This rustic soup comes from centuries-old Cossack cuisine. When the Cossacks needed to protect their borders and go on multi-day patrols, they took small quantities of food, taking into account the high calorie content, so that the raw materials did not spoil and could be prepared quickly. The ancestral home of kulesh is Hungarian millet porridge (in Hungarian millet is called “kelesh”. It was often prepared right in the field while working, hence its second name “field kitchen”.
This food is a thick soup with the addition of millet, onions and lard. To improve the taste, you can add potatoes, mushrooms, garlic and other various vegetables. It turns out delicious if you cook it in nature, let it sit, soak in the smells of spices, then you don’t need a better soup. Country soup is very popular among hunters, fishermen, and even those who love thick soups or had to spend the night in nature.
What products are needed to prepare kulesh?
Previously, people had no time to cook, they needed to work a lot, but they needed to eat, so they tried to cook in the field all the products, combine them, light a fire and let them cook something hot, tasty and satisfying. The most necessary ingredients then were: millet, lard and onions, but if you have potatoes, you can add them for thickness. Time passed, and the field soup remained in demand, but the recipe was improved and they began to add: egg, carrots, garlic, meat, various herbs and spices.
Pour cold water over the millet, rinse well, then change the water and rinse again so that the grain does not become bitter later. Next, pour water into the pan, heat it and add the washed cereal and cook under the lid ajar for 10 minutes. Then add potatoes and carrots. Preferably cut into cubes, boil everything for at least another 10 minutes.
For richness, chop the smoked brisket and fry until crispy. We cut the onions and carrots into small strips or squares, and also color them. Pour all this into a pan with millet, salt and pepper. Before turning off the heat, add bay leaves and herbs. Let it sit, then pour it into plates, not small ones, but large ones, and eat with gusto.
2. Kulesh with meat and secret dressing
This thick soup can serve as both the first and second course. If you cook outdoors, the kulesh will be even tastier, as it picks up a slight smoky flavor and smells like smoked meat. Many experts cut out willow branches, char them, and when the food is ready, they are placed in a cauldron for 15 minutes. Here we immediately catch two useful secrets - some of the necessary microelements are extracted from the willow and the finished dish becomes more flavorful.
Approximate amount of ingredients for 5 servings:
— 400 g of meat products;
- 150 g lard for frying with onions;
- 70 g old lard for dressing;
- 3 pcs. onions;
- 10 potato tubers;
- 3 pcs. eggs;
- 2 bunches of parsley for dressing and lezon;
- 5 cloves of garlic;
— 2.5 liters of water;
- the rest is all to taste.
Preparation
First, cut the lard into cubes, place in a cauldron and lightly fry, then add chopped onions and fry everything together until golden brown. Next, add pieces of brisket and pork ribs and continue the frying process for 10 minutes. Fill everything with water and cook for 10 minutes, skimming off the foam all the time.
Then add washed millet and chopped potatoes. Let everything boil and cook. We prepare a dressing from eggs and parsley (you don’t have to spare it): break the eggs into a bowl, add the chopped herbs, mix and carefully add to the kulesh.
And now about the secret filling. Crush the old lard, slightly yellowed, with garlic, salt and herbs and add at the very end. Taste, cover with a lid and set aside. After 30-40 minutes you can eat.
3. Kulesh of trout heads
Every culinary specialist knows that the basis of the first courses is the aromatic and rich broth with which we will cook, and then the kulesh. I had trout heads, fennel, carrots and other root vegetables that improve the color and taste of the future broth, as well as cloves of young garlic, fresh herbs, young onions, all kinds of spices from bay leaves, a mixture of peppers and ending with allspice. You can add ginger root, a small piece of lemongrass and dried pepperoncino peppers to make the broth taste amazing.
Preparation
So, wash the vegetables and greens, peel them in large pieces, lightly crush the garlic cloves with a knife for greater effect, wash the fish heads thoroughly, remove the gills and place them in a wide, deep saucepan. Fill with cold water, bring to a boil, skim off the foam and salt to taste. Omit all the spices, vegetables and root vegetables, cook under the lid for 45 minutes. Place the heads on a plate and remove all the “meat” so that there are no bones.
