This recipe for húsleves, a favorite Hungarian soup, comes from Az Emlékek Szakácskönyve, a book of Gyula Krúdy’s short stories which includes Krúdy family recipes. The recipe was excerpted from “The Science of Fasting” (“A böjtölés tudománya”). While the recipe is short on details, the soup is simple to prepare: Add whatever meat you are using to a big pot of water, simmer over a very low heat for a long time (don’t boil it) and add the vegetables towards the end. When the vegetables are done, serve the soup. It can also be served with added pasta, daragaluska, or májgomboc, as Krúdy suggests.
Method:
“In every respectable home things are prepared with the strictest ceremonial order: from a beef rump, from beef brisket, from beef bones, possibly a large marrow bone…,” writes Krúdy. “The consommé cooks slowly, because it’s still a long way until noon, but already the parsley root, carrot, kohlrabi, Savoy cabbage, celeriac, mushrooms, peas, onions, garlic, tomatoes, and paprika have arrived. And the salt. And already the liver dumplings, or something similar, are being kneaded. Add whatever you want to the soup.”
