Alissa Timoshkina's cookbook, "Lozhka," offers a collection of Eastern European soup and stew recipes designed to bring warmth and comfort to the kitchen. The book features traditional dishes that have been staples in households across regions like Poland, Belarus, Ukraine, Bulgaria, and Armenia.
One highlighted recipe is the "Pearl Barley, Wild Mushroom and Chicken Stew," known as krupnik. This dish is described as a thick, nourishing stew that is halfway between a soup and a risotto, often enriched with wild mushrooms for an earthy depth. It's a classic of homely cooking, particularly in the forested regions of Ukraine.
The collection also includes a "Bulgarian Bean Chorba," a national staple that has sustained communities for centuries. This hearty soup features white beans, tomatoes, and spices like smoked paprika and dried mint, finished with fresh parsley.
"Garlic Soup," a tradition found across Eastern Europe's western regions, is presented as a remedy for colds and hangovers. This version can be made creamy with roasted garlic or as a chunkier broth, using ingredients like garlic bulbs, leeks, potatoes, and vegetable broth.
A unique offering is the "Salmon, Rice and Dill Pickle Soup," which marries flavors reminiscent of Romanian ciorbă de pește and Polish zupa ogórkowa, creating a comforting and tangy dish. It combines salmon fillets, rice, pickled cucumbers, and fresh dill.
"Armenian Lentil Soup with Prunes and Walnuts" offers a blend of familiar and unique flavors, with prunes linking it to Ukrainian traditions and walnuts adding a Persian-Caucasian touch. This lentil-based soup is seasoned with coriander and paprika.
From Hungary comes the "Smoky Bean Soup," a winter comfort food featuring a rich, smoky broth with beans, root vegetables, and spicy sausage. It's traditionally served with sour cream and parsley.
"Creamy Potato and Cod Soup with Caramelized Cabbage" puts an Eastern European spin on cod chowder, with the caramelized cabbage and caraway seeds adding a distinctive sweetness and fragrance. This dish combines cod, potatoes, and carrots.
Finally, the "Tatar Lamb Shurpa" is a rich lamb or mutton broth with vegetables, a significant dish in Crimean Tatar culture. Traditionally, no part of the animal is wasted, and this recipe utilizes lamb meat on the bone, vegetables, and chickpeas.
"Lozhka" by Alissa Timoshkina, with photographs by Kim Lightbody, is published by Quadrille. The book is available for purchase, with special offers noted for a limited time.