Some sources claim that sauerkraut, one of the main ingredients for delicious zelnacka (pronounced as zelnyachka) first appeared in Eastern Europe in the 9th century. From that point on, it didn’t take too long to start using it in different dishes.
Probably the most famous mentioned one is called kapuśniak in Polish, kapustnica in Slovak, капусняк (kapusnyak) in Ukrainian, Kohlsuppe or Krautsuppe in German, soupe aux choux in French and of course zelnacka in Czech. Each country, even each region has got its own version of it. Nowadays in the Czech Republic, you can usually find redish zelnacka full of sausages, kielbasas, potatoes, sauerkraut and spices which combines incredible tastes of sweet & salty, hot & sour.
My favorite soup!
The recipe I am introducing to you is for the best zelnacka I have ever tried. It has been improved to perfection by my 70-years-old Mom who spends most of her time in the kitchen.
For 5 liters (a large pot), you’ll need:
1 large yellow onion
4 tbsp butter
1 hot white pepper
4 garlic cloves
4 tbsp Hungarian paprika
1/3 cup of all purpose flour
3 liters stock
1 kg (2.2 lbs) potatoes
1 1/2 cup of sauerkraut
250 g (0.55 lbs) Vienna sausage
250 g (0.55 lbs) Hungarian spicy kielbasa
1 cup of 15% sour cream
1 tsp ground cumin
5 balls of allspice
3 bay leaves
salt and pepper
Put butter, sliced onion, sliced white pepper and crushed garlic into the hot large pot and stir until they are golden. Add cumin and Hungarian paprika and let simmer for a minute. Sprinkle the mixture with flour and stir well. After a minute or two add hot stock, allspice and bay leaves. Cut peeled potatoes into smaller cubes, add them into the pot as well. While they are cooking, cut sausages and kielbasas into circles. Toast them in a frying-pan for some color. As soon as the potatoes in the pot are soft, add sauerkraut, sausages, kielbasas and sour cream. Mix well. Let the soup cook for 5 more minutes. Add salt and pepper as needed. Enjoy the taste of heaven!
The Czech Guide To Cooking 