Hotchpotch This is an example of a dish that fits perfectly into the realities of interwar everyday life. It was made from vegetables available most of the year, was easy to prepare and did not require expensive ingredients. Today, when simple and seasonal cuisine is gaining popularity, pre-war vegetable soup can perfectly fit into the menu.
Miszkulancja was a classic pre-war vegetable soupbased on seasonal vegetables that could be easily obtained also in autumn or winter. Original recipe is available, among others: in the 58th issue of “Życie Practical”, a publication devoted to running a women’s home and household, in the issue entitled “Soups and sauces” from 1929. She was the author of this recipe Elżbieta Kiewnarskapublishing under the pseudonym Mrs. Elżbieta – a well-known publicist, author of cookbooks and activist of women’s organizations, from Vilnius.
Vegetable soup was supposed to be a response to real nutritional needs. In times of crisis after World War I, food had to be cheap, easily available, and at the same time filling and nutritious. Miscellany met all these conditions. It was cooked with cabbage, carrots, parsley, leek, celery and potatoesi.e. common and inexpensive vegetables. Thanks to them the soup was rich in fiber, vitamins and mineralsand at the same time it gave a feeling of satiety for long hours.
Milk was a characteristic addition to the mix. It not only whitened the soup, giving it a mild flavor, but above all it enriched it with calcium, protein and vitamin D. At a time when the diet of many families was monotonous and poor, such supplementation of nutrients was of great importance for health. In richer homes the mixing was additionally strengthened with melted bacon or butterwhich increased its caloric value and energy value.
It wasn’t a complicated or labor-intensive soup. On the contrary, it was supposed to be quick to prepare and possible to cook from what was usually in the pantry. Miszkulancja was a dish served to both adults and children. Mild, delicate, easily digestible, it did not burden the stomachand at the same time provided the body with the necessary substances.
Interestingly, There were also poorer versions of this soup. In the most modest variants, it was prepared only from the cheapest vegetables, often with the addition of beans, and the milk was only used to slightly whiten the broth. Despite its simplicity, miscellany fulfilled its function – it was supposed to feed, strengthen and help survive difficult times.
Miszkulancja is a soup filled to the brim with vegetables that naturally strengthen the body. It is especially worth reaching for it in winter, when access to fresh products is limited and immunity is vulnerable to weakening. This is a warm, warming, mild and filling dish, perfect for an everyday dinner. Below the recipe for miscellany dates back to 1929 and shows how easily it was possible to create a nutritious meal from a few basic ingredients.
Miszkulancja – a recipe for pre-war soup
Ingredients:
- a head of savoy or ordinary white cabbage,
- 2 carrots,
- parsley,
- by,
- 1/2 taste,
- a few grains of black pepper,
- 4 bay leaves,
- sun,
- 600 g potatoes,
- liter of milk,
- a glass (250 ml) of sweet cream,
- a tablespoon of butter or 100 g of smoked bacon.
How to do it:
1. Cut the head of savoy cabbage (or previously steamed white cabbage) into quarters and then into smaller pieces.
2. Peel the carrots, parsley and celery and cut into cubes. Clean the leek and cut into thin slices. Place all vegetables in a deep pot.
3. Pour a liter of water, add pepper and bay leaf, some salt, and then cook the vegetables until soft.
4. Peel the potatoes and cut into medium cubes. Add to pot.
5. When the potatoes are slightly soft, pour in the milk and cream (you can harden them first). Bring everything to a boil.
6. When the potatoes are soft, add a tablespoon of butter and mix. Instead of butter, you can also add bacon previously cut into small cubes and cook until soft.
7. Serve the mixture hot.
This pre-war vegetable soup had a specific task: to nourish and strengthen the body. Although today – compared to meat soups or multi-course dinners – it sounds modest, its composition is an example wise seasonal cuisinebased on simplicity. It is definitely worth including mixed food in your daily winter menu.
Source: Terazgotuje.pl, pl.wikisource.org