Next, for the soup, fry finely chopped onion and garlic in a small amount of oil until transparent and light golden brown. Add small chopped tomatoes, simmer for 1-2 minutes. Pour in the broth (decide for yourself), add half a glass of washed millet, 1 tbsp. l. dry dill and any herbs, cook under the lid until the millet is ready. then lower the fish, remove the heat and simmer the kulesh for about 20 minutes. It is important that the amount of broth is sufficient so that the field soup does not turn into porridge due to millet.
Also, amateurs pour the kulesh into a large ceramic pot and set it to simmer on almost heated and smoldering birch logs. The result is “haute cuisine” in the form of a kulesh. We pour the kulesh into plates, take the garlic crouton in one hand and a large spoon in the other and enjoy the recipe of bygone days.
4. Cossack kulesh on the fire
When we relax at sea in our small house, we always cook Cossack kulesh with the addition of lard and homemade stew. The beauty of the cutting is not so important here, but on the contrary, the larger it is, the tastier the finished soup will be.
Components:
- 200 g of millet cereal;
- 1 can of pork stew;
— 8-10 pcs. potatoes;
- 150-160 g lard;
- 5 onions;
- salt, spices and herbs to your taste.
Pour water into a cauldron, put in a few small onions, then chopped potatoes (if you have small potatoes, it’s better like this), bring to a boil. Then add well-washed millet, salt and continue the cooking process. When the potatoes and onions are ready, take out several large specimens, mash them into a puree and add them back to the main mixture. At the end of cooking, add the stew, stir, season with chopped old lard and spices. When serving, sprinkle with herbs.
Products
Pork belly - 500 grams
Potatoes - 5 pieces
Onions - 2 pieces
Carrots - 1 piece
Millet - two thirds of a glass
Bay leaf - 2 pieces
Dill - 1 bunch
Parsley - 1 bunch
Salt - 2 teaspoons
Water - 2.5 liters
Cooking kulesh
1. Cut 500 grams of pork belly into small cubes.
2. Roughly chop 2 onions, 1 carrot, 5 potatoes.
3. Pour two-thirds of a glass of millet into a deep bowl.
4. Rinse the millet: pour water over the grain, stir with a spoon, carefully drain the water, repeat 4 times.
5. Chop 1 bunch of dill and parsley.
6. Pour 2.5 liters of water into a saucepan, place over medium heat, and bring the water to a boil.
7. Add millet to boiling water and cook for 10 minutes.
8. Add potatoes and carrots, cook for 10 minutes.
9. Place the frying pan over medium heat and heat for 1 minute.
10. Place the brisket cubes in a frying pan and fry for 7 minutes over medium heat, stirring occasionally.
11. Add onion to the pan and fry for 5 minutes.
12. Place the onion with cracklings (fried pieces of brisket) in a pan with millet and potatoes.
13. Add 2 teaspoons of salt, 2 bay leaves, cook for 5 minutes.
14. At the very end of cooking, add chopped greens to the pan.
Let the kulesh stand for 10 minutes and serve.
Kulesh soup with millet and lard has long been one of the simple camp foods of the Don and Zaporozhye Cossacks. It was cooked in large cauldrons over an open fire. On long trips they took mainly those products that could be stored for a long time: salted lard, onions, cereals, and greens that could be found in the field. Potatoes became part of kulesh much later. You can prepare a nutritious and satisfying kulesh soup with millet and lard in your home kitchen.
Recipe for kulesh soup with millet and lard
Dish: Main course
Cooking time: 1 hour
Total time: 1 hour
Servings: 3 servings
Ingredients
- 1 liter water
- 120 g millet
- 400 g pork lard with layer
- 100 g onion
- 1 PC. carrot
- salt
- greenery
- black pepper
Step-by-step recipe with photos
How to cook kulesh soup with millet and lard
1. Rinse the millet with water several times. Soak in hot water. Leave for half an hour.
2. Cut the lard.
Place in a frying pan and fry until lightly browned.
