Polish white żurek with smoked sausage

Ingredients

• 300 g of pork loin (pork belly)
• 2 medium-sized onions
• 500 g of smoked sausage
• 200 g of ground apples
• 3 to 5 dried mushrooms (chanterelles or boletes)
• 500 ml of beef broth
• 500 ml of sourdough starter (rye starter) or concentrated
• 50 to 100 ml of cream
• 3 to 4 tablespoons of flour (preferably whole wheat)
• water, depending on the desired consistency
• marjoram
• salt
• pepper
• Livèche
• 1 clove of garlic (optional)
• Horseradish (optional)

Dice the bacon and fry it in a pan. Peel the onions, dice them, and add them to the bacon. Cook until softened or lightly browned.

Peel the apples and cut them into small pieces. Chop the sausage or crumble it. Soak the mushrooms in hot water, drain them once softened, and finely chop. Bring the broth to a boil in a large pot, add the apples, sausage, and mushrooms, and simmer until the apples are tender. Add the bacon and onions, pour in the sour cream or tomato paste, season with marjoram, thyme, salt, and pepper, and bring to a simmer.

In a bowl, whisk the flour into the cream until a smooth paste forms, then add water gradually until you achieve a fluid, not too thick, consistency. Pour it into the simmering soup, stirring constantly.

Depending on your preferences, you can add a clove of garlic and/or horseradish.