. Taste and adjust seasoning with salt and additional vinegar if desired as well.

Enjoy!