3. Finely chop the onion.
Add onion to lard. Fry for another five minutes.
4. Chop the carrots and add them to the onions and lard. Fry for three minutes.
5. Rinse the millet with hot water two to three times and place in a frying pan with lard.
Lightly fry the cereal for no longer than three to four minutes. Place all contents in a saucepan, add water and bring to a boil. Turn off the heat and cook the kulesh at moderate heat for 15 - 20 minutes.
6. Taste and add salt and pepper to taste. Chop the greens. You can add green onions, dill, and parsley to the kulesh. In the summer, you can pick wild garlic, oregano and other herbs and put everything in the soup.
Turn off the seasoned kulesh with millet and lard after six to seven minutes. Let it brew and serve a simple and delicious soup with bread for lunch or dinner.
Kulesh is deservedly considered a masterpiece of Ukrainian cuisine. In terms of popularity, it is second only to Ukrainian borscht. Kulesh appeared on the tables from the serving of the Zaporozhye Cossacks, who prepared it during campaigns and long trips, since this dish did not require any special conditions, no precise recipe, no special culinary skills. Later it became widespread throughout Ukraine and even gained fans in neighboring countries. Today, kulesh, or, as it is popularly called, “field soup,” is an indispensable attribute of picnics and gatherings around the fire.
How to cook kulesh?
The hallmark of Ukrainian cuisine is the ease of preparation and richness of the dishes. And kulesh in this regard is no exception. There are only 2 required ingredients: cereal and lard. Other products are optional. It can be meat, mushrooms, vegetables, herbs and much more. etc. You can take any cereal for kulesh; millet is most often used. Connoisseurs of culinary traditions cook it separately from other products and add it to an almost finished dish. For frying, lard is traditionally used, preferably with a meat cut. Although recently, recipes with beef, stew and even sausages have become equally popular. Season the finished dish with garlic and herbs. Kulesh can be easily prepared at home in the kitchen, but if you want to fully enjoy the taste and aroma of the dish, cook it over a fire!
Kulesh: recipe
Ingredients: Millet – 100 g Potatoes – 6 pcs. Pork lard (fresh) – 150 g Onion – 2 pcs. Spices - to taste
Pour approximately 2 liters of water into a saucepan and place on the stove to boil. Sort the grains and rinse under running water. As soon as the water for the kulesh boils, add the cereal, add ½ tsp. salt and cook for 15-20 minutes. When the millet is almost ready, add the chopped potatoes. Reduce heat and simmer until potatoes are done. Cut the lard into medium-sized cubes and fry a little to render out the fat. Then add chopped onion to the lard. Fry everything together until golden brown. When the potatoes become soft, add frying, salt, spices and stir. Delicious aromatic kulesh is ready!
Cossack kulesh: recipe over the fire
Ingredients: Millet – 200 g Carrots – 1 pc. Onion – 2 pcs. Potatoes – 4 pcs. Butter – 100 g Pork lard (fresh) – 200 g Spices – to taste Herbs (green onions, parsley and/or dill)
Cut fresh lard into cubes and place in a pot, let it fry slightly and release the fat. Chop the onion and grate the carrots. Place the vegetables in the pot and fry, stirring occasionally, for 5-7 minutes. Then pour 1.2-1.5 liters of water into the pot and leave to boil. Place chopped potatoes into boiling water. Cook for 5-7 minutes, then add thoroughly washed cereal. When the millet is cooked, add butter, spices and chopped herbs. Mix the kulesh thoroughly and serve.
