Żurek

Description
Traditional Polish soup

Zakwas

 * 1,5 l boiled and then cooled water
 * ¾ cup white rye flour -
 * ¼ cup whole wheat rye flour - (if you don't have whole wheat, just take 1 cup of white)
 * 5 garlic cloves
 * 1 slice of whole wheat bread

Soup

 * laska (raw white sausage) - it's a Polish fresh sausage (do not eat it raw!) seasoned and prepared for boiling, for a 2 liter soup use two to three pieces (in Polish "laska" also means a girl),
 * 1 round or straight piece smoked sausage
 * potatoes - peeled and in 2-3 cm pieces (do not use a ruler, please)
 * 1 garlic head, split into cloves and peeled
 * 1 handful of marjoram

Zakwas

 * 1) First you need to ferment the flour (make "zakwas"). The ingredients are for 1,5 liter jug of zakwas.
 * 2) It's really a lot (for a huge party - 5 or more liters of soup) so ½ of ingredients will be enough for the first time.
 * 3) Take a stone pot or glass jug (no metal!) with capacity more than 1,5 l (the "zakwas" will ferment and will need space).
 * 4) Add flour and half of water, stir it thoroughly to avoid clots.
 * 5) Add rest of water.
 * 6) Peel the garlic, you may cut in in half, but do not chop.
 * 7) Add a slice of bread, make certain than bread is totally under water.
 * 8) Cover with dishcloth just to avoid anything to land in it but not to cut the air access and leave it in the cool place for a few (3-5) days.
 * 9) If you don't have a cool (not cold!) place, you can put the jug a basin with warm water (and refill it regularly).
 * 10) Every now and then check, if bread is under water - it may mold easily (if it's moldy - throw it out and start over with fresh ingredients).
 * 11) Now there's the trick - it's not easy to judge if it's ready.
 * 12) The fluid should be opaque, not moldy in any case, greyish in color and smell nice (yes, it's subjective).
 * 13) There may be some bubbles.
 * 14) If you don't want to make the żurek right now, put zakwas to the fridge.

Now for the soup

 * 1) Cover the white sausages with water and boil.
 * 2) Cut smoked sausage in four the long way and then in thin slices.
 * 3) Add to already boiled white sausages.
 * 4) After 5 minutes of boiling, add potatoes, pressed garlic and marjoram (you may add some salt, but sausages are salty).
 * 5) Boiling, boiling and when potatoes are soft, add zakwas (but not all - add a part and taste, if it's not too sour, add more).
 * 6) You can add some butter, salt or more garlic to taste.
 * 7) Best on the next day (after you cool it down and boil again).

Also

 * the longer zakwas ferments, the more sour it will get (no exaggeration - after a week of fermenting it may be inedible).
 * you can add hard boiled eggs on the plate, garnish with parsley -- add some more marjoram and pepper.
 * if zakwas is not sour enough, some addition of fresh lemon juice will do.