Ciorbă de Perișoare
(chor-bah deh peh-ree-shwa-reh)
Ciorba Zilnică (The Daily Sour Soup)
Hit the heavy Dutch oven with diced carrots, roll ground pork and beef between wet palms, and drop the impossibly fluffy spheres straight into a rolling boil to build a pragmatic balance of broth and tart acidity, releasing the scent of ciorbă simmering on the stove—sharp, earthy, and deeply restorative. While fermenting wheat bran takes days, a healthy squeeze of lemon, a splash of white vinegar, or a hit of kraut juice delivers that same tang, bright and hangover-curing, in a fraction of the time. Kill the heat, stir in the sour cream, and ladle it out.
Ingredients
- sunflower oil2 tbsp
- yellow onion1 large
- carrots2 med
- parsnip1 med
- celery root1 small
- red bell pepper1 med
- low-sodium chicken or beef broth8 cup
- tomato puree1 cup
- salt1 tsp
- ground pork1/2 lb
- ground beef1/2 lb
- yellow onion1/2 small
- short-grain rice3 tbsp
- egg whites2 large
- fine cornmeal1 tbsp
- fresh parsley3 tbsp
- salt1 tsp
- black pepper1/4 tsp
- sweet paprika1/2 tsp
- fresh lemon juice1/4 cup
- egg yolks2 large
- full-fat sour cream1/2 cup
- fresh dill and parsley1/4 cup
- dried lovage1 tbsp
Method
- 01
Sweat the root vegetables to unlock their aromatic foundation.
In a large, heavy-bottomed Dutch oven, heat the oil over medium-high heat, then add the diced onion, carrots, parsnip, celery root, and bell pepper, sautéing for 5 to 7 minutes until softened.
- 02
Simmer the restorative broth.
Pour in the broth and tomato puree, add 1 teaspoon of salt, bring to a rolling boil, then reduce the heat to medium-low, cover, and let it simmer for 15 to 20 minutes while you prep the meat.
- 03
Mix the meatball paste with a strict hand.
In a large bowl, combine the pork, beef, grated onion paste, rinsed rice, egg whites, cornmeal, chopped parsley, salt, pepper, and paprika, mixing thoroughly by hand until cohesive and sticky.
- 04
Roll the perișoare with wet hands.
Keep a bowl of cold water nearby to dip your fingers into, rolling the meat mixture into tiny balls no larger than an inch across, re-wetting your hands every few meatballs to seal the exterior and prevent sticking.
- 05
Poach the meatballs gently to preserve their fluffy texture.
Drop the meatballs into the gently simmering broth one by one without stirring, letting them set for 3 to 4 minutes until they float, then skim any foam and simmer partially covered for 15 to 20 minutes.
- 06
Sour the soup.
Pull a meatball to ensure the rice is completely tender, then stir in the lemon juice and dried lovage, letting it simmer for 3 minutes before turning off the heat entirely.
- 07
Temper the Transylvanian liaison.
Whisk the reserved egg yolks and sour cream in a medium bowl, slowly drizzling in three ladles of hot broth while whisking furiously to prevent scrambling, then gently stir the warmed mixture back into the soup pot.
- 08
Garnish and serve.
Stir in the fresh chopped dill and parsley, adjusting the salt or lemon juice as needed, and serve hot with thick crusty bread and a raw green chili pepper.
Notes
The grandmother's rice rule.
Do not add extra rice to the meat mixture. It will expand massively in the broth; too much acts as shrapnel, causing the meatballs to explode and ruining the clarity of the soup.
A note on lovage.
Leuștean is the signature scent of Romanian soup. If you can't find it dried online or at a local European deli, the best weeknight substitute is chopping the pale yellow, tender leaves from the very center of a celery stalk.
The sauerkraut juice swap.
For a true lactic-acid sourness that mirrors authentic Romanian borș, substitute a half cup of strained, unpasteurized sauerkraut juice in place of the lemon juice.
From Cook Romanian in America.