Sunday Soup #103: Polish Dill Pickle Soup with Smoked Ham

Hello, Souper Troopers...! You thought I'd forgotten about you, didn't you?! I haven't made a soup since mid-March, but I could never forget about you (or soup)!! I have just been a bit distracted and out of sorts with this whole pesky pandemic thing, like many of you, I'm sure. At any rate, I'm happy to be back with another yummy recipe selected from the wide and wooly Internet...

Pickles. Yep, pickles... I know, some of you think it's weird, but I love them so much, so I am always intrigued by pickle soups. I have made a couple in the past (search the blog for "pickle" to find them), and they have been pretty good, in my opinion. So, how would this one fare? We decided to have a (very small) COVID-friendly distanced outdoor friend-meal to find out...

This recipe came from: https://www.saltandlavender.com/polish-dill-pickle-soup-smoked-ham/

*Pic 1 - https://www.saltandlavender.com/polish-dill-pickle-soup-smoked-ham/

Variations from Recipe as Written: I doubled the recipe and used dried dill instead of fresh, but that's it!

General Thoughts: The prep work on this one was fairly easy, and the ingredients were relatively inexpensive. Chopping onions is (as always) not my favorite, so my wife helped by doing that dice for me; however, the option is always there to buy pre-diced from the market. Beyond the onions, a little dicing on the pickles and potatoes, with some rough cubing on the ham, and it was good-to-go! All in all, from prep-to-pot, it only took about 15 minutes and didn't feel too bad at all.

*Pics 2 & 3 - Pictures from when I made it

The best thing about this soup, bar none, was its chunkiness; all of its different textures were a treat! Every single bite was heaped with ham, potato, pickle, and onion, with the shredded carrot adding some good color. All of the veggies were wonderfully done and the ham was juicy and tender.

Once I was done admiring the mix of perfectly cooked ingredients, I had a chance to appreciate the flavors. TL;DR = It was good! It was especially great because I could taste and appreciate all of the different individual flavors... The ham was salty and smoky, the onions and carrots were piquant, the dill (despite being dried) was present and savory, the sour cream added a delightful creaminess, and (of course) the pickles were salty and tangy. And, when I cracked some black pepper over my bowl, the flavors came to life even more... It was a symphony, and I enjoyed it!

And, it bears repeating, even though I've said it before: If you make this, use a refrigerated pickle in a "clean" brine! I use Grillos (https://www.grillospickles.com/), which can be found at lots of grocery stores (and Costco). Please do not use an artificially green, preservative-packed jar of pickles... They might be okay for a backyard BBQ burger, but they will not be okay for a dill pickle soup that you are hoping to enjoy! :-) If you couldn't see yourself being able to take even a tiny nip of the straight brine, you probably don't want it in your soup.

Potential Improvements? Next time I think I'd add a little more meat, like an extra 1/2 pound of ham (for a single batch) or even some crispy bacon.

Polling the Fam: I loved this one and, if it was just me, I'd be giving it 5 stars right now; it's right there with the previous 5-star Dill Pickle & Brat soup (https://soupersleuth.blogspot.com/2020/01/sunday-soup-98-dill-pickle-and-brat-soup.html). Buuuuuut, there were more diners, and their opinions were a little more mixed (because I suspect they are pickle-intolerant)... First, the good: I loved it; Hunter really liked it and seconded the cracked pepper recommendation; and Lisa liked it but suggested more meat and garnishes (like cheddar cheese and crispy bacon crumbles). And now, the misguided pickle-haters: Andrew said he'd give it 3 stars, and liked it overall, but that he would probably never request it; Jayson managed to get through a whole bowl (against his expectations) but didn't go back for more; and Becky and Fox each took one bite and said, "Nope!"

Verdict: Liked it. (4 stars)

Sunday Soup #98: Dill Pickle and Brat Soup

This week's soup was a little unorthodox because of its signature ingredient: dill pickles! Some of you may remember that I tried a Polish Dill Pickle Soup recipe a few years ago (https://soupersleuth.blogspot.com/2017/08/sunday-soup-7-polish-dill-pickle-soup.html) with pretty decent results... I gave that one 4-out-of-5 stars, but only after I added my own chicken (which the original recipe did not call for) and a shot of vinegar to each bowl. Since then, I have been on the hunt for another pickle-based soup recipe that I thought might knock it out of the park. Did this one deliver? Let's see...

This recipe came from: https://theviewfromgreatisland.com/dill-pickle-and-brat-soup-recipe/

*Pic 1 - https://theviewfromgreatisland.com/dill-pickle-and-brat-soup-recipe/

Variations from the Recipe as Written: It's not really a departure from the recipe since, as written, it offered instructions for multiple cooking methods, but it is worth mentioning that I used the slow cooker method. I used dried dill instead of fresh because the market was out of fresh dill (I substituted in a ratio of 1 tsp dried per 1 tbsp fresh dill). And, I used 4 brats instead of 3 because I like my soups meaty (and I used Johnsonville Beer Brats, which I grilled on the BBQ before slicing for the soup).

Before I move on to talking more about the soup prep, its taste, etc., I want to give a shout out to the crostini my buddy Bill made to go with the soup (and serve as the main dish for those diners who couldn't stand the thought of eating a "pickle soup"). Look at that picture! Sourdough rounds, topped with havarti or mozzarella and a variety of other toppings (including minced garlic, roasted red peppers, bacon, or garlic sausage), all crisped to perfection in the air fryer/toaster oven; my mouth is watering just remembering it!

