Slovenian sour pork soup (Kisla juha)

1. Put the pig's trotters and pork shoulder in a pot, cover with about 3 litres of cold water, bring to the boil, skim, add the bay leaves and whole peppercorns, season with salt and simmer over low heat for 1½ hours.

2. Add the diced carrot, parsley root, celeriac and potatoes and simmer for another 20 minutes.

3. Lift out the meat, dice the shoulder, strip the meat and skin from the trotters, chop finely and return to the soup.

4. In a small frying pan, soften the finely chopped onion and crushed garlic in the lard, sprinkle over the flour and cook to a light brown roux; whisk smooth with a little cold water and add to the soup.

5. Stir in the marjoram and wine vinegar (sour to taste) and simmer for another 10 minutes; finally mix the soured cream with a ladleful of soup and stir it in.

6. Serve hot with fresh bread – traditionally it's made from the fresh cuts after the pig slaughter.

Tip: Kisla juha is the 'morning after' soup of Slovenian country cooking: the sourness is refreshing. The trotters give it a silky, gelatinous body, so don't leave them out; if you can't get them, a piece of ham hock will do.