Betasuppe
A hearty barley soup thick with lamb, root vegetables and cabbage — a one-pot meal for cold days.
Cultural Context & History
Betasuppe is winter fuel from the eastern farms — lamb and barley simmered with whatever roots the cellar holds until the whole pot turns thick and restorative.
Ingredients
- 400 g salted smoked ham or mutton, diced
- 4 potatoes, cubed
- 2 carrots, cubed
- 1/2 rutabaga, cubed
- 1 leek, sliced
- 1.2 litres ham broth or water
- Salt and black pepper
- Flatbread, to serve
Recommended Tools
- Heavy stockpotHolds the broth at a steady, even simmer.
- Sharp vegetable knifeCubes the roots to an even size so they cook at the same rate.
- LadleServes the chunky soup without breaking up the vegetables.
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Step-by-Step Instructions
- 1
Bring the ham broth or water to a boil in a large pot.
- 2
Add the cubed carrots, rutabaga and potatoes, and simmer for 15 minutes.
- 3
Stir in the pre-cooked ham and sliced leek, and simmer for a further 15 minutes, until the vegetables are tender and the soup has thickened slightly.
- 4
Season with black pepper and salt, then serve with flatbread.
Chef's Tip
Taste before you salt — cured ham and mutton give up plenty of their own salt as they warm, and the broth often needs little more.
Chef's Tip
Like most farmhouse soups it deepens overnight; make it a day ahead and reheat gently so the potato cubes stay whole.
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