Mushroom Soup from Zdole

Ivan Ivačič was the first Slovenian celebrity chef, originally from the village of Zdole near Krško. For many years, he taught at the Catering School Center in Ljubljana, wrote textbooks, and hosted numerous culinary courses and cooking schools. Among his most famous recipes is undoubtedly his Zdolska gobova juha, which he named after his birthplace and published in his very first cookbook back in 1965. Today, you can still taste this traditional dish every year at the annual St. George’s Festival (Jurjevanje) in Zdole.

RECIPE

Ingredients:

• 400–500 g fresh mixed wild mushrooms

• 350–400 g potatoes

• 40 g cooking fat (oil or lard)

• 40 g smoked bacon, finely diced

• 30 g onion, finely chopped

• 1 clove of garlic, minced

• A small bunch of fresh parsley, finely chopped

• 3 tbsp sour cream

• Salt and black pepper to taste

• A splash of homemade vinegar or white wine (optional, for acidity)

For the Flour Dumplings (Žličniki):

• 250 g all-purpose flour

• 1 small egg

• 1 tbsp vegetable oil (or other fat)

• A few tablespoons of milk

• A pinch of salt

Instructions:

1. Preparing the Soup Base: Peel the potatoes and cut them into equal-sized chunks. Drop them into a pot of salted, boiling water. This boiling water and potato base will later tie all the other ingredients together.

2. Sautéing the Aromatics and Mushrooms: In a separate, deeper pot, heat your chosen cooking fat. Add the finely diced smoked bacon and chopped onion. Sauté slowly until the onion becomes translucent. It is crucial that the onion does not brown, as it needs to retain its sweet flavor. Just before it starts to color, stir in the cleaned and sliced mushrooms (a mix of different wild mushrooms works best), which should be thoroughly rinsed and thinly sliced beforehand. Season lightly with salt, then add the minced garlic and a bit of the chopped parsley. Sauté the mushrooms in their own released juices until the liquid is significantly reduced.

3. Combining the Soup: When the mushrooms are half-soft, transfer them into the pot with the boiling potatoes. Simmer everything together until the potatoes are completely tender. Taste and adjust with more salt and pepper if needed.

4. Making the Dumplings (Žličniki): While the soup simmers, prepare the dumpling batter. In a bowl, combine the flour, egg, oil, a few tablespoons of milk, and a pinch of salt. Mix only until the ingredients come together to form a medium-thick batter that holds its shape; do not overmix, or the dough will become too elastic and tough.

To shape and cook the dumplings, drop them directly into the boiling soup. You can use a small teaspoon dipped in hot water to scoop and drop bite-sized portions of batter into the liquid. Alternatively, place the batter on a small cutting board and use the back of a knife to scrape small ribbons into the soup, dipping the knife into the hot broth occasionally to prevent sticking.

5. Finishing and Serving: Once the dumplings rise to the top and are cooked through, you can add a splash of homemade vinegar or white wine if you prefer a slightly tart flavor. Just before serving, stir in the sour cream to give the soup a rich, smooth, and mellow finish.

Chef’s Note: For a heartier, main-course version of this dish, you can add finely diced veal to the mushrooms during the sautéing step, turning this mushroom soup into a traditional Slovenian stew (obara).