Cucumber soup's secret weapon: The surprising twist of honey

What can you use to enhance the taste of cucumber soup? Pepper and salt are sometimes not enough. Allspice or bay leaves may help, but they might not achieve that desired "wow" effect. Rely on a proven and effective method to perform a culinary miracle with cucumber soup as the main star.

Are you looking for a recipe for a one-of-a-kind cucumber soup that will charm everyone? The genius and success lie in simplicity. Don't seek out oddities; stick to proven methods that transform the soup like a magic wand. I add one special ingredient to cucumber soup—just one tablespoon- and the household members return for seconds.

If you're wondering how to highlight the flavour of cucumber soup, there are several options, which depend on the effect you want to achieve. Fans of pungent and sour cucumber soup can acidify it with a significant addition of pickle juice. Great ingredients for cucumber soup include whole peppercorns, allspice, bay leaves, and fresh herbs, especially lovage, dill, and parsley. Remember the root vegetable broth, an excellent base for most soups.

You can also enhance the taste of cucumber soup with unusual additions. For example, some mustard will give the soup a deeper flavour. Sour apple, grated into large pieces, is an addition to cucumber soup from the East, a relative of our soup. Nevertheless, one of the most commonly recommended ingredients to enhance the taste of cucumber soup is... honey. Used carefully and gradually, honey will make the soup take on milder notes.

Ingredients:

• 150 grams of pork neck
• 500 grams pickles
• 2 carrots
• 2 stalks of celery
• 100 grams of dry rice
• A bunch of dill
• 1 leek
• Parsley
• 4 bay leaves
• 4 allspice
• Salt and pepper
• 3 tablespoons of 18% sour cream
• 1 tablespoon of honey (or less, according to preference)

Preparation:

1. Cut the pork neck into smaller pieces and cover with water. Bring it to a boil.
2. Then reduce the heat and add the bay leaves and allspice. Cook on low heat for about an hour.
3. Cut the vegetables into smaller pieces and add them to the broth. Cook the soup for another half an hour.
4. After this time, add the rice to the soup and heat for about 15 minutes.
5. Finally, add pickles grated into small pieces to the soup.
6. Cook the soup for a few more minutes. Season with salt, pepper, and honey, and thicken with sour cream. Serve with chopped dill.