Russian Rassolnik

Really doesn't sound like it's going to work at all--but, oh, is it good. Thanks for the recipe, sister Dine. Serve hot as a meal to 4-6 friends or 3 Volga boatmen.

SoupTale: This national soup, touted for being a surefire cure for hangovers, graced 18th century aristocratic tables in a variation that included the highest quality caviar. The truly key ingredient, however, is rassol or "pickle juice"--a true staple of Russian cuisine. Because pickles vary from household to household, variations of Rassolnik are legion (pitersky, moskovsky, troitsky, etc.) and have even come to include the exotica of watermelons, pears, or cherries.

• 3 Tablespoons barley
• 1 and 1/2 cups water
• 3/4 cup chopped onions
• 4 Tablespoons butter
• 1 diced raw chicken breast (2 halves)
• 1 Tablespoon flour
• 1 cup carrots, sliced into rounds
• 2 potatoes, diced
• 8 cups chicken broth
• 2 dill pickles, diced
• ¼ cup pickle juice
• salt and pepper to taste
• 1 cup sour cream
• 1 bunch of fresh dill

Simmer the barley in the water until soft. Drain.

In a Dutch oven, stir the carrots and potatoes into the boiling chicken broth, reduce heat, and simmer until soft.

In a skillet, saute the onion in the butter until translucent. Add chicken and livers and continue to saute over high heat until the livers start to crust a little bit. Stir in the flour, then pour in a little stock from the vegetables, scrape up all the good bits, and pour all into the stock pot. Also add the barley. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer for 20 minutes. Stir in the pickles and the salt and pepper.

When ready to serve, ladle into bowls, then stir in a big Tablespoon of sour cream into each bowl and top with fresh chopped dill.