Ciorba Teraneasca (Rumanian Cabbage Soup with Bacon)
Submitted by EmilyL2001
A hearty Romanian cabbage soup layered with smoky bacon, green peppers, and fresh herbs, then finished with a velvety egg yolk and cream liaison. This ciorba is a full meal in a bowl.
YIELD
6 servingsPREP
20 minCOOK
50 minREADY
70 minCiorba is the soul of Romanian home cooking, and this one is a proper peasant soup built to fill you up and warm your bones.
Cabbage and bacon are layered in a big pot, seasoned with dill and savory, then simmered until everything goes tender and the broth turns rich and smoky.
The real magic happens at the end: a liaison of egg yolks, cream, and vinegar gets whisked into the hot broth, transforming it into something silky and tangy all at once.
Serve it in deep bowls with crusty bread, a wedge of cheese, and some fresh fruit on the side. That’s supper, done.
Pro Tips
- Temper the egg yolk mixture by stirring in a ladle of hot broth first. This prevents the eggs from scrambling when you pour it back into the pot.
- Use sour cream instead of sweet cream for an even more authentic Romanian tang.
- Don’t rush the cabbage. A full 40-50 minutes of simmering is what makes it melt-in-your-mouth tender.
Ingredients
Directions
Your will need a large soup pot.
Chop up one slice of bacon, and fry it in a heavy stewpan until the fat runs.
Fry the onions in the fat until they are golden.
Add the peppers and fry them, too.
Remove the stewpan from the heat.
Layer the cabbage and the rest of the bacon into the soup pot.
Season between the layers with salt, pepper, and the herbs.
Pour the water over it all and bring to a boil.
Turn the heat down and simmer the soup for 40 to 50 minutes, until the vegetables are tender.
Remove the soup from the heat.
Beat the egg yolks with the cream and the vinegar in a little bowl.
Stir in a ladleful of the hot soup.
Whisk well and pour the mixture back into the soup to thicken and enrich it.
Serve in deep bowls accompanied with fresh bread.
This soup is a meal in itself, and wants only a piece of cheese and fresh fruit to make it complete.
Comments
I made this today but only half the quantity although I still used all the bacon - it was delicious and made a good meal for 3 with crusty bread :)