Chlodnik for those in a hurry – cold summer soup

Ingredients for 6 servings:

• 500 ml buttermilk or kefir
• 400 ml sour cream
• 1 cucumber(s)
• 1 bunch of radishes
• 1 bunch of chives
• 1 bunch of dill
• 330 g beetroot, pickled, diced
• 1 tsp salt
• pepper
• 6 eggs, hard-boiled
• e.g. boiled potatoes

Instructions

Working time approx. 20 minutes; Rest time approx. 1 hour; Total time approx. 1 hour 20 minutes

Refreshing cold dish from Poland, here a quick, simplified version

Peel the cucumber and cut it into very small pieces along with the radishes. If necessary, you can also grate it coarsely. Place both in a bowl, sprinkle with salt, and mix. DO NOT discard any juice that runs out! Finely chop the herbs and add them to the cucumbers and radishes along with the diced beets (including the liquid). Add the sour cream and mix well to remove any lumps. Finally, add the buttermilk and mix well again. Season with salt and a little pepper and refrigerate for at least 1 hour. Serve the chlodnik with the hard-boiled eggs and hot boiled potatoes tossed in parsley butter. Some people also cut the egg and cooled potatoes into small cubes, add them directly to the chlodnik, and eat it completely cold. Both taste good. Note: This recipe is a simplified version. Traditionally, chlodnik is made from the tops of very young beetroot, which are gently cooked to give it a slight sweetness. Unfortunately, the tops are rarely available in Germany, and in Poland, where the beets are no bigger than a hazelnut, they are only available for a very short time. The taste, however, is very similar, and this version is quick and easy to make.