| How To Cook: |
|
|
1. Place the mushrooms in a 2- to 3-quart enameled or stainless-steel saucepan and pour the boiling water over them. Let them soak at room temperature for at least 2 hours.
|
2. Then place the pan over high heat and bring the soaking water to a boil. Lower the heat and simmer uncovered for about 2 hours, or until the liquid is reduced to ½ cup.
|
3. Drain the stock through a fine sieve set over a bowl and set the mushrooms aside to be used, if you like, for uszka, the tiny dumplings usually served with this soup. Reserve the stock.
|
4. Meanwhile, in a 3- to 4-quart enameled or stainless-steel saucepan, bring the grated beets and 5 cups of cold water to a boil over high heat.
|
5. Reduce the heat to moderate and cook uncovered for 10 minutes. Then reduce the heat to low, stir in the vinegar and 2 teaspoons of salt, and simmer partially covered for 30 minutes.
|
6. Strain the beet stock through a fine sieve into a bowl, pressing down hard on the beets with the back of a spoon to extract all their juice before discarding them.
|
7. Return the beet stock to the saucepan in which it cooked, add the reserved mushroom stock, ½ teaspoon of salt, the sugar and lemon juice, and bring to a boil over high heat.
|
|
8. Taste for seasoning and serve at once, accompanied, if you like, by uszka.
|
