Macedonian Soup Recipes

Plain vegetable soup

Cut the stems from okra and slice. Saute okra, celery, green pepper and onion in butter until soft. Add tomatoes, paprika, salt and pepper and stir well. Add boiling water and simmer for about 1 hour until vegetables are all tender. Cooked leftover chicken or meat may be added to this soup.

Tripe Soup

Wash tripe thoroughly. Place in large pot and add water, salt, garlic and pepper. Bring to boil and simmer for 3 hours. Add extra water if needed. Remove pot from stove. Beat eggs in bowl and add lemon juice or vinegar. Slowly add one cup of the hot broth, being careful not to curdle. Beat well and add one cup cream. Pour all into pot, stirring constantly. Sprinkle parsley over the top. Do not cover pot. Serve very hot.

Variation. Cream may be omitted. 1/2 cup rice may be added during last 20 minutes of cooking time.

White Kidney Bean Soup

Wash beans, cover with 2 quarts of cold water; boil until beans are soft to touch, about 2 1/2 hours. Saute onions, green pepper and garlic in oil until soft, about 10 minutes; add tomatoes, paprika and salt. Cook about 10 minutes longer; combine with cooked beans. Sprinkle with black pepper and crushed mint.

Cooking Hint. Never add salt to beans while boiling. It increases the cooking time. Beans may be soaked in cold water several hours or overnight for faster cooking.

Bean Soup

In a large pot, cover bones with water, bring to boil and remove scum from top. Add beans and simmer 1 1/2 hours. Remove bones and most of fat. Add more water if necessary. Add vegetables, which have been finely chopped and simmer for 15 minutes. Add salt and noodles and simmer for about 8-10 minutes, depending on the size of the noodles.

Variation. 2 pork hocks may replace beef bones.

Tenderloin and rice soup

Chop tenderloin into small pieces and fry in butter for about 10 minutes, until well browned. Add all vegetables and continue to fry, stirring often in order not to burn. Add more butter, if necessary. Add salt and paprika, stir well, and add water. Cover and boil for about 1 hour; then add rice and boil for a further 15 minutes.

Lentil Soup

Soak lentils in hot water. Wash thoroughly and drain. In a pot, pour water over lentils; add whole pepper for flavour, and boil until tender, about 1 !4 hours. More water may be added if necessary. Place oil in frying pan; add minced onion and saute until golden, being careful not to burn, add paprika and salt; and tomatoes. Continue to cook for about 10 minutes. Pour into pot containing lentils and add vinegar. Sprinkle with pepper.

Optional. Finely chopped garlic may be sauteed with onion for stronger flavour. Also, completed soup may be sprinkled with 1 tsp. of dried mint.

Suggestion. 1 tbsp. flour mixed with cold water may be added to thicken soup.

Rice and meatball soup

Mix meat with onion, celery and seasonings. Roll into small balls in flour. Melt butter in frying pan; brown meatballs. Pour boiling water into large pot. Add bouillon cubes. If using optional vegetables listed, add them at this time also and simmer for 15 minutes over medium heat. Add meatballs, simmer for further 20-30 minutes. Beat eggs and lemon very well. Remove soup from burner and add one cup of broth very carefully to the egg mixture slowly and stirring constantly to prevent curdling. Reverse the procedure, pouring contents of bowl into pot. Serve immediately.

Cooking Hint: If a whiter soup is desired, add 1/4 cup cold water per egg used in sauce and beat together well with lemon. This applies to any soup recipe that is thickened with eggs and lemon.

Easy Chicken soup with Meatballs

Prepare soup according to package directions. Combine beef, egg, salt, and pepper, onion and crumbs and shape into small, bite-size balls. Fry in small amount of fat, butter preferably. Add to soup and allow to simmer for about 10 or 15 minutes. In a small bowl, beat eggs well, and stir in lemon juice. (See cooking hint). Very slowly add one cup of soup broth to the egg mixture, stirring constantly to prevent curdling. Reverse the procedure and add the eggs, lemon and 1 cup broth mixture to the remainder of the soup, again stirring constantly. Serve in soup bowls including 5 or 6 meatballs in each. Sprinkle with black pepper.

Chicken Soup

Clean and wash fowl thoroughly. Cut up and place in a large pot; add water and bring to a boil. Remove all scum from top just before boiling point is reached. Add onion, butter and seasonings and cook over medium heat until chicken is fork tender. Remove fowl and add rice to broth. Cook for a further 15 minutes and then remove from element. To prepare sauce, beat together in a bowl, all the ingredients for about 2 minutes. Very carefully, add a ladleful of broth slowly to the egg sauce, stirring constantly to prevent curdling. Reverse the procedure, and pour egg sauce into pot of SOUP, again, being very careful not to curdle. White meat of the chicken may be chopped and added to the soup. If using noodles rather than rice, a cooking time of no longer than 5 minutes is necessary.

Note: If you do not wish to use all of the broth for soup, some may be reserved for making pilaff or makalo, before adding egg sauce.

Vegetable beef soup (1)

Cover soup bones with water in large pot; bring to a boil and remove scum. Simmer several hours. Strain liquid into large pot. Chop all vegetables fine and add with meat and tomato to broth; add season- ings and bouillon cubes, stir and simmer for about 20-30 minutes or until vegetables are tender. Correct seasonings.

Variation: Chicken bones or ham bones may be added to beef bone: for more flavour. Other vegetables may be added, if desired.

Cooking Hint: After straining broth, allow to cool in refrigerator This will solidify the fat and make it easy to remove from top. Thi: may be done a day ahead. Bring broth to boil before adding vegetables

Vegetable beef soup (2)

Chop beef into small pieces and fry in butter in a frying pan for about 10 minutes or until well browned. Remove and place in large pot containing boiling water. In same frying pan, saute finely chopped vegetables, being careful not to burn. Add more butter if necessary; add seasonings and continue to fry until tomato has completely softened. Pour into pot of water and meat and cook over low-medium heat for 1 1/2 hours. Rectify seasoning.

Chicken and okra soup

Cut up chicken, cover with water and bring to boil. Remove scum, lower heat and add 1 tsp. salt. Simmer until the meat falls from bones; at least two hours. Remove meat and chop into small pieces. Add remaining ingredients, excluding rice, and simmer until vegetables are tender. Add rice and chopped chicken; cook for a further 15 minutes. Rectify seasoning and serve.