Sandra's pepper soup

Ingredients for 6 servings:

• 1 ½ kg goulash, mixed
• 500 g smoked pork neck
• 1 pack of belly bacon, e.g. Gelderland twin belly
• 5 large onions
• 4 garlic cloves
• 1 jar mixed pickles or Pusztasalat (large jar!)
• 2 bay leaves
• 1 can corn, optional
• 1 ½ liters of meat broth
• 3 tsp peppercorns, green, from the jar
• 1 cup of cream
• 1 tbsp cornstarch

Instructions

Working time approx. 1 hour; Cooking/baking time approx. 2 hours; Total time approx. 3 hours

Midnight soup – the perfect party soup

If necessary, cut the goulash into smaller pieces, approximately 1.5 cm in diameter, and also chop the smoked pork and bacon into small pieces. Brown all the meat and bacon in small portions in a non-stick pan until well browned all over. Transfer the browned pieces to a large pot. Brown the onions and garlic in the remaining frying fat and add them to the large pot. Loosen the browning from the pan with a little water and add to the meat. Add the broth. Finely dice the mixed pickles (if using Pusztasalat, it will already be in fine strips) and add them to the large pot along with some of the liquid from the jar, the bay leaves, and the green peppercorns. Now put the lid on, bring the soup to a boil, and simmer over low heat for about 2 hours. When the meat is tender and, ideally, already falling apart, it’s perfect. Add a little more water if needed. Remove the bay leaves from the soup. Stir the cornstarch into the cream until smooth and use this to thicken the soup. Now season the soup with salt and pepper, although the smoked pork and pork belly usually provide enough flavor. If you like, you can add a can of corn or separately cooked green beans to the soup. Baguette is delicious with it.