PORK SOUP – HÚSLEVES

Let’s face it when Hungarians talk about meat soup, ninety percent of the time they are referring to soup from pork meat. The only difference in preparation from other meat soups is the time required to cook the meat tender. Pork meat takes a little longer than chicken, but much less time than beef. The rest is much the same. If you use a stockpot, cook it ever so slowly and skim off the scum or if you have one, use the pressure cooker. I love soup cooked in the pressure cooker it’s always clear and delicious. Cooking time depends on the cut and the size of the meat. Pork meat can take from 40 minutes to an hour in the pressure cooker. And I am talking about a good chunk of meat, don’t think you can make good soup from a few slivers.

PORK SOUP 

small pork shank

2 carrots, peeled
1 onion, quartered
2 parsnips, peeled
1/3 celery root (when available)
fresh parsley
1 tsp peppercorns

• If using a stockpot, follow the Hungarian beef soup recipe.

• If you have a pressure cooker, place the pork in the pressure cooker.

• Add the carrots, onions, parsnip, parsley, celery root, and peppercorns.

• Pour in the water. Make sure the water is well under the waterline; this is marked on your cooker.

• Lock the lid and set over high heat to bring the pressure up.

• Adjust the heat to maintain medium pressure and cook for 40 to 60 minutes.

• Remove from heat and let the pressure cooker sit for 5 minutes.

• Take the cooker to the sink and run very cold water on the top.

• When the valve lowers with a sigh, it is safe to lift the lid.

• Take out the meat, carrots, parsnip and celery root and set it aside.

• Take out the and set aside.

• Pour the broth through a fine sieve into a clean pot.

• Discard contents of the sieve.

• Spoon most of the fat off and discard.

• Add your choice of already COOKED dumplings or soup pasta and serve.

• Serve the meat and the vegetables in a separate dish.

• Or set it aside to make a dish of mock hunter stew.