Hot soups for chilly winter days

SAUERK RAUT  SOUP
Raugintų  kopūstų  sriuba

1 lb. sauerkraut,  drained
1 lb. meat, pork or beef
1 onion,  quartered
1 carrot, grated
4 peppercorns
2 bay leaves
Salt to taste
Cut meat into medium pieces,  cover with cold water and bring to a boil, remove scum. Add sauerkraut and onion. Cook for about  1  hour,  then add peppercorns, bay leaves, carrot and salt. Cook until carrots are soft, about 15 minutes. The soup is eaten with boiled potatoes, cooked in their jackets, or with black rye bread.

PICKLED  BEET  SOUP
Raugintų  burokėlių  sriuba  (batvyniai)

1 lb. smoked ham with bone
4 large (or 5-6 small) pickled beets, coarsely grated
1 onion,  chopped
6 peppercorns
4 bay leaves
3 potatoes, peeled and cubed
6 Tbsps. sour cream
Salt to taste
Cut ham  into  medium pieces,  cover with cold water and bring to a boil. Remove  scum  and  continue  cooking  for about  1  hour.  When meat is  soft,  add beets,  potatoes,  onion  and  seasoning. Cook for another 20 minutes, until potatoes are soft. Whiten with sour cream just before serving, adjust salt, stir well. Serve hot potatoes or black rye bread with this soup.

MUSHROOM SOUP WITH BACON BITS
Grybų  sriuba  su  lašiniukais  (grybienė)

3 cup bacon, finely chopped
4 cups fresh mushrooms,  cut into medium pieces
5 potatoes, peeled and diced
1 onion, finely cut
2 carrots, sliced thin
2 garlic cloves
3 cup sour cream
5 sprigs fresh dill,  chopped
5 peppercorns
3 bay leaves
Salt to taste

Fry bacon and onion. Place all ingredients, except sour cream, in a soup pot, cover with water and cook on medium heat until potatoes and carrots are soft, for  about  30  minutes.  When  soup  is done,  add  sour  cream  and  bring  to  a gentle boil. Black rye bread goes well with this soup.

BREAD SOUP
Duonos  sriuba
9 oz.  (about 5-6 slices) black rye bread,  cubed
3 potatoes, peeled and cubed
5 Tbsps.  butter
1 onion,  chopped
6 Tbsps.  sour cream
Salt to taste
4 cups water
Cook potatoes  in  salted water  until soft, about  15-20 minutes,  mash potatoes. Fry onion and bread cubes in hot butter, add to mashed potato and water mixture, mix gently and whiten with sour cream. Please note: These  days  black  rye bread,  whether  Lithuanian,  Russian, Ukrainian or other, is available at many ethnic grocery stores and delis.

POTATO SOUP WITH DRIED MUSHROOMS
Bulvių  sriuba  su  džiovintais  grybais

6 potatoes, peeled and cubed
1  Tbsp. pearled barley
5 dried boletus mushrooms
4 Tbsps.  butter
6 Tbsps. sour cream
3 bay leaves
Salt to taste

Soak mushrooms and barley in separate  containers,  about 2-3  hours.  Slice soaked  mushrooms,  cover with 6  cups water, bring to a boil. Add soaked barley and cook for 20 minutes. Add cubed potatoes,  bay leaves,  butter  and pinch of salt. Cook until potatoes are soft. Serve hot with black rye bread.

POTATO  DUMPLING  SOUP
Bulvių  kukuliukų  sriuba

2 lb. raw potatoes, peeled and grated
3 cooked potatoes,  riced
8 cups milk
8 cups water
Salt to taste

Place grated potatoes into a linen cloth and squeeze out all liquid into a bowl. Let potato liquid rest until starch has settled. Pour off liquid and mix grated raw potatoes with the starch, add riced cooked potatoes, a pinch of salt, and kneed until a dough-like mass is formed. Form little round dumplings, drop dumplings into boiling, salted water, cook for about 15-20  minutes.  When  dumplings  are done, add milk and bring to a gentle boil.

MUSHROOM-LEEK SOUP
Grybų  sriuba  su  porais

1 bunch leeks, sliced
1/2 lb. fresh mushrooms, sliced
2 Tbsps.  butter or oil
1/4 cup flour
1 tsp. salt
Pepper to taste
Pinch cayenne
1 cup chicken broth
3 cups milk
1  Tbsp. sherry
Chopped parsley

Saute sliced leeks and mushrooms in butter or oil  for  10  minutes.  Blend in flour, salt and cayenne. Stir in broth and milk. Add sherry and pepper.  Simmer for 10 minutes. Serve with chopped parsley sprinkled on top.