Pic 2 - Pic of Bill's crostini

General Thoughts: This soup took a medium amount of work to prep. Chopping the onion and pickles (and fresh dill, if you use it), grating the carrot, dicing the potatoes, and grilling then slicing the sausages all took a bit of time, but I am confident it would feel like much lighter work if you had a kitchen helper. :-) And, using the slow cooker method made the actual cooking a snap, as well as producing terrific results in both the texture and taste of the final product.

*Pics 3, 4, & 5 - Pictures from when I made it

This soup was pleasing to multiple senses... Flashes of green and red poked through the surface of the creamy broth, all speckled with dill, and it enticed the nose with a subtle, but distinctly fresh, aroma. The textures were also a delight as, similar to the last soup I made (https://soupersleuth.blogspot.com/2020/01/sunday-soup-97-carne-en-su-jugo.html), it had a little of everything: liquid broth, tender potatoes, chewy-crumbly sausage, and crisp veggies. But, how did it taste?

Um... D-LISH-USS!! It was delightfully creamy, hearty, brothy, and chunky, in all the right proportions. Make sure you get the salt and pepper right (I winged it with a bit of cracked pepper and about 3 tbsp of kosher salt, both added near the end of the cooking process), and your mouth is in for a flavorful treat. Even if pickles aren't usually your thing, I'd recommend you at least try this one. But, if you have a pre-established serious aversion to dill pickles, I'd steer clear, as there is no doubt this is a pickle soup.

One final word about your choice of pickle for this soup... Using a "clean" pickle, in my opinion, made a huge difference to the taste and texture of this dish. I used Grillo's Pickles (https://www.grillospickles.com/products), which are sold all over (e.g., Target, Costco, BJs, and probably your local grocery store), usually in the refrigerated section. Grillo's are packaged raw in a brine that is so clean and clear that I can take small sips of it straight. This is in stark contrast to the average jarred pickles found on the supermarket shelves, which can be colored an unreal shade of yellow-green and swimming in a brine that is overly salted and almost caustic. PLEASE don't do that to yourself or your family in this dish...

(*Update: This one was also spectacular as leftovers! Wouldn't you agree, Bill?)

Potential Improvements? I would not hesitate to make this one exactly the same way again!

Polling the Fam: Of our six diners, only three of us tried it... But, I loved it (duh!), Bill loved it, and Sheila really liked it. Not really anything else to say!

Verdict: Loved it! (5 stars)

Sunday Soup #37: Polish Dill Pickle Soup

I am so excited...! Ever since the beginning of this project, I've had a dill pickle soup recipe (or four) saved and been dying to try it. Well, the day has come, my friends! Do you like soup? Do you like dill pickles? Have you ever thought, "I wish I could find a way to combine my love of soup and dill pickles?" Well then, this entry is for you!!

This recipe came from: http://www.kitchme.com/recipes/polish-dill-pickle-soup?invite=29ot

*Pic 1 - http://www.kitchme.com/recipes/polish-dill-pickle-soup?invite=29ot

My Variations from Recipe as Written: I added one pound (boneless, skinless) chicken breast for some protein. I put it in the pot with the ingredients in step 1, then pulled it out and roughly diced it between steps 1 and 2.

General Thoughts: Another soup with some fairly easy prep, which is always a plus. I was unsure (at first) how I was going to shred pickles, but then I decided to just (duh!) shred them using a cheese grater. I have to say, pickles (particularly when they are crisp) are much easier to shred than I thought they'd be. Other than that, peeling and slicing the potatoes was the only other real chore.

*Pics 2 & 3 - Pictures from when I made it

Despite the instant flour/milk mixture, this soup did not turn out to be as thick as I expected, which was surprising. Also, even with the four shredded pickles and the pickle brine, it did not turn out quite as "pickley" as it initially smelled. However, that wasn't really much of a problem, since individual tastes for such strong, unique flavors can vary. The garnishes (e.g., sour cream, fresh dill, and sliced pickles) added quite a bit to the soup's flavor profile, and I definitely would suggest not skimping on the pepper (Lisa!).

The chicken was a great addition and gave the soup a real boost in the heartiness department. Though, I would definitely recommend sticking to chicken stock if you are going to add chicken. It is also worth mentioning that I don't think any other type of protein (i.e., beef, pork, or fish) would have worked in this soup quite as well as the chicken did.

Overall, the soup was pretty good... I was going to say "surprisingly good," but I really didn't know what to expect going in, so it was just objectively solid.

(*NOTE: I've decided to start adding a "Potential Improvements" section - like the one below - to all future soup posts, since it seems like there is always something I think could help a recipe be better, no matter how tasty it was.)

Potential Improvements? For me (and Hunter), this soup actually lacked a little bit of the "bite" we were hoping for; the type of vinegary pickle flavor that makes dill pickles a very specific, distinct taste. But, adding a shot of apple cider vinegar to each bowl was PERFECT! I say "to each bowl," rather than to the overall pot, because that taste does not suit everyone's palate, so it is safer to garnish for each individual. Also, I think it would have been better if I'd cut the potatoes a little smaller; a large/coarse dice would have been right on. Finally, this soup would definitely have benefit from serving it with a side of bread.

Polling the Fam: I liked it, and for the ease of prep and the uniqueness of it, I'd definitely make it again, particularly with the improvements above. Becky does not normally care for an overabundance of dill pickle taste, but she liked this soup well enough, particularly with sour cream to make it a little less pickle-forward. Although she went back for seconds tonight, she said she'd eat it again but wouldn't request it to be made. Hunter also liked it, and said he'd eat it again, but he said it did not have quite enough pickle taste (so he added vinegar, as well). He also thought the pepper was really important to preventing the soup from being too bland for his tastes.

Verdict: Liked it. (4 stars)