Late modern Parsley soup

Parsley has been used in the European kitchen since.. well.. I don’t know since when. I know it was used a lot in the Roman kitchen; so probably since before that. Wikipedia says the old Greeks used it too; mainly to cure a hangover.

I used the traditional (local) Dutch way to make this parsley soup. I used flat parsley for the soup; not the curly one. Since traditionally the flat parsley is used. I do sometimes put some curly parsley in it though; because it is cheaper. But it is also less flavourfull. But technically you can use both.

This soup became really popular in the beginning of the 20th century. Most people were still very frugal; not only because they were poor but it was a Christian-social virtue. Making something from little. And parsley soup has always been an example of that.

The increased popularity of parsley soup was also made possible with the cheap and easy modern inventions bouillon/stock cubes and vermicelli that the Dutch company Honig and the Swiss company Maggi brought to us.

Instead of making balls you can also use leftover beef meat. I also added 2 pieces of bone with marrow from beef. Add the bone marrow 7 minutes earlier then the rest.

Late modern Parsley soup

Recipe by Smodder.com (Stef Bruurs)Course: SoupCuisine: Dutch

Servings

4

servings

Prep time

15

minutes

Cooking time

15

minutes

A Dutch late modern parsley soup.

Ingredients

• 1 lt/33 oz water

• 2 small hands vermicelli

• 2 hands chopped parsley

• 150 gr/5 oz minced beef

• 2 bouillon/stock cubes

• White pepper (is used in the traditional way; I prefer black pepper though and used that)

• Salt

• Nutmeg

Directions

• Mix the minced meat with some salt, nutmeg and pepper. Knead the meat with your hands. Roll little balls.
• Cook the water in a pan and add the bouillon/stock cubes.
• Add the parsley, balls and vermicelli at the same time.
• The soup is done when the balls float and the vermicelli is cooked.
• Add salt & pepper to taste.