The great thing about Christmas is that aside from a few basic symbols and rituals, every nation and every family inject its own traditions into the holiday. So when my wife Lindsay and I were debating the menu for this year’s Christmas Eve dinner my sole contribution and only condition was: kapustnica [KAH-poost-nih-tsa].
Christmas tree. Presents. Midnight mass. Snow. Family. A lot of things offer themselves in association with the holiday, yet the first thing that came to my mind was the sauerkraut soup. It brings the family together at the dinner table, precedes gift giving, adds depth to the scent of pine or fir, and provides the ultimate comfort. Christmas is kapustnica.
The soup is a mainstay of Christmas in Slovakia. My Slovak cookbook lists seven different recipes from different parts of the country, and every friend or relative I have back in the “old country” makes it differently. All have a few things in common: sauerkraut, potatoes, and smoked meat. Sure you can have it any time of the year, but Christmas is when you must.
Kapustnica is Christmas. Kapustnica is family. Kapustnica is home.
Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays!
P.S.: Boil sauerkraut and dried mushrooms in water, let simmer for 20 minutes. Add sliced smoked sausage and diced potatoes. Add peppercorns, bay leaf, and caraway seeds. Cook on low. Fry fine flour in oil until light brown, add chopped onion and paprika, fry some more. Add to the soup. Cook everything on medium for 15 minutes. Dobru chut!
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It was wonderful!