Slovak Christmas sauerkraut soup (Kapustnica)

1. Soak the dried porcini and the prunes separately in lukewarm water for 30 minutes. Put the smoked pork in a large pot with 2 litres of cold water, bring to the boil and simmer gently for 40 minutes.

2. Add the sauerkraut (rinse briefly if very sour) with its juice, the bay leaves, pepper and the soaked, chopped mushrooms with their soaking liquid, and cook for another 30 minutes.

3. Slice the sausage and fry in a pan; take it out and sweat the finely chopped onion in its fat for 5 minutes until translucent. Take off the heat, sprinkle over the paprika and flour, stir, and whisk smooth with a little cold water.

4. Add the roux to the soup with the sausage and sliced prunes and cook for 15 minutes. Lift out the pork, dice it and return it to the pot.

5. Take off the heat and stir in the sour cream tempered with a ladleful of soup (or serve a spoonful in each bowl). Add salt only at the very end, after tasting – the sauerkraut and smoked meat are already salty.

6. Serve hot with fresh bread; reheated the next day it's even better.

Tip: Kapustnica is the indispensable soup of the Slovak Christmas Eve: every region and family makes it differently – some with sour cream, some without; the sweet-smoky-sour harmony of mushrooms, prunes and smoked meat gives it its festive flavour.