Polish white borscht with sausage and egg

Barszcz biały is a sour soup made here with a fermented wheat starter, white sausage, garlic and marjoram. Make a vegetable broth, gradually add the starter and finish with cream. Serve with hard-boiled eggs and bread or potatoes. This recipe makes about four servings.

Ingredients for white borscht

• 500 ml fermented wheat starter for white borscht
• 500 g raw white sausage
• 1.5 litres water
• 1 carrot
• 1 small parsley root
• A piece of celeriac
• 1 onion
• 2 garlic cloves
• 2 bay leaves and 3 allspice berries
• 1 tablespoon dried marjoram
• 100 ml cream, 18% fat, suitable for soup
• Salt and pepper to taste
• 4 hard-boiled eggs, to serve

Use a starter intended for white borscht with a pleasant sour smell. Its strength varies, so you need not add it all at once. If the sausage is already cooked, add it near the end of cooking the broth and heat according to the package instructions.

Making the broth and cooking the sausage

Peel and wash the carrot, parsley root and celeriac, then cut into large pieces. Peel and halve the onion. Put the vegetables in a pot with the water, bay leaves and allspice. Bring to the boil, lower the heat and simmer for about 20 minutes.

Add the raw white sausage to the gently simmering broth. Cook gently for about 20 to 25 minutes, until completely cooked through. The time depends on the thickness of the sausages. Remove one and check the centre: there should be no raw meat. Avoid a vigorous boil, which can split the casings.

Transfer the sausage to a plate. Leave the vegetables in the soup, chop and return them later, or use them separately. Remove the bay leaves and allspice. Slice the sausage once it has cooled slightly. Use a clean board and knife, not unwashed equipment that has touched raw meat.

Adding the starter and cream

1. Stir the starter to mix the settled flour into the liquid. Stir about half into the hot broth first.
2. Simmer for a few minutes. Taste and add more starter gradually until the soup is suitably sour and slightly thickened.
3. Add the crushed garlic and marjoram rubbed between your palms. Return the sliced sausage and heat through.
4. Put the cream in a bowl. Gradually mix in a few spoonfuls of hot soup, then pour the mixture into the pot and heat gently.
5. Season with pepper and salt if needed. The sausage and starter may already add salt, so season with salt last.

Tempering the cream helps prevent curdling. Avoid boiling vigorously after adding it. If the soup is too thick, add a little hot water. If it is too mild, add a little more stirred starter and heat again.

Serving and storage

Put egg halves and sausage in each bowl, then ladle over the hot soup. Serve with bread or separately cooked potatoes. For a sharper flavour, add a little freshly grated horseradish gradually so it does not overwhelm the sour base.

White borscht and żurek are related soups, but this recipe uses a wheat starter; żurek often uses rye. A fermented beet starter can be used for soups with a different colour and flavour.

Refrigerate the cooled soup in a closed container and eat within 2 days. Reheat each portion until thoroughly hot. Store the eggs separately and add them before serving.

FAQ

Can I make white borscht without cream?

Yes. Cream softens the flavour and gives the soup a creamy colour, but it is optional. Without it the flavour will be sharper. Use less starter if you prefer a milder sourness.

Why stir the starter before adding it?

Flour settles at the bottom. Stirring distributes it evenly and helps you control both the sourness and thickness. Add the starter gradually because its strength varies.

Can I use cooked sausage?

Yes. It does not need as much cooking as raw sausage. Add it near the end and heat thoroughly according to the package instructions. The vegetable broth is still worth cooking separately for a fuller flavour.