European Recipes:Russian Recipes:Parcha Bozbash (lamb Soup With Chestnuts Quin

Recipe via Meal-Master (tm) v8.02

       Title: PARCHA BOZBASH (LAMB SOUP WITH CHESTNUTS QUIN
Categories: Soups, Lamb/mutton, Ayzeri
       Yield: 4 servings

       1 lb Boneless lean lamb
            ; cut in 1" cubes
            Salt; to taste
            Pepper, black; to taste
       3 tb Butter
       1 md Onion, finely chopped
       4 c Beef broth
       1 md Potato, peeled and cubed
       1 sm Quince; peeled/cored/cubed
     1/2 c Dried pitted prunes
            OR 1 c fresh sour prunes
     1/4 lb Chestnuts, shelled & peeled
     2/3 c Canned chick-peas*
            ; drained & rinsed
       2 tb Ghi

   Season the lamb with salt and pepper. In a heavy pot,
   melt the 3 tb. butter over moderate heat. Add the
   lamb and onion; saute until browned, stirring
   frequently. Add the broth; season to taste with salt.
   Cover; simmer 30 minutes.

   Add the potato, quince, prunes, and chestnuts. Cover;
   simmer 20 minutes. Add the chick-peas and simmer,
   covered, about 15 minutes or until done. Stir in the
   clarified butter and allow to melt before serving soup.

   Note: 1/4 tsp. ginger or a pinch of powdered saffron
   dissolved in 2 tb. warm water may be added with the
   chick-peas, and the soup served sprinkled with 1 ts.
   crushed dried mint, accompanied by chopped onion and
   sumakh on the side. In the Caucasus, ground kyurdyuk
   is normally used instead of the clarified butter, and
   dried chick-peas* rather than canned ones. The dried
   chick-peas are soaked several hours, drained, and
   added at the beginning with the broth.