SchwarzsauerGerman blood soup

• 1 kg2.2 lb pork belly or other streaky pork, in goulash-size cubes
• 1.5 l6 1/4 cups water
• 100 mlscant 1/2 cup white vinegar (5%), plus more to taste
• 2 tsp salt
• 2 onions, peeled, quartered
• 3 to 4 bay leaves
• 1/2 tsp black peppercorns
• 4 cloves
• 1 l4 1/4 cups fresh pig's blood, stirred so it does not clot, from a butcher; thawed if frozen
• 1 to 2 tbsp sugar, to taste
• 1 to 2 tbsp flour, optional, for a smoother binding
• 500 ml2 cups milk, for the semolina dumplings
• 150 gscant 1 cup soft wheat semolina (Grieß), for the dumplings
• 1 egg, for the dumplings
• 2 to 3 tbsp flour, for the dumplings
• boiled potatoes, to serve (or instead of the dumplings)

Method

1. 1

   1. Put the water, vinegar, salt and onions in a pot, bring to a boil and simmer for 10 minutes to make a strong sour stock. Add the bay leaves, peppercorns and cloves.

2. 2

   2. Add the pork, bring back to a simmer, skim, and cook gently for 1 to 1 1/4 hours, until tender.

3. 3

   3. Meanwhile make the dumplings: bring the milk to a boil with a pinch of salt, pour in the semolina while stirring, and cook to a thick porridge that leaves the side of the pan. Let it cool completely, then beat in the egg and enough flour to make a soft, shapeable mass.

4. 4

   4. Bring a wide pan of salted water to a bare simmer, cut out dumplings with a wet tablespoon and let them poach for about 10 minutes, until they float. Keep them warm in a little of the water.

5. 5

   5. Pour the blood through a sieve. If using flour, whisk it smooth with a little of the blood first. Whisk a ladle of the hot stock into the blood.

6. 6

   6. Lower the heat under the pork and pour in the blood in a thin stream, stirring all the time.

7. 7

   7. Bring it slowly back to a simmer, stirring from the bottom without stopping, since blood catches easily; let it bubble gently for 5 minutes, until the soup is thick, glossy and almost black.

8. 8

   8. Season to a pronounced sweet-and-sour taste with the sugar, more vinegar and salt. Fish out the bay leaves and cloves if you can.

9. 9

   9. Serve hot in deep plates with the semolina dumplings or boiled potatoes.