Russian Monday: "Rassolnik" - Beef Short Rib Soup with Vegetables, Barley & Pickles

With great pleasure I am happy to introduce you to one of my favorite soups – pickled soup (or “rassolnik” in Russian). This is traditional soup of peasants and farmers, people working the land - hearty, tasty and cheap to cook. Today’s “rassolnik” is direct descendant of picked dishes of traditional Russian cuisine, some of which  included pirogue with stuffing soaked in cucumber or any other spicy brine. Four main varieties of “rassolnik” are made either with meat, fish, vegetable or giblets broth and pickles is mandatory ingredient in all of these varieties.