Tired of Borsch? Why This Hearty Hungarian Bogrács Might Be Your New Favorite Comfort Food
Tender meat and plenty of vegetables make the heartiest soup you’ll ever try.
The spring might not be the best time to serve soups at home every week, but those who love liquid dishes will likely not refuse to try something new even when it’s pretty hot outside.
If you’re one of those who are tired of making the same soups again and again, you’ll probably become interested in the famous Hungarian Bogrács, which will remind some of the not less famous Ukrainian borsht.
Ingredients: 600 g of pork ribs, 600 g of veal, 120 g of smoked bacon or regular bacon, 500 g of potatoes, 400 g of canned tomatoes in their own juice, 250–300 g of bell peppers, 300 g of onions, 200 g of carrots, 15 g of garlic, 10 g of fresh chili, a tablespoon of ground paprika, 20–30 g of parsley, salt to taste, and two liters of water.
Finely chop the smoked lard or bacon, peel and dice the onion into small cubes.
Fry the bacon over low heat in a pot or deep skillet for about 5–7 minutes. Peel and cut the carrots into small pieces. Do the same with the two types of peppers.
Add the onions to the bacon and fry, stirring, for about 5 minutes. Add the carrots and cook for another 3 minutes. Peel the skin off the canned tomatoes and mash them with a fork.
Sprinkle paprika into the pot and add the chili. Stir and cook for another minute. Add the bell peppers and tomatoes. Simmer everything together for about 5 minutes.
Cut the veal into medium-sized, irregular pieces. Also cut the ribs into serving-sized pieces. Place both types of meat in a pot and season with salt. Pour in enough water to cover the meat. Cover with a lid and simmer over low heat until the meat is tender — about an hour.
Peel and cut the potatoes into medium-sized pieces, then add them to the pot. Add more water if necessary. With the tomatoes, the potatoes will take a little longer to cook than usual — about half an hour.
Peel and finely chop the garlic, then chop the parsley and add both to a pot. Bring to a boil, then turn off the heat. Let the soup stand for 10-15 minutes.
