Green Puree Soup of Sorrel or Spinach

Ingredients

• 2-3 funt beef
• 1/2 funt ham
• 3 dried mushrooms
• 1 bunch greens
• 3/4-1 1/2 funt sorrel
• 3/4-1 1/2 funt spinach
• 1 lozhka flour
• 1 lozhka butter
• 1 onion
• 1/2-2 stakan smetana
• 1/4 tsp baking soda

Instructions

1. Boil a bouillon of beef, ham, mushrooms, roots, and greens; strain.
2. Cook sorrel in its own juice, rub through a sieve, thin with bouillon, and thicken with slaked flour.
3. Blanch spinach with soda, rub through a sieve, and mix with butter.
4. Off the heat, combine bouillon with the spinach, mushrooms, and smetana; serve at once.
5. Garnish with ham, eggs, meatballs, or other accompaniments.