Soup with sausages
Description
Perfect for lunch. We call this soup "pseudo-solyanka." Of course, it doesn't contain the three types of meat and olives required for a true solyanka, but it tastes somewhat similar. So here's a simple sausage soup recipe (or "pseudo-solyanka") for your table! Peel the potatoes and cut them into small cubes. Boil in salted water until half-cooked. Chop the onion very finely and sauté in a small amount of vegetable oil in a frying pan. I use a deep sauté pan with high sides—this way I can add all the other ingredients, water, and cook the soup all in one pot. Peel the sausages (leave the casing on if it's natural), slice them into rounds, and add to the onion. Slice the pickled cucumbers into thin pieces as well. Once the sausages start browning, add the cucumbers. Stir, reduce the heat, cover with a lid, and let simmer for 2–3 minutes. Then add the half-cooked potatoes to the pan. Stir and simmer gently under the lid for about 5 minutes, allowing the potatoes to absorb the flavors of the onion, sausages, and cucumbers. Add bay leaf, black peppercorns, sugar, and tomato paste to the pan. Pour in boiling water, cover, and simmer over low heat until the potatoes are fully cooked. Before finishing, taste for salt—since the pickles may not be very salty, you might need to add more. Add thinly sliced lemon and finely chopped fresh herbs directly into the soup, then turn off the heat. Let the soup rest, covered, for 10–15 minutes—then it's ready to serve. Like real solyanka, it's best enjoyed with sour cream. Enjoy your delicious lunch! Ladle into bowls and serve.