Żurek (Sour Rye Soup)

Poach the white sausage: lower the whole links into gently simmering water and cook for 20 minutes. Lift them out (keep 800 ml of that cooking water as your soup base) and, when cool enough, slice into coins.

In a soup pot, fry the diced bacon until its fat renders, then soften the onion and garlic in it for 5 minutes. Pour in the reserved sausage water, add the potatoes, bay and allspice, and simmer until the potatoes are tender, about 15 minutes.

Stir the żur starter well (it settles), then pour it in slowly while stirring — how much you add controls the sourness, so add two-thirds, taste, and add the rest to your liking. Add the sliced sausage and the marjoram and simmer gently for 10 minutes.

💡 Once the żur is in, keep the soup below a boil. Hard boiling can make the starter taste harsh and split the cream you add next.

Temper the soured cream with a ladle of hot soup, stir it back in, and warm through without boiling. Season with salt, pepper and more marjoram until it tastes sharp, savoury and rounded all at once.

Ladle into bowls (or into hollowed-out round loaves for the full effect) and lay half a boiled egg in each. Serve at once, while the egg is still warm.