Parcha bozbash - lamb soup w/ chestnuts~ quin
Yield: 4 Servings
Ingredients:
- 1 lb Boneless lean lamb
Instructions:
-cut in 1" cubes Salt to taste Freshly ground black pepper -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 and 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 Clarified butter 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. Add salt as needed cover and simmer for 1/2 hour. Add the potato quince prunes and chestnuts. Cover and simmer for 1/2 hour. Add the chick-peas and simmer covered 20 minutes. Stir in the clarified butter and allow to melt before serving the 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 for 4-6 hours drained & added at the beginning with the broth. Note: Sumakh aka sumac a spice mixture is to be found in the USA at Mid-Eastern markets.
