Fen’s Solyanka

2 bay leaves

6–8 peppercorns

3–5 allspice berries

1 shake celery salt

5 cups water

1 bouillon cube

2 cups sauerkraut, drained but not rinsed

1 pound sliced sausage

1 can Spam, cubed

1 6-ounce can tomato paste

3 large dill pickles, chopped

¾ cup black olives, sliced

1 can ewed tomat

Salt

Pepper

Optional: dill, chopped

Instructions

1. In a very large pot, combine the water, spices, and beef base. Boil for 30 minutes.

2. Add the sausage and Spam to the pan. The sausage will release some fat, which will fry the Spam.

3. Add tomato paste to the skillet and stir until it starts to brown; then, add the dill pickles and a little broth to the skillet. Stir to loosen all fond from the bottom of the pan, then transfer contents of the skillet to the cooking pot.

4. Add olives and ewed tomat to the cooking pot. Simmer 5–10 minutes until heated through.

5. Serve with dill.

A recipe card, typewritten on an index card, stapled to a torn sheet of notebook paper with a typewritten recipe on it. Both are weathered, torn, stained, and annotated. The card is on top of weathered, scarred wood, and is surrounded by jar lids holding whole spices, dill fronds, a folding knife, and a couple of jars with preserved vegetables and meats. Visible recipe text is as follows (all is typewritten unless otherwise indicated; see story text for recipe in full): The name of this recipe is blurred out from damage to the recipe card. Handwritten annotation says “Dad’s Recipe.”; 2 bay leaves; peppercorns; 3–5 allspice berries (handwritten annotation indicates to bundle these ingredients); 10 c water; 4 tablespoons beef base *handwritten annotation suggests substituting 2 bouillon cubes); ½ head cabbage; 1 c celery, chopped; 2 onions, chopped; 2 carrots, chopped; 1 pound sliced sausage; 2 chicken breasts, cubed; 1 cup ham, cubed; 1 cup dry white wine; 2 tablespoons capers; (Handwritten annotation reads “continued on back.”); The index card overlaps the recipe page. The recipe visible on the page is as follows: 2. While the water boils [obscured] and carrots in a very large skillet. 3. When the onions start to brown, add the sausage, chicken, and ham to the pan. The sausage will release some fat, which will fry the chicken and ham. If omitting sausage, add oil or butter to the pan and cook until the chicken and ham are brown on all sides. 4. Add the contents of the skillet to the cooking pot. Add tomato paste to the skillet and stir until it starts to brown; then, add the white wine and dill pickles to the skillet. Stir to loosen all fond from the bottom of the pan, then transfer contents of the skillet to the cooking pot. 5. Add capers, olives, and stewed tomatoes to the cooking pot. Simmer 5–10 minutes until heated through. (Handwritten annotation reads “*try pepperoncinis”); 6. Serve with dill or sour cream; A handwritten note in different handwriting from the recipe annotations, in red marker, reads: “Peter??” followed by a series of runes. Next to that, running up the side of the page, a handwritten note in sweet cursive, also in red marker, reads “I say we trust him :) -morrow”