Nedeľný Vývar s Rezancami (Kurací, Morčací alebo Hovädzí)
Clear, golden Slovak Sunday broth slow-simmered on the stovetop with charred aromatics, root vegetables, lovage, and whole spices, served piping hot with fine handcrafted soup noodles.
Ingredients
Meat & Bone Base (Choose One or Combine)
- Kurací (Chicken): 1.5 kg Whole soup hen / stewing chicken or bone-in chicken backs, wings, and neck
- Morčací (Turkey): 1.5 kg Turkey wings, neck, and bone-in drumstick
- Hovädzí (Beef): 1.2 kg Beef shank (glejovka), beef short ribs, or marrow bones (špikové kosti)
- 4 L Cold water (always start from cold)
Root Vegetables, Aromatics & Fresh Lovage
- 300 g Carrots (mrkva), peeled and halved lengthwise
- 200 g Parsnips or root parsley (petržlen), peeled and halved
- 150 g Celeriac root (zeler), peeled and cut into large chunks
- 100 g Kohlrabi (kaleráb), peeled and quartered
- 1 Large yellow onion (unpeeled, halved horizontally for charred base)
- 1/2 head Fresh garlic (cut crosswise across the bulbs)
- 1 Small leek (pór), dark green tops rinsed thoroughly
- 3–4 sprigs Fresh lovage leaves (ligurček / maggi bylina) or 15 ml homemade vibrant lovage oil
- 1 small bunch Fresh flat-leaf parsley sprigs & celery leaves
Whole Spices & Seasoning
- 8 Whole black peppercorns (celé čierne korenie)
- 5 Whole allspice berries (nové korenie)
- 2 Dried bay leaves
- 1 pinch Ground nutmeg or small piece of whole mace flower (muškátový kvet)
- 15 g–18 g Fine sea salt (to taste)
To Serve
- Domáce Tenké Rezance: Handcrafted fine soup egg vermicelli, boiled separately.
- Thinly sliced tender cooked carrots, shredded poultry or beef, drops of lovage oil, and chopped fresh parsley.
Method
- Char the Onion: Place the unpeeled onion halves cut-side down into a hot, dry heavy skillet over medium-high heat. Char without oil for 4–5 minutes until the cut faces are deeply blackened (this imparts an amber glow and rich depth to the broth).
- Initial Blanch & Cold Start: Rinse meat and bones under cold water. Place into a large stockpot, cover with 4 L cold water, and bring slowly to a gentle simmer over medium heat. As it approaches a boil, skim off any grey protein foam and scum (peny) that rises to the surface with a fine mesh ladle.
- Add Spices & Bare Simmer: Once the surface is clear, add charred onion halves, garlic head, bay leaves, peppercorns, allspice, and 12 g sea salt. Reduce heat immediately to the lowest setting. Maintain a gentle "smile" (tiahnutie)—a slow, lazy bubble breaking the surface without rolling. Simmer covered with the lid slightly ajar:
- Chicken / Turkey: Simmer gently for 2 hours.
- Beef: Simmer gently for 3 to 4 hours until meat is tender.
- Add Root Vegetables & Lovage: Add peeled carrots, parsley roots, celeriac, kohlrabi, leek, bundled parsley greens, and fresh lovage sprigs. Continue to simmer gently for an additional 60–75 minutes until vegetables are fork-tender but hold their clean shape.
- Strain & Clarify: Turn off heat. Gently lift out meat and vegetables with tongs and set aside to cool slightly. Pour the broth through a fine-mesh sieve lined with cheesecloth or a clean linen towel into a clean pot. Do not press down on solids to keep the broth crystal clear.
- Final Seasoning: Skim off excess surface fat if desired. Stir in a microplane pinch of fresh nutmeg and adjust seasoning with extra sea salt.
- Assemble & Serve: Place a portion of separately boiled Domáce Tenké Rezance into warm soup bowls. Add sliced carrots, picked meat pieces, ladle over boiling hot clear broth, and finish with a drop of lovage oil and fresh chopped parsley.
Chef's Tip: Fresh lovage (ligurček) or homemade vibrant green lovage oil is an absolute non-negotiable—its savory, celery-like aroma is unforgettable. Growing up, I actually used to dislike this dish because my maternal grandma made it every single Sunday straight from our backyard chicken coop. As I grew older and became a chef, I realized how profound that experience was: witnessing the entire cycle from the yard to the pot taught me the foundational respect for ingredients and stock-making that defines my cooking today.