Kulesh with meat: recipe
Ingredients: Millet – 300 g Meat (preferably beef) – 400 g Onion – 2 pcs. Pork lard (fresh) – 60-80 g Garlic – 2-3 cloves Bay leaf – 1-2 pcs. Spices (cloves, black and/or red pepper) - to taste Parsley
Cut the meat into cubes approximately 2 cm in size, cover with water. Place on the stove and cook, remembering to remove the noise from time to time. Then add a few peas of allspice, 1-2 small bay leaves, and cook until the meat is soft. Remove the finished meat from the broth and add the cereal, sorted and washed in several waters, into the pan. Cut fresh lard into cubes and melt in a frying pan over low heat. Fry the chopped onion in the resulting fat. 10-15 minutes before the millet is ready, put the meat, roasting and dry spices into the pan. Season the finished dish with parsley and crushed garlic.
Kulesh with stewed meat: recipe
Ingredients: Millet – 220 g Pork stew – 1 can (400 g) Potatoes – 10 pcs. Pork lard (fresh) – 150 g Onion – 2 pcs. Butter – 200 g Eggs – 7 pcs. Greens - 1 large bunch Spices - to taste
Cut the potatoes into cubes. 1 onion cut into 4 parts, chop the 2nd. Place potatoes and coarsely chopped onion in a saucepan (or kettle if cooking over a fire), pour 2 liters of cold water, add ½ tsp. salt and set to cook. When the potatoes are ready, remove the vegetables and mash them thoroughly with a fork. Pour the washed millet into the pan and cook until ready. When the cereal is cooked, add crushed potatoes with onions and stew. Stir and simmer over low heat. In a separate bowl, fry the diced lard and the remaining onion. When the onion is covered with a golden crust, place the roast in a pan with millet. Beat the eggs with a whisk and carefully add them to the porridge. Add chopped herbs, salt and spices. After 2-3 minutes the kulesh can be served.
Delicious kulesh in a slow cooker
Ingredients: Millet – 250 g Pearl barley – 250 g Pork (brisket) – 700 g Onion – 2 pcs. Carrots – 1 pc. Paprika – 3 tsp. Garlic – 6 cloves Spices – to taste
Rinse millet and pearl barley thoroughly under running water. Place in a bowl, add boiling water and simmer with the lid closed for 10-15 minutes. Then drain the water and rinse the cereal again. Cut the pork into medium-sized pieces, carrots into rings, and onions into cubes. Place everything in the multicooker bowl. Fry meat and vegetables in the “baking” mode. Do not close the lid to allow excess liquid to evaporate. When the meat becomes soft, add cereal, whole cloves of garlic and 5-6 tbsp. water. It is better to put the garlic directly in the peel, so it will retain its shape and will not dissolve during cooking. Close the multicooker lid, set the “pilaf” mode and cook until done.
Kulesh is an incredibly tasty, satisfying and easy-to-prepare dish that even a novice housewife can handle. Try preparing aromatic kulesh at home or on a picnic, and it will definitely become your family’s favorite dish.
Kulesh- this is the first dish made from millet, with the addition of other ingredients to your taste and discretion. Our grandmother cooked us a very tasty kulesh in the village. She boiled millet in broth from homemade chicken, and then added a lot of fried onions and carrots (sometimes she fried it all with cracklings). I replaced the cracklings with mushrooms, the result was very interesting and no worse. Soup "Kulesh" with millet and mushrooms turned out tasty and satisfying. For those who like it richer, you can add bacon or cracklings to the frying. Be sure to try this wonderful dish!
Ingredients
To prepare Kulesh soup with millet and mushrooms we will need:
4 liters of chicken broth;
400 g champignons;
4 potatoes;
1 carrot;
1 onion;
0.5 cups of millet;
greenery;
vegetable oil for frying;
salt, pepper - to taste.
Cooking steps
Grate three carrots, finely chop mushrooms and onions.
Fry carrots, onions and mushrooms in a frying pan in vegetable oil until light golden brown.
When the potatoes and millet are ready, add our frying with mushrooms to the pan. Cook for 5 minutes, 2 minutes before the end of cooking, add finely chopped greens. Soup "Kulesh" with millet and mushrooms will perfectly diversify your menu and delight you with its excellent taste.
Loading...