Although the word "hodgepodge" often refers to a stew of cabbage with various toppings, another, no less popular variety of hodgepodge is a thick soup on a steep (saturated) broth, which includes many ingredients.
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The history of the dish
Since hodgepodge is a dish, the preparation of which involves the use of many meat and vegetable ingredients, the expression "combined hodgepodge" in the Russian language even plays the role of an idiom, which means "a mixture of anything."
The dish has been known since the 15th century, when in cookbooks it was listed as a fish hodgepodge. Later, other varieties of hodgepodge began to appear, including meat. After tomatoes began to spread in Russia, the recipe for making hodgepodge changed radically - either fresh tomatoes or tomato paste began to be added to it.
Initially, the hodgepodge was a fat spicy soup, usually served with vodka. This dish was also called a "hangover", as it very successfully fought with a hangover syndrome. In the XVIII century, the hodgepodge gained a reputation as a peasant dish and since then has not been served on the tables of aristocrats. Probably, this explains the appearance of another name for this dish - "villager".
What is a good hodgepodge
Later, the attitude to the hodgepodge changed, which is explained not only by its excellent taste, but also by its beneficial properties, which are due to the rich composition of useful microelements and all kinds of vitamins contained in its ingredients.
This dish is especially rich in vitamin C, calcium and protein. It also contains pectins that contribute to the removal of toxins and improve digestion, and antioxidants that effectively protect the cells of the human body and strengthen the immune system.
Solyanki are represented by three varieties: meat solyanka, fish solyanka (with a different set of all kinds of poultry, fish and meat) and simple (mushroom). The first two varieties are prepared on saturated meat and fish broth, the third - on vegetable or mushroom broth. All these broths are bred with cucumber pickle.
Solyanka-main dishes are liquid-free and baked in pans, while similar to their recipe hodgepodge soups are called liquid hodgepodge. Still, liquid hodgepodge, unlike traditional first courses, contains very little broth (one third less than other soups), and this broth is concentrated and has a rather pungent and spicy taste. The thick and liquid parts of the hodgepodge are prepared separately and combined 5-15 minutes before serving, not so much for cooking, but for improving flavor and warming.
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